Gardening articles from Common Sense Home. From finding the right seeds to preserving the harvest, we share tested tips and information.
I (Laurie) have been working the soil for over 50 years, since I was a toddler following my mom around in the dirt. We’ve tried a lot of different things, researched, and talked with friends to bring you real, practical information.
Gardening categories covered on the site include:
Getting Started – Soil Health and Fertilizers – Seed Starting – Vegetables – Tomatoes – Fruits – Herbs – Vertical Gardening – Tools and Equipment – Pest Control – Permaculture – Season Extension – Crop Storage – Preserving the Harvest – Inspiration – Book Reviews – Wildcrafting – Using Your Weeds
Keep an eye out for printable charts (featured in several different articles). We have a free garden planner for newsletter subscribers, and offer online gardening courses for more information.
Several years ago, we planted about half a dozen rose bushes as part of our homestead permaculture plan. This year, the plants are loaded with fruit, so I’m sharing tips for harvesting rose hips and how to use them. They’re a great natural source of vitamin C, polyphenols, and anthocyanins. The hips have tiny hairs…
Borage (Borago officinalis) is an annual flowering herb. It has blue, star-shaped flowers, and blooms from late spring to early fall. I enjoy growing borage. It’s easy to care for, comes back year after year, and the bees love it. While I’ve grown it for years, it might not be a best fit for every…
Pole beans are one of our favorite vegetables. We share how to grow pole beans, our easy trellis system, favorite varieties, companion plants, and fertilizing tips.
Green beans are one of our “must have” crops for the garden. Each year, we save green bean seeds for planting the next year. Seed saving helps us breed bean plants that are adapted to our local conditions. It also helps to maintain heirloom varieties, save money, and preserve biodiversity. Saving bean seeds is easy,…
Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) is a deciduous shrub native to eastern North America. Largely ignored by foragers due to the astringent flavor, it’s gathered attention in recent years as a “superfood”. You may know them by another name – aronia berries.