Gardening

While store-bought Romas tomatoes can be succulent and flavorful, there’s nothing like  homegrown to have your dishes bursting with life.  Whether you’re cooking up some marinara sauce or slicing up a fresh summer salad, Roma tomatoes are some of the most delicious varieties around. These plum tomatoes are considered paste tomatoes. They have fewer seeds and a lower moisture content than others. They are easy to grow. Here I explain what the Roma tomato is … Read more

Artichoke Plant – Enjoyed since Roman times, artichokes are herbaceous perennial plants that belong to the thistle family. Their flower buds are edible and harvested before they flower. Artichokes are an attractive landscape plant and a nutrient-rich vegetable. These plants can grow up to 3 feet in height and width. The edible part is the flower bud before it blooms. When allowed to bloom, the flowers can grow to 7 inches in diameter. With the right … Read more

The mulberry tree is a fast-growing, large deciduous tree. It provides fruit as well as shade. Some varieties can produce berries the first year. They require minimal care once fully established. Mulberries are some of the tastiest berries, with a melon-like flavor owing to its low acidity. They make delicious pies, jams, and smoothies too. Read on to learn about mulberry trees, including history, hardiness, how to plant, care for, and harvest, and the different … Read more

Learn about growing a pistachio tree and how pistachios grow. You’ll need a male and a female tree to produce nuts. Achieving successful harvests requires patience. With the right climate, your backyard might be the ideal spot.  Pistachio Tree Knowing where to grow a pistachio tree is critical in order for it to live and thrive. Climate is the most critical prerequisite to success in growing pistachio nuts as Pistacia vera needs exactly the right … Read more

Learn how to dry basil so it doesn’t go to waste and so you can use it throughout the year. Grow a few basil plants this season. By the middle of summer, you’ll have more delicious basil than you know what to do with. If you’ve ever grown basil, you know how prolific they are. Not only is basil fast-growing and hearty, but the more leaves you harvest, the more it grows. With all these … Read more

If you haven’t tasted a yellow watermelon before, you’re in for a treat. They are sometimes sweeter than pink and red varieties.  I never heard of them until we grew them. It’s easy to grow yellow watermelons if you live in a warm climate. You’ll need to give them enough space because they are vining plants.  Learn about yellow watermelon varieties and what it takes to grow them from seed. They are low maintenance and … Read more

Learn how to grow garlic from a clove. Once planted, one clove will yield an entire bulb. Growing garlic is easy. It’s low maintenance and perfect for beginners.  In addition, it doesn’t take a lot of space in the garden. Garlic grows well in pots.  Garlic is a cool season crop and requires a cold period to grow. The bulbs grow underground and are moderately tolerant to frost.  One of the best things is mammals … Read more

For crisp stalks full of flavor, read these tips for how to grow celery. You’ll want to ensure it isn’t watery, bitter or too stringy. Beginners should start by growing from grocery store celery. Experienced gardeners can grow from seeds or starts. With fresh potting soil, it grows well in pots and containers. You can also grow celery in water. A cool weather crop, it has a low tolerance for heat. This makes it ideal … Read more

Learn how to get rid of creeping charlie. This insidious weed is often referred to as ground ivy. It’s a fast-growing, invasive vining ivy. It thrives and spreads in moist and shady areas. If you have plants nearby, removing it early is key, as it will choke out other plants. A creeping charlie plant will kill everything around it. It will block sunlight, overtake roots, and block water and nutrients to plants in the vicinity. It’s a … Read more

Kaffir lime and kaffir lime leaves are popular ingredients in Asian food and other cuisine. With unique health benefits and an excellent flavor profile, the fruit and leaves have many culinary uses.  You can grow kaffir lime trees indoors or outdoors if you live in a warm climate. Kaffir limes have bumpy green and yellow rinds. Their leaves are fragrant. They do not produce a lot of juice.  Here’s what to know about the kaffir … Read more

The sycamore tree is a shade tree. They can grow 70 – 100 feet and sometimes higher. Sycamores need lots of space to grow. You’ll often see them in parks and lining streets. They are fast-growing trees, growing over two feet per year. With a deep root system, they are very sturdy. Sycamore trees are deciduous and provide shade with their large canopies. Because of their size and aggressive roots, they grow well in areas … Read more

Soybean plants grow soybeans, which are legumes. They are easy to grow in warm season months. The beans take approximately 80 days to harvest.  Soybeans are an annual crop, popular in the midwestern United States. Soybean Plant A soybean, despite the name, is not a bean at all and is classified as a legume. It’s scientific name is Glycine max. The soybean plant is native to East Asia. Soy is the same as soya. Soybeans … Read more

Commonly called Frangipani, plumeria is best known as the flowers in Hawaiian leis. Plumeria flowers are fragrant and waxy. They have long and leathery green leaves. You can grow them as small trees, shrubs, or houseplants. Growing in a container is ideal and makes it easy to move indoors in cold weather. For optimum flowering, they should have a full sun, all day. However, with a half-day of direct sun, they will still produce vibrant … Read more

Winter vegetables allow you to get the most out of your gardens year-round. As you begin to approach the time of year where your gardens change, you’ll need to find cold-hardy vegetables. They are also known as cool season crops. There are plenty to grow and harvest. Knowing which vegetables grow in cold weather will also help you know what’s in season to help ensure you buy fresh produce. What Are Winter Vegetables? As their … Read more

With this complete guide on how to grow truffles, you will be able to harvest these great little treats each year! If you have ever sat down at a restaurant and tried a specially-prepared truffle, you likely loved it. Truffles are often considered a delicacy or special treat for those who eat them. But do you know if truffles are difficult to grow? Could you grow them yourself? Can you sell truffles you grow at … Read more

Having the best weed killer can help you to achieve a perfectly manicured lawn more easily. With the ability to control undesirable growth, you can have a professionally landscaped yard that will be the envy of the entire block. Weed control doesn’t have to be an endless chore. There are many different types of weed killer to consider based on your property’s needs. To help you out, I narrowed down the options to the best … Read more

Straw bale gardening has grown in popularity over the years, especially for smaller homesteads.  Setting up a straw bale garden is a highly practical way to grow your favorite vegetables and fruits in small spaces. Also, it’s a useful alternative for properties that can’t be dug to create your garden. It’s ideal in areas with poor soil. Straw Bale vs Hay Bale Gardening The gardening concept is the same and they seem similar on the … Read more

Many types of oranges make delicious snacks and ingredients throughout the year. As they are widely available, it can be beneficial to know what they can bring to your homestead. Although there are many varieties of oranges, all of them come from two categories. You’ll be able to choose between bitter oranges (C. Aurantium) and sweet oranges (C. Sinensis). Sweet oranges are frequently seen as the better option, as they are one of the most … Read more

A Guide to Growing Your Own Thriving, Beautiful Purple Tulips ~ The color of royalty, purple tulips evoke strong feelings with help from their velvet-like petals. Purple is a great option if you’re looking for some jewel-toned perennial flowers that will bloom for multiple years with very little maintenance once you master a planting strategy. Tulips can be planted alone, placed in groups or paired with other flowers to create ornate gardens full of luster. The … Read more

Learning how to make plant roots grow faster can help you establish a healthy garden quickly. Whether you’re starting from seeds or cuttings, knowing how to boost plant growth can be essential. There are several natural and store-bought remedies that you can use to help you promote healthy root growth. What Stimulates Root Growth? The most crucial factor that stimulates root growth is nutrients. The more nourished your plants are, the longer their roots will … Read more