We planted her from seed in the same bin as our cherry tree. I didn’t think the tree survived the winter. So when new shoots started pushing through the soil, I was surprised. And there, right next to them, the sunflower we planted was coming up too. That bin sits on top of our old […]
We hated the clay soil underneath our garden beds. It was dense, heavy, and unforgiving. Plants struggled to take root and thrive in it. But weeds? Weeds had no problem taking over. I hated that soil. So we got to work. A light till. Organic matter. Compost layered on top. We left the roots of […]
What I didn’t know when I first started gardening years ago is that there are absolutely some things that should never be planted together. Like keeping cucumbers and sage. Just don’t do it. At the time, I wasn’t familiar with companion planting. Companion planting is straightforward, simple, and incredibly efficient for that improves the health […]
You don’t need a big garden or a yard to have a beautiful green space in your home. In fact, you can plant flowers and vegetables in small containers and watch them grow in a matter of a few months. And it looks like I’ll be doing a lot of containers this spring since we […]
Over the years, we’ve learned that having a garden has lots of advantages. Saving money on fresh fruit, produce, and herbs is just one of them. You can also save money on gifts by making jams, jellies even homemade salsa from the items you grow. We’ve made our own strawberry and red plum jam and […]
Our Story In 2018, we had a surplus of cucumbers from our backyard garden that we lovingly call Alexander Farm and Orchard. We grow okra, tomatoes, collard greens, and of course cucumber. We have a few citrus trees and we plant enough to sustain our family, share with our local food pantry, and sell […]
Going green to save the environment can also result in better health and significant money savings. This tip will help you avoid the use of chemical weed killers while having a beautiful lawn or garden. A healthy lawn will naturally deter weeds and keep them from getting a foothold. So when you take action to […]
At first, I thought growing herbs indoor would be easy. I mean, I’d seen makeover shows and seen magazine spreads of all these beautiful fragrant indoor herb gardens. And then I uttered those words that will make a reluctant student out of you real quick…how hard could it be? This wall had been […]
I decided to take my own advice. In June 2020, I wrote about our homes being our sanctuaries and sacred spaces. And while I had fresh flowers on occasion, I only had one live house plant. A Bird of Paradise named Ben. So I began my quest to fill my home with houseplants I couldn’t […]
Instead, it’s a beloved salad ingredient. And here I was, throwing it away and loathing its very existence in my garden when people want it and can’t even grow it!