How much do I need to plant? This is the question of the year, isn’t it? Growing your own food is a key component of any good preparedness plan. Even if you aren’t worried about food shortages or end of days prepping, there are still plenty of good reasons to grow as much of your…
What’s a brassica? You’ve heard me talk about brassicas, so maybe you’re wondering what on earth is a brassica? Well, brassicas are a family of plants that are known for being cold-hardy and high in nutrition. They are also known as cruciferous plants. That’s because when they first sprout, their first two leaves (called cotyledons…
Get the best out of your garden You probably already know that farmers rotate their crops every year. This is to prevent their soil from becoming depleted and to ensure a productive harvest. Good gardeners will do the same thing and for similar reasons. Some types of plants are heavy feeders. Others share similar diseases.…
Right now it looks like spring is a long way off. But don’t be fooled—before you know it, it will be time to plant your garden. This is the time of year to sit down and plan what you want this year’s garden to look like. What’s the Number-one Hobby in America? You guessed it–it’s…
Learning from mistakes Last spring I told you about cold frames I made using dresser drawers. I’m sorry to report, the results were not as successful as I’d hoped. The bok choi got too warm and bolted before it got any where near mature enough to eat. (Note to self: open up the cold frame…
(Part One is here.) Yes, it’s January and yes, we’re having the coldest temperatures of the last two years. But it’s still time to think of early spring crops. Start with brassicas It’s almost time to start your brassica seedlings. The Brassica family is extremely cold-hardy. It includes things like broccoli, cabbage, collards, kale and…