If you haven’t read the first post in this urban farming business series, go back and do that before you continue! Table of Contents In my first post I talked about the business idea and how it got started. I also talked about how I went out and pitched customers, validated the idea, and even landed a client. I got some feedback on that post and it seems like many wish to learn more about the numbers and the basic setup of the business....

Creating a garden in a limited space like a balcony can be a challenge, it can be hard to think of creative ideas to keep your balcony garden look great while adhering to the strict confines of working within such a small area. However, a balcony garden need not spell disaster for the keen gardener. Instead, you should take advantage of the challenge and opportunity to create a gardening masterpiece out of your garden in a balcony....

Darkling beetles (family Tenebrionidae) are a large and diverse family of beetles with over 20,000 known species worldwide and over 1,500 species in North America. Many home gardeners who raise chickens or ducks may be familiar with mealworms, the larvae form of the darkling beetle, and may have even dabbled in raising these nutrient-dense worms. Table of Contents While a darkling beetle may be a nutritious treat for birds or tasty bait for fish, it can also be problematic for gardeners....

Table of Contents When thinking of hydroponic nutrients, it’s easy to imagine that the only way to feed your plants is to provide their roots with a nutrient solution that is carefully calibrated and monitored. While this is the default best option as a plant’s root system is the most efficient part of the plant at nutrient uptake, it isn’t the only way. If your plants are stressed, or their roots are damaged or diseased, it may be time to look into foliar feeding, or providing nutrients to a plant through the foliage or vegetation of the plant instead of the root system...

Growing plants in a greenhouse, whether edible or ornamental, requires a little work beforehand. Learn from these common mistakes and have a successful growing season. Humidity Too much humidity can allow mold spores and diseases to run rampant in your greenhouse; too little and the plants will die of thirst. Do research ahead of time to group plants together with similar humidity needs. Grow them at the same time, or build more than one smaller greenhouse, if space permits....

It’s an erect, often-multi-stemmed plant with dark green, droopy, slender, and long leaves. Ruellia Simplex Beloved by many gardeners for its heat tolerance and shade-loving nature, but reviled by others for its eagerness to spread with abandon, R. simplex can be divisive. Thanks to its sweet purple flowers, however, we come down firmly on the pro-ruellia side of the debate. With forms tall and short, this evergreen, herbaceous perennial – suitable for growers in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 11 – deserves consideration for inclusion in southern gardens....

One of the most commonly grown kitchen herbs, it’s a favorite ingredient in recipes ranging from baked goods to savory dishes and smoothies. And of course, it’s renowned as a pretty and practical garnish! Petroselinum crispum Wouldn’t you love to add the flavor of garden-fresh herbs to your hearty cold-weather dishes? Well, there’s no need to rue(!) the arrival of cold weather, because a few of our favorite kitchen seasonings, like parsley, are cold hardy and continue to grow year-round....

Not only is jade easy to propagate, each specimen has massive potential since all it takes is one leaf to start a new plant. Jade plants are succulent stunners, sporting thick, round, deep green jewels for leaves. Described botanically as Crassula ovata, this species is also known as the money plant. Now, money doesn’t grow on trees, but if money did grow on C. ovata, you’d be hitting the jackpot by reading this article....

Table of Contents There’s no better beginner houseplant than the Madagascar Dragon Tree, also known by its latin name as dracaena marginata. It’s super easy to care for, requiring little light or water, and is quite hardy in most temperatures. In this article, I will cover everything you need to know about dracaena marginata care, propagation, and troubleshooting. Let’s get started! Dracaena Marginata Overview The Madagascar Dragon Tree looks quite like palm trees, which is why many gardeners falsely assume it’s a member of the palm family....

Crossandra, popularly called the firecracker flower, is a tropical subshrub. Its flowers are the real showstopper. They’re often salmon or apricot, but can be found in shades of yellow, red, or pink. Lush dark green foliage provides a backdrop which makes the flowers truly shine. Table of Contents Grown indoors and out, this warm-weather plant truly catches the eye. Crossandra’s an excellent choice as a container plant. In warmer climates, it can also be a beautiful low border....

Muscari plants are smaller than the other winter-grown forced bulbs, but their sweet fragrance and tight spires of cobalt blue, mauve, purple, or white flowers make a joyful impact in the dark days of winter. Many bulbs may be used for forcing indoor blooms over winter, such as amaryllis, hyacinths, and paperwhite daffodils. But for something a little different, a pretty option to consider is Muscari, or grape hyacinth. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

What does that even mean? What’s the difference? Does it matter? You might see certain terms on the tag of a raspberry plant you’re eyeing at your local nursery. Fall bearing. Or everbearing. Perhaps a little confused, you move on, and come across a blackberry plant. Floricane fruiting, the tag reads. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

Growing berries at home can be a delicious and rewarding experience. Raspberries are perennial plants that send up new canes every year on which fruits grow. Properly caring for your raspberry patch and managing pests like the raspberry crown borer are important steps to making sure you get abundant harvests year after year. Table of Contents The raspberry crown borer (Pennisetia marginata) is a type of moth that can damage many crown-forming plants, including raspberries, blackberries, and other brambles in the Rubus family....

If you are living on rent and still want to enjoy a garden without making so many changes, you can employ these tips on How to Decorate a Rental Home with Plants. What are some best plants for first-time plant parents? Find here How to Decorate a Rental Home with Plants 1. Grow Plants on the Windowsill How to Decorate a Rental Home with Plants Windowsills are great to grow vegetables, flowers, and herbs, and if you have one that receives some sun–you’re still lucky....

Tempted to plant a mint ground cover in your garden, but not sure how to care for it? Do you live in USDA plant hardiness zones 7, 8, or 9? Table of Contents Put those worries to rest! Corsican mint plants are the easiest ground covers to plant and care for. They form a flat carpet of tiny bright green leaves, the smallest of mints and have a desirable mint smell that will follow you as you walk in the garden....

I’ve killed more plants than I care to admit by failing to give them the right amount of water. Can you relate? Who hasn’t had a hard time at some point with trying to keep their plants watered appropriately? If you regularly forget to water or you keep giving your plants too darn much, get yourself a soil moisture meter. These garden tools take the guesswork out of watering for happier plants....

Keep reading for a short list of all the ways you can use floating row covers in your garden, how to pick the right types for your needs, and some tips to avoid possible pitfalls. Every gardener out there can benefit from having floating row covers on hand. They’re lightweight, easy to store, and inexpensive. And their uses go well beyond frost protection. Don’t be discouraged if you aren’t up for building a mini hoop house either....

Since its discovery and official documentation in France in 1805, asparagus rust has proven itself to be a pernicious disease that can devastate asparagus crops wherever they are grown. Puccinia asparagi Asparagus rust is a highly complicated fungal disease with four different stages that can invade your plants without showing symptoms until it is too late. Cultivars bred to be resistant to this pathogen often lose effectiveness over time. Read on to learn what symptoms to look for and how to treat your infected plants....

Well, this guide will explain everything you need to know about this disease and how to prevent it from affecting your seedlings. In my opinion, there is no greater satisfaction than planting your own seeds and watching them grow into little baby seedlings. More than just being a magical process to watch, it can also mean you get to play around with interesting varieties you might not find in your local garden center, and learn about your plants much more intimately than you would otherwise....

Many believe passionately in living our lives as naturally as possible and using natural, non-toxic pest control. While there is a wide range of organic pesticides and fungicides out there, sometimes we just want something that’s basic, simple, and that you can whip up when needed. Table of Contents Here, we’ll share some of the best DIY natural solutions with you that can be effective. These simple and easy homemade recipes may also save you money!...