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Growing Peas – From Planting to Harvest, What You Need to Know

May 21, 2018 by Laurie Neverman 1 Comment

Planting and growing peas may not be the most efficient use of space in your garden, but the flavor of home grown garden peas knocks the socks off most commercial peas. If you want more yield per square foot, grow snap peas so you can eat the pod and the peas inside. Pea plants are also great to include in your garden rotation because they can help add nitrogen to the soil. In this post we'll cover pea growing from planting to harvest, including garden pea companion plants, pea trellis and troubleshooting tips. [Read more…]

Growing Carrots – From Planting to Harvest – Learn How to Grow Carrots

May 15, 2018 by Laurie Neverman 6 Comments

Some folks don't bother growing carrots in the garden because they're so readily available at the store, but once you've tried a homegrown carrot, you'll be hooked. Like many homegrown vegetables, garden fresh carrots tend to be sweeter and more flavorful than their store bought counterparts. You can also grow carrots in a variety of colors – purple carrots, white carrots, red carrots, yellow carrots and many shades of orange carrots. Growing carrots in containers is possible with the right container and the right carrots. In this post we'll cover how to grow carrots, from planting to harvest, plus some common carrot questions. [Read more…]

Small Garden Ideas – 10 Tips to Grow More Food in Less Space

May 2, 2018 by Amber Bradshaw 9 Comments

Small gardens have seen big growth in recent years. From rooftop gardens to urban homesteads, people are taking back the control of their food supply by planting vegetable gardens in front yards, backyards, patios and anywhere else they have a little space – even kitchen counters. Through creative gardening techniques, people are growing enough food in a small vegetable garden to sustain their families, producing high yields in small spaces. Some even have enough left over to sell and generate an income on less than 1/10 of an acre.

If you are like me, you don’t have the luxury of living on a farm or owning acreage, but that shouldn’t stop you from growing your own food.

Here are ten garden ideas for small spaces to help you grow more food in a smaller footprint. [Read more…]

Growing Blueberries – Quick Guide and Master Grower’s Tips

May 1, 2018 by Laurie Neverman 120 Comments

Do you love the taste and health benefits of blueberries? Would you like a fruit crop that will produce well in a short amount of time and doesn’t require a lot of space? Have you tried growing blueberries and had poor results? This post is for you! Learn how to grow blueberries in your own backyard. We'll take you step by step through building proper blueberry soil, blueberry fertilizer and mulch, blueberry bush planting and care. We also touch on growing blueberries in containers, pruning and moving mature blueberry plants. [Read more…]

Plant Hardiness Zones and Microclimate – Creating Your Best Garden

April 28, 2018 by August Neverman Leave a Comment

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zones and Microclimate

When you're planning a garden or other plantings, you need to know both your Plant Hardiness Zone and your microclimate. Per the USDA, the zone maps “gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location”. The map divides North America into 11 separate zones, plus a and b sub-zones. The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10-degree F zones. The USDA plant hardiness zones are a good starting point, but they don't give the full picture. Each location is also influenced by local elements, such as water and buildings, to create a microclimate. To be successful, you need to know your zone and you need to know your local microclimate. [Read more…]