GenAcres Homestead

Making Seed Tapes  I used to think making seed tapes was a waste of time and I didn’t understand why gardeners would spend time making them. That was until I was at my wit’s end trying to thin out carrot seeds that I had direct sown. I find it nearly impossible to get the spacing right on those tiny seeds. So I tried the seed tape thing and made enough of them to fill a four by eight foot raised garden bed. The result?  The carrots germinated with just the right spacing – NO THINNING!  I was sold.

Don't Cut Corners in your Veggie Garden! You Can Be Frugal and Successful! There are a lot of ways to cut corners in the garden to save money. Buying garden supplies such as containers, watering cans, etc from a second-hand store is one way. Building your own raised garden beds or trellises is another.

   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:

Seven Best Annuals for Veggie Gardens Gardens can tend to look rather bland and can be more practical than beautiful. The addition of beautiful flowering plants can bring back the beauty that every garden deserves. Using the right annual plants strategically will not only bring the garden back to life visually but can help your veggies stay healthy and pest free.

Great Books for New Food Preservers I started preserving food years ago after a series of power outages occurred that cost me hundreds if not thousands of dollars in food loss that was stored in the freezer.