Growing up in the country, I sort of took bees and butterflies for granted. My mother planted a lot of different flowers which attracted both to our yard. The biggest culprits for all the butterflies were two gigantic lilac bushes in the back yard. However, there aren't as many butterflies around my house now, and I can't remember the last time I saw more than one bee at a time. So, being the nature-oriented person I am, I decided to look into what plants tend to attract such insects, and lo ... [ Read More ]
13 Herbs Every Herb Garden Needs
There's nothing that quite beats being able to harvest fresh herbs from your very own garden, be it a formal garden outside or an indoor herb garden on a windowsill. Every chef should have their own herb garden, but with that comes the question of what are the best herbs to grow. While you should really be sure to only grow herbs that you'll actually use, there are a few staples that should be in most gardens. Keep in mind that if you're going to grow these herbs all in one giant container ... [ Read More ]
8 Useful Herbs That Also Repel Bugs
While I absolutely love the great outdoors, I could definitely do without having to deal with all of the bugs. I know that they're necessary for the ecosystem, but that doesn't mean that I like them or want them in my garden and my house. Mosquitoes are the worst culprits, although there are plenty of other bugs that I'd be all too happy to keep away. However, being an old-fashioned gal, I prefer not to just drench myself, my house, and my yard in chemicals, so instead I look for more natural ... [ Read More ]
6 Easiest Veggies for Beginners to Grow
If you have the space, then vegetable gardening is a wonderful pastime and it can provide some absolutely delicious food for your table. If you've never had garden vegetables, then you'll be shocked how much better they taste than the stuff you get from the store, and if you grow them yourself then you have 100% control on what pesticides (if any) they are exposed to. But, if you're just starting out gardening, it can be a little intimidating to figure out where to start. So, for all you ... [ Read More ]
How to Read a Seed Packet
If you are starting up a garden, one of the cheapest ways to get things up and running is to buy seed packets. Although it might take a little longer, it's worth it in the long run. The nice thing about getting seed packets from your local store is that they come with all the information you could possibly need about your new plant on that scrap of paper. But there's a downside. It's a LOT of information to process and if you're new to gardening it can be incredibly intimidating. But don't ... [ Read More ]
How to Check Your Seeds Before Planting Them
One of the most frustrating parts of gardening can be seeds that never sprout! Any kind of bad germination rate could make you feel like you are doing something wrong, but there's at least a chance that it isn't your fault! ;) If you happen to have seeds that might be a little older, or you perhaps didn't store them as carefully as you should have, or even if its a batch of seeds you've had horrible luck with in the past, you can actually test them before you try to add them to your ... [ Read More ]
Seedlings to Start in January by Zone
Well, the new year has come and gone which means that here in the Midwest the winter has finally set in. As I write this, the roads still have a tiny bit of ice on them from the last snow, and I'm wearing a sweatshirt to stay warm at the computer. However, while there are still a few weeks to a month of cold on the horizon, that doesn't mean that there aren't a things you can do in January to jump start your garden! Depending on where you live, you may be able to either start seeds indoors ... [ Read More ]
13 Foods That You Can Grow From Scraps
Growing your own food is one of the best ways to ensure that you are feeding your family the best quality foods possible. While most of us probably don't mind the time it takes to start and keep a garden going, it can be incredibly expensive to buy all the seeds to get started. Luckily, there are a handful of vegetables that you can actually sprout from existing produce. As a note, there are many plants, including pumpkins, apples, and tomatoes, which can be grown from seeds of the plant that ... [ Read More ]
5 Natural Ways to Kill Weeds
There is a reason for the phrase "grows like weeds", and it can get quite annoying when those weeds start invading our planting zones! Rather than spraying a poison, something that can harm you and your family not to mention the Earth, you should try natural weed control. There are quite a few methods to get rid of weeds without having to resort to poison, and some should actually save you money! 1) Smother Them You can use newspaper or cardboard to kill weeds simply by covering the area ... [ Read More ]