When to plant what in a vegetable garden? This is an important question. The Northern Vegetable Garden Planting Schedule answers this question in a nontraditional way. The general rule for planting dates in our area seems to be very simple: plant everything on the long weekend in May. This has to ...
Cold Spring Challenge in the Garden
Living in a cold climate, cold is a constant challenge in the garden. We share many methods about how our garden survives blizzards and how we protect plants from frost. In this blog article, we want to particularly address the cold spring challenge in the garden. If you prefer listening to ...
Canning Fruit and Vegetables From the Freezer
It's one of those April days when I would love to be in the garden, pruning, trimming, and planting. However, it's snowing, so I'll have to wait to tend to my garden. Instead, I am bringing summer into my kitchen. Oh, the smell of summer! As I type, a big pot of salsa is simmering on the stove. ...
How to Grow, Care for, and Preserve Carrots
Beautiful, tasty, crunchy, and healthy—these are just a few words that describe the humble carrot. Whether you enjoy them raw or cooked, sweet or spicy, juiced, fermented, pickled, or baked, carrots offer endless culinary possibilities. If you're an aspiring gardener or simply someone who loves to ...
A Complete Guide to Growing Hardy Raspberries in Cold Climates
Raspberries are one of my favorite berries. Growing raspberries in a cold climate is not difficult because raspberries are quite hardy. Caring for the raspberry patch was one of the first tasks I learned in my childhood on my parents' homestead. If you did not have the opportunity to learn hands-on, ...
Essential Care for Seedlings: Growth Tips and Transplanting Methods
You have successfully planted your seeds, and they are growing—congratulations! Now, the question arises: what is next? Do they need to be up-potted, or can they continue to grow in the pots they were started in? This largely depends on how you started the seeds and the types of plants you are ...
Why I am Not Using Seed Snails for Seed Starting
Seed snails, also known as snail rolls, are becoming popular in the gardening world as a new method for starting seeds. However, I first learned about this technique many years ago from experienced Russian gardeners. At the time, I recognized it as an option but didn’t find it particularly useful ...
How to Soak or Sprout Seeds Before Planting
How to Soak or Sprout Seeds Before Planting. Seed soaking or spouting is an option to speed up germination. Although it is not required in most cases, we have used it often enough to dedicate a blog article to it. A sprouted seed can yield better results in your flower or vegetable garden. The ...
Tips on Buying Vegetable and Herb Seedlings
Here at Northern Homestead, we often dive into seed starting because it's a valuable skill. However, it’s perfectly okay to buy seedlings, too! Buying vegetable or herb seedlings doesn’t mean you’re failing in your gardening journey. When is it advisable to buy seedlings? There are plenty ...
Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors
Winter in our area is still holding on. The last frost date is still a few months away. But spring is coming, and with it the next growing season! Starting vegetable seeds indoors is the first step. When we say "starting seeds indoors," we don't mean in the house (though it can be that), but in ...
