These 10 vegetables to grow in 10 weeks (or less) prove that it doesn't take a long growing season to produce homegrown vegetables. It’s true that popular vegetables like tomatoes, broccoli, and melons do take long growing seasons; however, there are numerous other vegetables that can be grown and harvested in less than ten weeks. Since even the most seasoned farmer can get discouraged weeding and waiting for those long-season vegetables, it’s smart to plant fast-growing crops. These 10 ... continue reading...
Homemade Seed Starting Soil Mixes
Homemade seed starting soil mixes are an easy way to get your garden going fast. Why Use Homemade Seed Starting Mixes? Starting your own garden transplants from seed is smart because it gets you a big-time boost in harvesting vegetables from the garden. Plus, you can grow and try whatever variety you want rather than depending on varieties that the garden center might have. But, if you're using prepackaged bags of seed starting mix from the store, it can ... continue reading...
Use Soil Blocks to Grow Super Healthy Seedlings
You can use soil blocks to grow super, healthy seedlings! We started using soil blocks to start garden seedlings several years ago and really think they help us grow strong, stocky transplants that get off to a super start in the garden. Starting vegetable seedlings indoors is a tried and true method for getting earlier production and increased yields from our gardens. But, traditional seed starting systems can be discouraging. They are often messy, costly, time-consuming, and ... continue reading...
Creating Beautiful Container Plantings (thrillers, fillers, & spillers)
Creating beautiful container plantings is easy if you understand the concept of using thrillers, fillers, and spillers. I'm not sure my container plantings are always gorgeous, but they usually turn out pretty nice because years ago I learned to use at least one "thriller", "filler", and "spiller" when planting the container. And if you've got room, throw in a "chiller" to make it exciting. I read about the concept long ago, but every year as I'm picking ... continue reading...
Collecting & Storing Chicken Eggs for Hatching
Springtime is a natural time of year for collecting and storing chicken eggs for hatching. It’s when flock egg production picks up, hens start going broody, outdoor temperatures start warming, and new babies of every variety are being born. So, regardless of whether you want to collect and hatch eggs by putting them under a broody hen or in an incubator, spring is the prime time of year for doing it. Hatching your own eggs can be more fun and economical than buying chicks, so chicken ... continue reading...
Building A Broody Hen Box
Building a broody hen box became a priority the first time one of our Buckeye chickens decided to go broody. We were so excited that one of our hens was going to raise baby chicks for us! Why Building A Broody Hen Box Is Important In order for a broody hen to hatch eggs in a coop with a resident flock, it's generally necessary to move the broody hen to a separate area. Why is this? If she stays in a regular next box in the main coop, other hens will get in her nest box when ... continue reading...
Disbudding Goats (Two Methods)
My original post on disbudding dairy goats detailed the methods and tools we used for removing horns from our goat kids when we first started with Nigerian Dwarf goats. This original method utilizes a disbudding box (there are plans for a disbudding box HERE) and an electric disbudding iron. We later learned better methods (in our opinion) and tools for disbudding our goats that I wrote a separate post on. In this method, we wrap the kids in a towel to control them and use a gas ... continue reading...
Don’t Throw Your Easter Lilies Out (How To Keep Easter Lilies After Easter)
Those pretty indoor Easter lily plants that you buy at Easter time are really hardy perennials, so don't throw them out after the Easter holiday has passed. Plant them outdoors to beautify your landscape instead! How To Keep Easter Lilies After Easter Just follow the easy instructions below to keep your lilies each year and establish a nice outdoor lily garden (see Building Beautiful Garden Borders for ideas on where to plant them). First, Prolong Indoor Bloom Time To maximize ... continue reading...
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