Starting your first garden can feel like a big step, but the rewards are immeasurable. There’s a unique joy in watching a tiny seed sprout and grow into a beautiful flower or a delicious vegetable, all thanks to your care. The secret to a successful first garden isn’t a magical green thumb; it’s choosing the …
Gardening
There is something magical about flowering vines that return every year without needing to be replanted, as they carry with them a sense of continuity, memory, and timeless beauty. Each season they awaken, wrapping themselves around walls, trellises, and fences, transforming plain structures into living works of art. Unlike annuals that must be replanted and …
Growing lavender is a must for every home garden. The plant is hardy, smells wonderful, and invites pollinators to support your other garden plants. Plus, lavender is incredibly easy to propagate once to know how to grow lavender from cuttings. All it takes is a healthy lavender plant, a little rooting hormone, and some time …
Owning a home has long been touted as a way to build wealth, but does it actually pay off? Baby boomers are counting on it. Many have lived in their homes for decades and now expect six-figure profits when they sell, according to a new survey by Clever Offers. Staying in their homes for so …
We love dill (Anethum graveolens)! Our family uses it pretty much daily: adding it to green salads, flavoring cooked dishes, and mixing it into coleslaw. The aroma is so amazing and delicious that we never get tired of it. We use so much dill that we’d go broke if we had to buy it. Seriously! …
While lavender essential oil is difficult to make at home on a small scale, homemade lavender-infused oil is easy and accessible. With just four simple steps and materials you likely already have in your kitchen, you can make your own soothing lavender oil to use as-is or to make salve, lip balm, soap, and more. …
Ever walk into a room and feel like you just stepped into a sad little cave? You know, the ones where the lighting is too dim, the air feels a little too still, and you have the overwhelming urge to go right back out the way you came? If anywhere in your home feels anything …
Last year, I bought a few broccoli starts at a local greenhouse on a whim, excited to add another of my favorite vegetables to the garden. My excitement soon turned to disappointment, however, when something(s) began devouring the little plants. Each day, new holes appeared in the foliage, and entire leaves disappeared almost overnight. I …
As summer comes to an end, it’s time to do some general garden maintenance, replenish the soil, and tidy up dead plants. Many summer veggies are done for the year; tomatoes are one of these. They might look rough, diseased, and unappealing. If you wonder how to dispose of tomato plants correctly, this quick guide …
As summer vegetables wind down and fall leaves begin their colorful display, smart gardeners know this is prime time to set up their soil for next year’s success. While it might be tempting to let your garden beds sit bare through winter, you’d be missing out on one of nature’s most powerful soil-building opportunities. Fall …