Grow Food

Chances are good that you found this article because you are thinking about planting cucumbers in your garden – and wish nothing but the best for their, and your, success. …

The nitrogen cycle is one of the important natural cycles on our planet. Understanding this cycle is key to success in organic gardening. It can help us to give our plants one …

Potatoes are a staple crop on many temperate climate homesteads. Potatoes are generally a relatively easy (though space consuming) crop to grow. Get it right when it comes to choosing and …

Out of the myriad of reasons for starting a garden, saving money is often among the top. As is food security, the ability to eat nutrient-dense vegetables which taste far …

Eggplant – you either love it or hate it. This misunderstood vegetable has very few tepid fans. Even those of us that adore the creamy taste of perfectly cooked eggplant …

More and more of us are using our backyards as additional rooms for our homes. Cooking, dining and entertaining outdoors are all popular options. We use our backyards not only …

Who says that a vegetable garden has to be laid out in rectangular or square raised beds or in neat little rows? Who says that you have to choose between …

There are plenty of ways to improve your garden on a budget – but perhaps one of the very best projects to consider is building a vertical garden with a …

Creating raised beds for your garden can be a wonderful way to create new growing areas for food or for flowers. But not all raised beds were created equal. When …

In an organic garden, one of the most important jobs is returning nutrients to the system. There are a number of different ways that you can take the nutrients stored …

Last fall, I created a new hugelkultur bed in a part of my garden. You can see my step-by-step tutorial here. At the time, I planted onion and garlic sets around the …

Measuring yield can be a great way to determine success in your garden. Growing high-yielding fruits and vegetables can help us maximise the size of our harvests.  But there are …

When the suggested image of “vertical gardening” pops into your head, what do you see? Your mind may automatically dream up luscious ferns, bromeliads, succulents and epiphytes, inspired by many …

Make no mistake, a survival garden is not just any kind of beautiful backyard garden. A survival garden is one that is carefully designed to yield enough crops for you …

There are several different schools of thought when it comes to supporting tomato plants. Some gardeners are advocates of simply allowing tomato plants to sprawl where they will. But if …

Ginger is a delicious ingredient that can be used in a wide range of recipes. It can have a range of other uses too. You may be surprised to learn …

The knowledge and ability to harvest elderflowers and elderberries for both food and medicine, will take you far on your journey to a self-reliant life. Naturally, you may be able …

Tomato plants are pretty darn cool in that they can grow new roots anywhere along their stem. If you’ve ever seen the knobby little bumps growing towards the bottom of …

Lettuce grows easily almost anywhere, making it the perfect crop for cool weather. Its fresh and sometimes peppery notes to the palette also please at any meal. When you plant …

Gardeners – and gardens – come in all shapes and forms, with loads of experience, or none at all. Some of us are great at growing tomatoes, while others are …

Fava beans, also known as broad beans or faba beans, are an excellent choice for home cultivation. They are particularly beneficial in a cool temperate climate garden. But they can …

Creating compost is key to successful organic gardening. It is an important skill that all gardeners should learn. Compost can be used as a growing medium in pots and containers, …

As you dive headlong into spring, with the hopes and dreams of a bountiful garden harvest, your mind may begin to wander and wonder how on earth you could also …

Growing your own food is a rewarding experience. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as the flavor of a tomato plucked from one of your plants and eaten sliced, still warm …