Part Sun? Part Shade?

 

Part Sun?  Part Shade?

Determining Sunlight Exposure in Your Yard

Determining the sunlight exposure in your growing spaces can be less confusing if you know the reason behind the sun exposure terms used on seed packets and plant tags. 

Canning - Why Headspace is So Important

 

Why is headspace so important?

So first, what is headspace? 

Headspace is the space at the top of the canning jar between the underside of the lid and the top of the food or liquid in the jar. 

How to Compost

Composting 101
A Little Art and a Little Science

Composting, in a nutshell, is turning your waste into nutrient-rich soil for use in your garden.

You can read about the subject in such depth as to make your head swim and find it to be quite overwhelming. But whether you start with a compost bin or a designated 3 foot by 3-foot area, knowing a few basic principles will help you achieve that rich, earthy-smelling soil amendment that we all want.

Sow Onion Seeds!

 

Give Your Onion Seedlings a Haircut!

If there's one crop that I love to grow indoors from seed, it's onions.  Of course you can buy sets from your local hardware store or nursery, but there are usually only a few varieties available. 

So not only do I have a larger selection of onion types to choose from if I buy the seeds online and grow them myself, but I can start them earlier indoors and give them plenty of time to grow before they get planted out.

Why You Need a Rain Barrel Now!

One only needs to read about Flint Michigan's ongoing problems related to their water system to realize that clean water may not always be available to us.

How to Harden Off Seedlings

Getting your seedlings to a healthy state and ready for the great outdoors can be a challenge in itself.

They've been loved and pampered indoors, probably under fluorescent grow lights with pretty consistent temperatures.  So there's no doubt that it can be a big shock for them when they are moved to the variable and sometimes harsh elements outside. 

Grow The Right Potato the Right Way!

 

 Growing the Right Potato 
the Right Way!

Digging up a bed full of plump, healthy spuds is one of the many joys of growing your own food. It's always exciting to see what has grown under the earth when the wait is finally over and it's harvest time.

But if your potato harvest has been rather disappointing, the reason may be as simple as not using the correct method of growing the potato for the type of potato you're trying to growing.