The truth about why I homestead has forced me to be realistic concerning the facts about chickens and my harvest. I have lived on a farm or homestead for 32 of my 39 years of life. During most of those years, we tended to large gardens and kept a sizeable flock of poultry. Even now, I have a flock of 50 or more, and my garden plots seem to multiply every growing season....
Ready to learn more? Here’s what we’ll take a look at in this article: Long before beets were ever considered a food, they were used as herbal medicine. Surprising, right? Even today, research shows that your homegrown beets really can bring a bounty of health benefits! We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Beet Background In Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa where they originate – and long before they were first consumed as a root vegetable – beets’ ancient ancestors were harvested for use in herbal medicine....
And with your own seedbank, you can grow plants whenever you like. Try cultivating basil all winter indoors with a good grow light or start garden seedlings early, before seasonal supplies are readily available. With its distinctive flavor and fragrance, basil is a treasured kitchen herb that thrives in summer’s heat. Gardeners love its fast growth in response to warm temperatures. But this frost-tender annual is short-lived and needs to be resown yearly....
Unexpected issues are so common that people who try their hand at growing them frequently give up, assuming they’re simply plant killers. Do you have a “black thumb?” For plants of the Nepenthes genus – also known as pitcher plants or “monkey cups” – figuring out the how’s and when’s of watering rank at the top of the list of challenges for many who bring them home. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....
The first time I tasted corn smut was in a food hall in Mexico City while visiting some friends there. Before making our orders, my friends urged me to try huitlacoche (pronounced weet·luh·ko·chay), a delicacy in Mexico and a unique ingredient that I wouldn’t be able to find easily back home. As a lover of edible fungi, I eagerly dug in. To my delight, I enjoyed the earthy flavor and the delicate texture of huitlacoche and have been on the lookout for them in the U....
Simplicity is key. Taking the steps to make the job of front yard lanscaping easier on yourself will allow you the time to just sit back and enjoy the garden, free from weeding and planting all summer long. Although one of my favorite pastimes in the spring and summer is gardening, there are times that I just want to relax and not worry about the weeds or how tall the grass has grown....
Feel the same way? Read on to learn all about growing your own Greek oregano. Origanum vulgare var. hirtum Greek oregano is perhaps one of the most familiar of the culinary herbs among cooks in North America. I use this spicy and flavorful seasoning in just about everything I cook, and therefore it was one of the very first perennials I planted when I started my garden – I wanted a supply on hand at all times!...
If you need to transplant your bay tree, you’ve come to the right place. Bay laurel, Laurus nobilis, is one of those garden marvels that serves more than one purpose. Beyond adding evergreen ornamental interest to indoor and outdoor spaces with their glossy, deep green foliage, the leaves can bring an aromatic flavor to your cooking as well. Even if you don’t like the taste of bay leaves, the camphor-like scent when you brush past this plant is something to behold....
Have a look at the top balcony gardens of November 2020 here Top Balcony Gardens of December 2020 on Instagram 1. Romantic Festive Balcony A post shared by ME Design (@medesignok) 2. Plant Lady’s Balcony A post shared by homeinsideout (@homeinside.out) 3. Christmas Balcony Decor A post shared by Sretna Mama (@sretnamama9) 4. Bohemian Balcony A post shared by Karin (@theurbangardeness) 5. Home Balcony Decor A post shared by @lifeedecor...
Kale has been eaten for thousands of years, and in the Middle Ages, it was used to feed both humans and livestock. Originally descended from wild cabbage, most kale varieties are native to Europe and parts of Asia. Table of Contents Able to withstand frost and cold climates, kale often symbolizes the coming winter season. Kale is so traditionally popular in Scotland that kitchen gardens there are called “kale yards” and a general dinner meal is called “kail”....
Thirty-five years ago, Bob Piaschyk had no idea that a routine delivery of some live oak trees to his family-owned nursery outside of Dallas would launch a lifelong, dogged pursuit of a new species. That sunny day so many years ago, as his shipment was being unloaded from the delivery truck, the sharp-eyed Piaschyk noticed three specimens that were not like the others. These three didn’t quite look like what live oaks — or any tree he was familiar with — are supposed to look like....
Table of Contents Everyone and their grandmother seems to be building or buying polytunnels these days – and for a good reason. They’re an absolutely amazing gardening tool that extend the growing season, protect your garden from the elements, and ultimately increase the size of your harvest. And for all of these benefits, you don’t even have to build a permanent structure like a greenhouse! About 9/10 people who buy premade polytunnels end up erecting them themselves....
If conditions are right, the fruit rot can cause enormous losses, especially in the southeast. The fungus is mercurial. Some years may result in devastating fruit losses, while it may not even infect fruit the following year. Botryosphaeria dothidea Bot rot, also known as white rot, is caused by the fungus Botryosphaeria dothidea. Infection can result in a complex of diseases – two types of fruit rot and cankers on the limbs and twigs....
You can still grow oleander in Zones 4 to 7, which are far colder. But in these regions where the average low temperature for the season falls below 10°F, these shrubs can’t survive the winter. Oleander, Nerium oleander, is one beautiful yet tough flowering shrub. Grown outdoors, it will bloom in a cascade of white, red, salmon-pink, or orange hues. It can thrive in salt air, scalding temperatures, intense humidity, and drought....
Potted houseplants provide a lavish look and can be used to decorate the interior at low cost. Also, they create positive impact and many of them purify the air. But what you’ll do if you don’t have much knowledge about growing plants and the houseplants that are best to grow? Simple! Learn about these 15 Best Houseplants for Beginners! They are easy to grow and tolerate poor conditions. 1. Snake Plant Snake plant is one of the best plants for the beginners....
If you’re hesitant about growing microgreens, we have the perfect place to start. Radish microgreens are one of the easiest and fastest to grow. They require very little preparation and the time to harvest is less than 10 days! This, and much more, makes them ideal for new microgreen growers. Table of Contents So why would you want to grow radish microgreens in the first place? First of all, as we mentioned, the time to harvest is considerably shorter....
When I was a kid, I was fascinated with my grandfather’s pineapple guava tree. He called it a feijoa, and once it ripened I’d receive an overflowing bag of produce. In southern California where I lived then, it wasn’t common in stores! Table of Contents Now that I’m older, I’m a huge fan of acca sellowiana, sometimes called feijoa sellowiana. It’s still uncommon in California as a crop fruit, as it can spoil before making it to market....
If you’re growing these delicious fruits, whose botanical genus name Diospyros translates to something like “food of the gods,” how do you know when they’re ripe and ready for picking? The first time I saw a persimmon, I thought it was a tomato that I was expected to eat raw and whole. It’s not, of course – it’s much better. Or at least it’s much better for those of us who don’t like eating tomatoes out of hand like apples, and who do love the sweet tang of this unique fruit....
USDA Zones: 5 to 9 Difficulty: Easy Other Names: Hypericum perforatum, Klamathweed, Goatweed, Hypericum, Chase Devil, Amber, Touch-and-Heal Characteristics St. John’s wort (common) is a perennial herb with medicinal properties. The plant grows up to 100 cm tall forming a thin, rigid, erect momentum and branched stems. At the top of these branched stems grow yellow flowers, forming a dense umbels. Its oblong, smooth and delicate leaves grow on stems in opposite pairs....
Since then, I’ve vowed that if I ever build a house from scratch again, I’ll be there when they clear the lot so that they don’t cut down more than they need to. When I moved into my small, new house with a big patch of barren dirt for a backyard, I knew I needed to fill it with trees. Before it had been cleared for construction, it was a beautiful slice of forest....
