Gardening is a craft that brings joy, fun, and fulfillment. It inspires our natural desire to create and provide for ourselves. You can grow what you eat and eat what you grow. If you put some thought into it, it can replace a big portion of your grocery shopping list. Wow! Here is how to grow what ...
When and How to Start Tomato Seeds Indoors
Growing your tomatoes is fun. You can start by browsing seed catalogs during the winter, planting seeds in early spring, and harvesting the ripe fruit in summer. This article will discuss when and how to start tomatoes indoors using a 'no-fail' method that involves less work. This method has worked ...
Winter Sowing Seeds in a Cold Climate (Zone 3)
Winter Sowing Seeds in a Cold Climate (Zone 3). Winter sowing is a way to start seeds outdoors in a small container greenhouse while it is still winter. Since the most common containers are used milk jugs, it is also sometimes referred to as milk jug sowing. It was first invented by Trudi Davidoff. ...
Spring Indoor Seed-Starting Schedule – Free Printable
After using this spring indoor seed-starting schedule for annual vegetable seeds for several years now, do we still recommend it, or is it time for a new plan? This spring indoor seed-starting schedule with a Free Printable is much more than just another printable schedule. We explain the reasons ...
Roasted Root Vegetables Recipe
The roasted root vegetable recipe is a delicious staple in our home. It is a true garden-to-table recipe that is simple, delicious, and realistically adds to your self-sufficiency list. The dish can be made in an oven or an air fryer. A smaller portion works best in the air fryer, while a larger one ...
Heating your Home with a Wood Stove in Town
As you know, we are an urban homestead in a small town in Alberta, Canada. It gets pretty cold here in the winter, and having heat is essential. Homesteaders in rural areas often rely on wood for heating, which makes sense if you have ample space for growing and storing it. But what about an urban ...
Simple Winter Compost Solution
Composting is like nature's recycling program, but it has a bit of a love-hate relationship with winter. You see, compost needs heat to do its magic. If it's not steaming hot before the temperature drops below freezing, your composting materials will just freeze. In that case, we're not composting ...
End-of-Season Garden Update for 2024
The year 2024 has likely been the most challenging yet. While the gardening season in 2023 was difficult due to rough weather, 2024 has posed health challenges. I wasn't even sure if we would have a garden in the spring. Looking back, I think we should have kept our gardening efforts to a minimum. ...
Repairing a Geodesic Dome Greenhouse
One advantage of a geodesic dome greenhouse is that it can be easily constructed. However, this also comes with a weakness: It requires regular maintenance and repairs. The dome is built using struts that are typically 1-2 inches thick and 2-4 inches wide, which can be susceptible to rot. Like other ...
Using rocks to build raised beds and borders in the garden
Building raised garden beds and creating pathways and borders helps us to get the most out of a small urban garden space. There are many different materials to choose from. Today, we are looking into the pros and cons of using rocks to build raised beds and borders in the garden. Why use ...
