GenAcres Homestead

Leaf mold A free, readily-available resource! Leaf mold (leaf compost) is quite simply decomposed leaves. It is one of the best soil amendments you can use to bring new life to your soil. It has a texture much like compost, dark brown to black, and has an earthy aroma.  Leaf mold acts mainly as a soil conditioner by improving the soil structure. It WILL NOT add nutrition to your garden plants but it will enhance the condition of your soil creating a soil that is rich in calcium and magnesium and is less prone to compaction.

Growing Milkweed for the Monarch Butterflies The first time I saw a Monarch butterfly up close in my garden, I was completely awestruck by its grace and beauty. Their bright orange wings and solid black borders make the Monarch butterfly one of the most recognizable butterflies. And they are, without a doubt, little migrating miracles.

Growing and Using Comfrey A great organic idea for your veggie garden! One of the most popular plants to grow in an organic vegetable garden is the Russian Variety of Comfrey specifically Bocking 14. 

Growing Ornamental Sweet Potato Vines The deeply lobed leaves of the sprawling vine of the Ornamental Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) continue to be quite a show stopper in the garden. It's a great way to add a tropical feel to even the northern gardens.

How to Minimize Transplant Shock Transplant shock is a natural occurrence whenever a plant is uprooted from its former home and moved to a foreign environment. Moving a plant from one place to another is not as simple as digging it up, plopping it in the ground and hoping it will be fine. Plants that undergo too much transplant shock can be open to diseases, pests, and can weaken them to the point where they never fully recover. If they are food plants, you may notice a smaller harvest or no harvest at all.

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.

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.

Early Spring Garden Chores Although the term “early spring” for me in Zone 6 Ohio may not be the same time as the “early spring” for your garden zone, for this article, early spring means that time of year when winter seems to be coming to an end and intermittent freezes and thaws are happening in the garden. The first signs of Spring!

15 Reasons for Veggie Garden Failures I personally don't believe there are people with “green thumbs.” Successful gardening of any type takes good planning and dedication to follow through. Your plants are like children; they need what they need when they need it and not when you have time to do it.  

This article presumes that you are familiar with the basics of making projects with hypertufa. If you aren’t familiar with the process, or just need a refresher, go to our Hypertufa 101 article with step by step hypertufa-making instructions, by clicking here. I have made several hypertufa projects and by far my favorite mold for making planters is wicker baskets. They can readily be found for a few bucks at second-hand shops so I don’t worry that they will be destroyed by the process. When you firmly push the hypertufa mix into the wicker basket’s cracks and crevices, the final look has a basket imprint which I find hard to match by any other method.     Types of Wicker Baskets The thickness and strength of the wicker basket is important. Baskets that are thicker with a tighter weave will give you the deepest imprint on the final project but will be more difficult to de-mold later. Recipe for Wicker Basket Planters The common mix recipe of one part

   Feeding Bread to Wild Birds Generally, bread is not safe to feed birds on a regular basis, and the general category of “bread” for this article includes any bread-like product including buns, bagels, crackers, chips, etc.  

Zebra Finch Choosing the Best Birdbath We all prefer birdbaths that add beauty and whimsy to our yards, but the birds themselves may be looking for something else, things that were designed for them in mind.

Uses for Baking Soda in the Garden We all know that Baking Soda is great for indoor use as a mild abrasive cleaner and also to neutralize those fridge odors, but what about its uses in the garden? Baking Soda is made up entirely of sodium bicarbonate which is a highly alkaline substance making it great for the following uses in the garden:

Choosing the Right Bird Feeder Walking out on my back deck at 7 a.m. and hearing the happy chirping of the birds I have drawn into my yard makes the perfect start to my day.

Why Hypertufa Projects Crack This article presumes that you are familiar with the basics of making projects with hypertufa .  If you aren’t familiar with the process, or just need a refresher, you may want to first go to our Hypertufa 101 article by clicking here.

Why Birds Aren't Using Your Birdbath It’s been said that birdbaths attract more birds than bird feeders do. I believe that may be true as I know plenty of people who have several feeders but no birdbaths in their yard and they are wondering where their bird visitors are. If you have a birdbath that is open for business but no feathery customers are visiting, you may find the reason below. Problems with Placement 1. Birds simply don't see the birdbath. Even if a birdbath is clean and filled with sparkling water, it's not doing the birds any good if they can't find it. The birdbath should be easily seen from the sky. 2. The birdbath is placed in full sun. The water may be too warm to be refreshing. Moving the birdbath to a shadier spot may be all you need to do. Some shade will also keep the water fresh longer. 3. The birdbath was placed in an area that doesn't appear safe. Skittish birds feel safer if they can see in all directions while they drink or bathe. They

~~~~~~~~~~ Tips On How To Attract Birds To Your Garden Guest Post By Brett Lewis Contributor for:  BirdInformer.com ~~~~~~~~~~ Attracting Birds to your garden is a fairly simple task. It takes a considerable amount of work to get started, but the payoff of a garden buzzing with birds is sublime. To make birds regularly visit, this article will show you tips on how to attract birds to your garden . Entice them with Flowers Planting flowers, shrubs, and bushes around your garden that produces food are one of the most effective ways of attracting birds. Flowers that produce seeds that birds find delectable are: Sunflowers - Their bright yellow color and the seeds that they produce are enticing to birds. Even if sunflower seeds are not part of a particular bird's diet, they are still quite attracted to its dazzling color. Daisies - Similar to sunflowers, their bright yellow center and ability to produce seeds that birds can eat makes this a great choice. An advantage of this flower

  Battling Slugs in the Garden   Besides being darn ugly and slimy, slugs look like snails without the shells. They love to chew on plant leaves, and if they're not battled early, they can ruin the look of your plants for an entire season. Slug damage can appear as multiple holes chewed through the leaves of the garden plants as shown above. The most damage will be done to plant varieties with thinner leaves that are easier for the slugs to chew, like hostas.

    Refreshing Potting Soil Leftover potting soil can look a bit spent after a year or two, but experts agree that it still has life-giving potential, especially if you take the time to condition it properly.  Once you learn the basics of healthy soil, you'll be able to recharge last year's potting soil and save a lot of money by doing so.

Organic Mulch Right from your Yard! If you're looking for an organic approach to your mulch, there are some good substitutes, and some of the ingredients for it can be found right in your own backyard!