How to Soak or Sprout Seeds Before Planting. Seed soaking or spouting is an option to speed up the germination process. 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 ...
How to transplant seedlings into the garden
This blog article was inspired by a question from a reader who asked: Do you have some information about the best way to transplant seedlings to the garden? Especially cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, celery, and lettuce. We love reader questions and try to answer them as well as we can. And ...
Northern Vegetable Garden Planting Schedule
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 ...
Maintaining a no-till garden – Easy Methods for Healthy Soil
Maintaining a no-till garden is simple, but it is not without work. You replace the tilling and digging with mulching and covering the garden soil. A covered soil does not have to be tilled. It stays soft and becomes better the longer it is maintained. We are looking into easy methods for healthy ...
Map the Sun in Your Garden With a Shade Survey
Did you know that in April, the day length is the same as in September? That means if there is shade in April, there will also be just as much shade in September. There might be even more because trees do not have leaves in April, but they do in September. It is a good idea to do a shade survey in ...
Soil For Seedlings, Container Gardening, and Raised Beds
Good soil is essential for healthy plants. Soil for seedlings, container gardening, and raised beds is different than the dirt in your garden. Container gardening soil needs to be light, be able to retain moisture, and have enough nutrients to keep the plant growing. Here we share two ...
To Till or Not to Till the Garden for Better Soil
Growing up on a homestead, our vegetable garden was cleaned up, fertilized with composted manure, and turned over every spring. Teens and young adults in our rural town would form work crews to help dig the gardens of those who were not able to do that by themselves. Digging up the garden seemed to ...
Raised Garden Beds vs Container Gardens
Raised garden beds have gained popularity, especially by new gardeners. However, there seems to be confusion about raised garden beds vs container gardens. They often look the same, but they are fundamentally different. We wanted to explain it in this blog article. A raised garden bed is ...
Beginners Guide for Growing A Greenhouse Garden
Growing a greenhouse garden in a cold climate is like moving a portion of your garden south. A greenhouse garden is a busy and fun place. If you only use your greenhouse to start seedlings in the spring, consider extending the use to greenhouse gardening. Here is a beginner's guide for growing a ...
Indoor vs Outdoor Hydroponics: Easy Tips for Success
Hydroponic gardening has opened up new possibilities for urban home gardens. Using vertical hydroponic systems, we can grow more in a small space and grow food all year round. Hydroponics is perfect for indoor gardening, although it can also be used for outdoor gardening. Today, we will discuss ...