Spinach is one of my favourite greens to grow in the garden, for so many reasons. It is the first crop to plant and to harvest in spring, it stays alive over the winter, and it needs no extra space in the garden. In this post we share with you a video that I made in the course of a year. There ...
Canning Homemade Tomato Salsa
We love homemade salsa and go through many jars every year. There are so many recipes to choose from. This recipe is the Zesty Salsa from Bell that I converted to grams. It uses only homegrown vegetables, no canned food added. Why have a recipe in grams and not in cups? Measurements in cups ...
Garden Update – Summer 2017 on Video
It is mid summer here at Northern Homestead – July 20, 2017. Everything is growing and ripening nicely. Today we want to take you on a tour through our garden in this summer garden update on video. You will see many flowers that are still blooming. You can read more about our perennial favourites ...
Tomato Root Rot
Growing tomatoes is fun, and we grow lots every year. However, it gets difficult when plants develop diseases; the growing season is pretty much over if that disease is deadly. Tomato root rot is one of them. What is tomato root rot Tomato root rot is just what the name says, the roots of the ...
Why do Tomatoes Crack and Split as they Ripen
A friend sent me this picture with a question: Hi Anna, do you know what's wrong with my tomatoes??? :( Admittedly, it looks rather scary, but it actually is just a cracked fruit. Here you will find answers as to why tomatoes crack and split as they ripen, how to prevent it, and what to do with ...
Tomato Blossom End Rot
Now that tomatoes are planted and growing, let's take a look at some of the tomato problems and diseases. Tomato blossom end rot is a physiological condition, not a disease. It is not contagious and the tomato is actually still edible. Causes for blossom end rot If you search for causes for ...
Garden Update – Spring 2017 on Video
Welcome to our Spring 2017 garden update on video! It is the start of a new season and there are many wonderful changes happening in our backyard, and we are excited to share with you what has been going on. After successfully using A Cold Frame For Tomatoes we built a more permanent structure ...
Roofing With a Pond Liner
The old garage that we converted to a food production place came with a real challenge. The big building has a roof with a very low 1-12 slope. This type of roof tends to leak when covered with roof metal sheets, especially if the sheets overlap in the middle like ours did. I tried different ...
A Cold Frame For Tomatoes
Cold frames are great for growing plants in the offseason or to protect tender plants in early spring. But that is not all a cold frame can do. Create a sheltered garden with glass wind blocks, for growing tomatoes (and other heat-loving plants) in cold climate all throughout the summer. A cold ...
DIY Self-Watering Wicking Bed for the Greenhouse
DIY Self-Watering Wicking Bed for the Greenhouse, balcony, or deck garden—anywhere watering needs to be clean and not spill over. We are in the fourth year of garage greenhouse/growing room growing where we grow food year-round. You can read more about it here. A very important part ...
