Every gardener knows that ensuring you get a successful harvest full of high-quality fruits and veggies down the line begins with getting the most basic elements of planting right. Amending the soil with nutrients, working it to the right consistency and if necessary getting containers or raised beds to maximize your plant’s chances for success. … Read more
If you’ve got a garden where you grow your vegetables or a homestead where you grow crops, you already know how important it is to get your plants the nutrients they need. But even if you’re just a homeowner with a lawn and some landscaping, you should work just as hard to take care of … Read more
One of the single most important things you can do in your garden is to get the spacing right when you’re planting your fruits or vegetables. Proper spacing will help ensure that your plants grow big, fast and healthy, and also maximize returns. But, as you can imagine, every single plant has its own spacing … Read more
Whether you are a homeowner or a homesteader, you’ve got some kind of greenery that you’re responsible for taking care of on your property. Maybe it’s nothing more than your lawn and a few landscaping plants. Maybe you are growing in a big and bountiful garden, or even properly raising crops. Whatever the case, one … Read more
Asparagus is one of those vegetables that you either love or hate, with seemingly no in-between. Assuming you like it, or that someone in your family likes it enough for you to grow it, you’ll need to make sure it gets enough sun if you want a good harvest. But, asparagus is fairly notorious for … Read more
Whether you are a veteran gardener, a hard-working homesteader or just a homeowner that wants to keep the lawn looking emerald-green and perfect, you’ve got to know how best to feed and care for your plants. Plants get most of their nutrition from the soil, and as they feed soil nutrient levels drop over time. … Read more
It’s difficult to think of any crop that is more important the world over than corn. Corn is used in so many foods, either directly or through its many derivatives like corn syrup, that there are a whole lot of things that would simply disappear if there was no more corn. Corn is cheap and … Read more
One of the most fundamental, but also most challenging, aspects of taking care of plants of any kind is figuring out their nutritional requirements. Pretty much all plants need the same nutrients in order to thrive, but the tricky part is determining when they need them and how much they need. This is where gardeners, … Read more
When it comes to ideal plants for beginning gardeners, radishes are hard to beat. Most varieties are naturally pest resistant, extraordinarily hardy and many of them can grow to full size, ready for harvest in only a month. That’s pretty awesome, but there are still things that you’ll have to get right if you want … Read more
When it comes to lawn care, having the right tools and setup makes all the difference, and the most important tool in your arsenal is invariably your mower. There are dozens of major brands out there, and types, but only two mowing or discharge modes when it’s time to actually do some cutting: mulching and … Read more
Every plant, no matter what kind, needs water. Water is the most essential resource for life on Earth, and without enough of it everything will desiccate and die. But, if you are a gardener or landscaper, figuring out how much water to give your plants, and how often, is easier said than done. Too much … Read more
I don’t know what it is about people who own or keep animals, and that includes myself, but there’s always this strange temptation or urge to share our food with the animals in our care. Maybe it’s just some honest benevolence, maybe it’s a curiosity to see if our animal friends like the same things … Read more
If you’re getting sick of the same old lettuce, and are plain tired of the usual Bibb or Butterhead, arugula might be a good choice to spice up your salads or give your sandwiches a little extra pizzazz. It also happens to be extremely nutritious and is one of the easiest salad greens that you … Read more
Mulch is the gardener’s and landscaper’s best friend. It can add a touch of class and beauty to virtually any property, and it also serves several vital purposes when it comes to squashing weeds and helping to keep moisture in the soil so that it can help your plants. The problem with mulch is it … Read more
Steak is undoubtedly one of the most popular and delicious cuts of meat out there, and enjoyed all around the world in various preparations. There is hardly anything better if you ask me: a perfectly roasted, juicy steak with steamed veggies and a big baked potato. But have you ever wondered just how many steaks … Read more
There’s an old proverb that says familiarity breeds contempt. I don’t know if it always breeds contempt, but familiarity can definitely breed apathy and a lack of appreciation. This is certainly true for our animals. Concerning our livestock, when you work with them day in and day out, or have your livelihood tied up in … Read more