Weeding is a task that is impossible to get away from. No matter how hard you try and no matter which methods you use, weeds will pop up in your garden. Unless you get to them quickly, they can spread and begin to take over as they take away sunlight, water and nutrients from your […]
It’s easy to take your soil for granted, especially if you’re new to gardening. However, experienced gardeners know that you need to have excellent soil in order for your crops to grow properly. If it’s too acidic, too sandy or too full of clay, you’ll run into problems. Soil test kits are available in many […]
Tomatoes seem like the ultimate vegetables (although they are technically a fruit.) They can be used in everything from sauces to salads, and add a nice bright red color to a primarily green-colored garden. They are also easy to grow, right? Well, in some cases they are. Some people have no problem growing tomatoes and […]
(NOTE: This article is a request from Robert and Phil in comments from this article. If there’s something you want to know. Please comment and let me know!) Planting vegetables at midsummer can be tricky for many reasons. Earlier we mentioned some that can be planted during this time period because they are impervious […]
The three sisters’ form of gardening is based on two things: a Native American legend and a traditional Native American form of farming. The three sisters in the name come from three distinct vegetables that when planted in tandem thrive. The legend is told in several different ways, and has roots in Iroquois traditions. The […]
One of my favorite things about this website is answering questions from you! This week I received this email from Jo: Okay, Mario … here is a question for you. It is easy as pie to go out and find all the information in the world you could ever want about building a raised bed and […]
When the weather turns inclement and it becomes clear that nothing will grow outside, it is time to move your vegetable growing indoors. There are a number of vegetables that can be grown in small pots inside your home, and as long as they are taken care of properly, you will be able to enjoy […]
There is more to a jar of pickles than some dill and a batch of small cucumbers. In fact, you can pickle just about everything that you grew in your summertime garden. Things like beets, green beans, and sliced peaches can all be pickled and canned, making this an easy way to store fruits and […]
Once the last autumn harvest is complete and the temperatures start dropping, you may think that your gardening work is done for the year. However, that’s not quite the case. There are plenty of things to accomplish before the snow starts flying, including the items on this handy list: 1) Clean up your garden. Removing […]
Being completely self-sufficient is an excellent goal; however, there are times when you need to accept a little outside help. Whether you had a hard time while planting your garden, simply didn’t have the room for all of the crops that you wanted to plant, or had a catastrophic crop failure due to bad soil […]
Sometimes it can be tricky to find useful vegetables that will grow in your garden. This is especially true if you’re unfamiliar with the United States Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones, or if you’re new to gardening. However, in order to be truly self-sufficient, you need to know what vegetables to plant and what […]
