Their enthusiasm is definitely contagious, and just being in the presence of these wonderful people inspires me to pull myself up by my bootstraps and keep chugging along, not to mention all the people they've inspired to do the same.
A layer of straw, chicken-coop litter, leaf debris, kitchen compost or half-finished compost also works just fine. Think about the slope of the ground where you will be building your bed and any moisture or water runoff issues that your garden has.
So, as wintry weather continues over the next few months, and you find yourself despairing while you muck out the chicken coop, just remember: Winter is going to have to eventually give up the ghost and spring will be right on its heels.
Even conventional pharmacies and general stores dispensed homeopathic medicines. One of the complementary therapies our mom uses is homeopathy. Send me your question! Please keep in mind that I receive a lot of questions, so I won't always be able to...
Despite the beauty of its tempting fruit, eating winterberries should be avoided -- especially by children. Caffeine is in high concentration in the berries. Animals that show symptoms of winterberry poisoning should be seen by their veterinarian.
The same goes for heirloom vegetable varieties or that redesigned compost pile : all of the hard work you put into farming stems from a dream, and if you keep working toward that dream, before you know it, it could come true before your eyes.
Sometimes it's a new supplement. Ashitaba is an angelica species, which are members of the carrot family and tend to be biannuals. Beyond being a great nutritional supplement, the plant has strong antibiotic activity, particularly in the digestive and...
Second, the collective social behavior of the nymphs was very telling—assassin bugs tend to be solitary hunters unlike immature leaf-footed bugs, which stay clustered after hatching from their eggs.
If you begin to dig and your shovel seems to be hitting a brick wall, it is evidence that the soil is frozen. Digging in your garden too soon or in the wrong conditions results in two things: frustration for you and poor soil structure.
The otherwise healthy looking seedling will discolor or wilt suddenly, or simply collapse and die.Other signs of damping off include stunting, low vigor, or wilting. This often depends on the particular fungus.
In many cities and townships organic waste materials MUST be separated from normal trash and failing to do so can result in a written violation; the local government can take you to court for failing to comply.Residue from lawn chemicals can remain in...
Gardeners are becoming increasingly diversified, and getting into more sustainable practices such as raising heirloom vegetables and saving seeds. Because there is less white meat, they can dry out while the longer-cooking requirements for dark meat are...
Whithin a year, we decided it wasn't convenient to pursue the business, since we were mostly losing, rather than gaining, so we closed the store and took all the remaining groceries back home.
Better known as Dracaena sanderiana, this plant is a fixture in many households.Connoisseurs agree that not all bamboo is created equally.Lucky bamboo, also known as "Belgian evergreen," is a woody shrub with shiny green leaves.
Don't plant overused species and space related specimens far apart in your yard. You can preserve biodiversity by abandoning the idea that your garden should resemble your neighbor's.
Each plant species leeches something from the soil while giving something else back. The same philosophy used by farmers applies to home gardens as well.Allowing land to stand fallow has been practiced by farmers for centuries.
Within its native range, Okoume is considered widespread and relatively common. The sapwood is pale and grayish, clearly demarcated from the heartwood. Imports to the United States are mainly in the form of veneer and plywood, especially for use in decorative...
Now if I could just get that rooster to help… << More Dirt on Gardening >> You might have read about our new chickens in a previous post . It sounds like a busy weekend ahead. “Psst! Hey buddy, want a rooster?” Then I'll proceed to pull him out...
I didn't like a wide variety of foods, from cottage cheese and pickles to cantaloupe and basically every vegetable under the sun. I would go to restaurants or grocery stores, and I'd leave with a bag or a belly full of novel foods, a goofy smile plastered...
Deer will eat just about anything if they are hungry enough, according to Oregon State University's Extension website. Indoor plants can become infested by common houseplant pests such as mealybugs and scales.
According to this definition, an acid is a substance that generates hydronium ions when dissolved in water. With respect to the chemical concept of pH, "alkaline" is another term for "basic." These two terms are interchangeable.
If the latter describes your garden conditions, use a light mulch that will allow the soil to breathe while still preventing soil compaction and erosion in heavy rain. This allows the seeds access to air and sunlight for germination but reduces disruption...
In our zone-4 abode, the minimum recommended R-value is 25. (Now you're catching on! Say it with me, “Aargghh-values.”) According to Energy Star, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency voluntary program that helps businesses and individuals save money...
When I ordered my most recent batch of chicks, I resized photos from My Pet Chicken (where my flock originated), and then I pasted chick photo next to the hen photo for each breed on a blank document, printed them out and put them on my fridge.
Sugar cane is a subtropical/tropical grass that originated in Papua, New Guinea and spread throughout Southeast Asia, India, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Hawaii and the southern United States because of human migration and the slave trade.
Colorado State University's website suggests planting vinca if you want to deter deer.Vinca serves well in the borders of other flowering plants and in containers. If you want to fertilize your plant or plants, use a granular or water-soluble fertilizer...
It is made up almost entirely of hardened vegetable oil and is free from any milk products.It is ideal for various forms of cooking, such as baking, sauteing and deep frying. This product is sometimes known as vanaspati or clarified butter.Traditional...
