If you grow tomatoes and start with starter plants instead of seeds, there are several good tricks to help grow healthier tomato plants. … [Read more...]
Deep Clean Your Microwave in 10 Minutes with this Nontoxic DIY Recipe
Cleaning the microwave is hard, dirty work. But here's a nontoxic and easy way to do it! All you need is a bowl, a lemon, some water and some apple cider vinegar. … [Read more...]
5 Garlic Growing Tips You Don’t Want to Miss
Garlic is a good choice for organic gardens throughout North America. Like onions, garlic is a cool weather crop; it requires cold in order for the bulb to split into cloves and, in some cultivars, to trigger cell division. That being the case, it's best to plant it in the late … [Read more...]
15 Ways to Make Cut Flowers Last Without Chemicals
Nothing beats a bouquet of flowers straight from your own garden, but sadly, even the freshest flowers typically last only a few days before drooping and dropping their petals. You can always use floral preservatives to help extend the life of your cut flowers, but why add … [Read more...]
7 Gardening Tips for Growing Organic Peanuts
Peanuts make for a fun and unusual crop to grow in your garden. And, they're not a type of organic produce you're likely to find anywhere else, since there's so little organic peanut farming going on. Red-skinned varieties respond especially well to organic gardening initiatives, … [Read more...]
Protect Bulbs from Pests: Use Steel Wool or These 5 Other Great Tips
Any flower gardener who has ever had to deal with hungry squirrels and inquisitive pets knows what a pain it is to keep them from digging up and gnawing on your bulbs, corms, and other plant tubers. The solution to this problem is less radical than you might think, and doesn't … [Read more...]
How To Make Natural Tobacco Juice Bug and Pest Repellent
Did you know that many bugs can't stand tobacco juice? In fact, nicotine a fast acting nerve toxin in insects and mammals. If you see whiteflies, gnats, aphids, thrips or leafminers, try using tobacco spray to get rid of them. How to Make Steeped Tobacco Bug Repellent Here's a … [Read more...]
Protect Corn From Raccoons: Even Learn a Trick with Squash Plants
Raccoons are crafty critters, but one thing they like to be able to do while eating is to stand up and look around occasionally. If they're breaking into your corn crop, you can take advantage of this tendency by planting other vegetables around the corn plants. … [Read more...]
Too Much Salt in Soil Impacts Plant Health
If you discover that some of your plants are wilting and showing ugly yellow streaking and dryness, don't automatically reach for the organic pesticide or fungicide. They may be responding to an excess of salt in the soil. Causes of Salt in Garden In northern climes, the salt … [Read more...]
Use Compost Tea Ice Cubes to Water Houseplants
Some houseplants can be a pain to water, especially those in hanging baskets that are kind of hard to reach. The result can be quite a mess if you're not careful. Rather than dragging a stepladder along every time you water, just toss a couple of ice cubes up into the basket. … [Read more...]
Handling Two Common Onion Fungal Diseases
For those of us who enjoy growing onions, leeks, and related alliums in our home gardens, there's nothing more frustrating than having diseases ruin these slow-growing crops before they mature. Two of the most common problems are onion rust and onion white rot. … [Read more...]
Adding and Caring for Earthworms in the Garden
It's a little known fact that Charles Darwin's last book was about earthworms and their value to both geology and agriculture. It's no wonder he turned his attention to such humble creatures. Few things in nature are as effective at improving tilth and aeration as the earthworm, … [Read more...]
Get Rid of Moles in the Garden
If moles are driving you mad by undermining your garden and lawn, don't reach for the water hose. There are more humane ways to discourage these relentless burrowers! Moles can be beneficial to gardens by aerating the soil and mixing organic matter closer to roots. However, most … [Read more...]
Colors That Attract Mosquitoes
Are mosquitoes at the backyard cookout or in the garden attacking you? Even if you follow the "get rid of mosquito guidelines" they can still be nuisance. Make sure they aren’t attracted to your clothing. Yes, clothing! … [Read more...]
Prevent Squash Vine Borers With This Household Item
If you've ever been enjoying a squash, melon, or cuke harvest only to have the vines suddenly whither and spill something that looks like sawdust ("frass," in botanical terms), you've probably run afoul of the squash vine borer. This creepy little worm is the larva of a small red … [Read more...]
How to Dry Onions For Storage
Most onions respond well to organic gardening methods, so if you decide to try some in your garden, you may end up with a bigger yield than you expect. So once again, you may be out canvassing the neighborhood with free veggies at the end of the season. If that doesn't appeal to … [Read more...]
Growing Organic Celery
Do you crave the crunchy snap of fresh, top-notch celery? Unfortunately, it's hard to get good organically grown celery, and commercially grown celery tends to be contaminated with relatively high concentrations of pesticide residues—more so, in fact, than most other vegetables. … [Read more...]
Blanch and Force Vegetables for Better Flavor
As every veteran gardener knows, not all vegetables taste best (or are even edible!) when allowed to grow the way they want to. For example, bolting (unrestrained flowering) ruins the taste of many green leafy plants, while rhubarb leaves are poisonous at the best of times -- and … [Read more...]
Grow Lettuce Year Round
If you live in a temperate climate, it's possible to enjoy a variety of fresh lettuces all year long...from early spring straight on until the end of winter. From an organic gardening standpoint, the best features of lettuce include the facts that it's relatively easy to grow, … [Read more...]
How to Make Herb Vinegar
If you love the snappy taste of herb vinegar in your cooking, you'll be happy to know that this infused herbal vinegar is a snap to make at home. Here is all you need: … [Read more...]