Rural Sprout

Gardening, Homesteading & Natural Living Inspiration

Lindsay Sheehan

Lindsay Sheehan

About Lindsay Sheehan

Lindsay Sheehan is a writer, researcher, and lifelong gardener who loves little more than the thrill of nurturing living things from dormant seed. Endlessly fascinated by the natural world and especially fond of native species, she is always on the hunt for new ideas and techniques surrounding organic gardening, permaculture, and environmental sustainability.

She is a firm believer in working with the forces of nature, and not against them, by creating healthy ecosystems within the garden patch. This philosophy also spills over into lifestyle through a return to our ancestral roots by becoming more self-reliant, wasting nothing, and living simply.

When not at the writing desk or tending her ever-expanding garden, Lindsay enjoys taking long walks in the wilderness, reading science fiction, and snuggling up with her two orange tabbies.

7 Ways to Protect Your Plants From a Sudden Frost

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An unexpected freeze in spring or fall can quickly devastate your garden. Early in the growing season, it is especially destructive for tender seedlings that are too fragile to survive sudden dips in temperature. Even in autumn, when we’re trying to get as much food harvested as possible, it can force more established plants to become dormant and non-productive. What is Frost? Frost is defined as a thin layer of ice that forms when water vapor changes from a gas to a solid as it … [Read more...] about 7 Ways to Protect Your Plants From a Sudden Frost

15 Rare and Unusual Houseplants to Grow

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Are you looking to step up your indoor gardening game and go beyond the lovely – but commonplace – pothos and spider plants? For a truly extraordinary plant array, check out these beautiful and unusual cultivars that emphasize strange shapes, bold colors, and inspiring blooms. For plant collectors that seem to have everything, these oddballs would also make the perfect gift. 1. Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes × ventrata) A carnivorous plant native to the Philippines, pitcher … [Read more...] about 15 Rare and Unusual Houseplants to Grow

How to Grow Mint Plants Indoors

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Mint (Mentha spp.) is an aromatic, perennial herb of the Lamiaceae family. A vigorous grower and spreader, mint has enjoyed a long history of use in cuisine, traditional medicine, and aromatherapy. Its name is derived from a story in Greek Mythology. Minthe was a beautiful and lonely water nymph who fell in love with Hades, the god of the dead and king of the underworld. When his wife, Queen Persephone, discovered their affair, she transformed Minthe into a mint plant in revenge. … [Read more...] about How to Grow Mint Plants Indoors

How To Use Crabapples: 15 Delicious Recipes You’ve Probably Never Tried

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Many people are surprised to hear that crabapples are edible straight from the tree. While you might find them too tart to pluck from the tree and pop straight in your mouth, you can use crabapples in many delicious recipes from jellies, to juices to wine and more. This article reveals fifteen brilliant things you can do with your abundant supply of crabapples this fall. Make sure you read our previous article revealing how you can have the most beautiful and abundant crabapple tree, as … [Read more...] about How To Use Crabapples: 15 Delicious Recipes You’ve Probably Never Tried

The Total Guide To Growing & Caring For A Crabapple Tree

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Apple trees are among the most widely cultivated plants in the world. With some 7,500 known cultivars within the Malus genus, the common apple tree (Malus domestica) we know and love produces sweet fruits that can be eaten raw or used in cooking. We know these types as orchard apples, eating apples, cooking apples, and culinary apples. The other type of Malus is the wild apple, also known as the crabapple tree. Producing tart fruits no larger than two inches in … [Read more...] about The Total Guide To Growing & Caring For A Crabapple Tree