Gardening and Self-sufficiency
The family food garden is the most important tool a homestead can have. Gardeners are rewarded with fresh produce that can be harvested all summer long. At the end of the growing season, the garden harvest can be transformed into pantry staples to get your family through the winter. Many varieties of fruits and vegetables can be stored in a root cellar for months. Almost anything can be pressure or water bath canned for long term storage.
Garden design, specifically for vegetables and medicinal herbs, is a main focus of this site. The methods I incorporate into my garden include:
This page contains posts with “how to grow” guides for different varieties of herbs and vegetables. It’s nice to learn from someone else’s mistakes when it comes to gardening, and I have made many. After years of growing my own food, I hope my experience and knowledge can help beginner gardeners.
Pressure canning may seem intimidating at first but it actually takes less prep work than water bath canning. Did you know, pressure canning is the only safe way to can low-acidity foods such as vegetables, mushrooms, broth, soup/stew, and meat? So, take the leap and start preserving produce from your own garden this season!
The best way to achieve all summer color in your flower beds is to choose perennials with the longest possible bloom time. I have put together a list of the most eye catching flowers that bloom for 8-12 weeks. Since they are perennials, they will come back to life every year to fill your garden with low maintenance beauty.
Learn how to harvest cilantro from your garden, dehydrate or air dry it, then cure your herbs for long term storage! Proper handling can mean the difference between a flavor packed, long lasting spice and a tasteless, unpleasant dish.
Have you ever looked at lists of companion plants and wondered why? Why are these certain plants good companions? What makes them go well together? And most importantly, is there a way to implement companion planting without cross referencing lists in multiple books and websites? The answer is yes, you can gain a deeper understanding of companion planting, and this will make it easier and quicker for you to plan vegetable garden layouts.
Take the guess work out of planning your vegetable garden layout with this comprehensive list of vegetable garden plants and their companions!
Do you wish you could get more out of your vegetable garden space? By creating a succession planting schedule, you can! Increase yields from all your crops with proper planning and foresight. This guide will give you the confidence and tools to create your very own planting schedule no matter the size of your garden.
There is nothing like a hot cup of tea to cure what ails you! Herb gardens are an incredible resource for making herbal tea and medicines at home. Buying bulk herbs can be quite expensive, whereas garden plants and seeds are a one time purchase that will keep producing for years to come.
Critters in the veggie patch are every gardener’s worst nightmare. The frustration of having all your hard work devoured by garden pests is enough to make you want to give up gardening altogether. But with these strategies, you will finally be able to take back control of your garden space.
With height, bloom time and color in mind, you can create an enchanting cottage garden with ease. Your hard work will be repaid with a low maintenance masterpiece you can enjoy year after year. Plus your vegetable garden will thank you for all the added pollination it receives from the bees and butterflies that flock to your flowers.
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