If you’re new to gardening, or new to planting your own seeds instead of using purchased seedlings, you may be wondering what the difference is between potting soil and seed starting mix. Why does seed starting mix usually cost more? Is seed starting mix really necessary or worth it? And why can’t you just grab…
Eggplant is the star ingredient in baba ganoush and features in many recipes from Italy, Greece, and Middle Eastern countries. It has also experienced a surge of popularity in the U.S., especially in vegetarian dishes. For some reason, eggplant is a vegetable that gardeners don’t always realize they can grow. It’s as easy to add…
Sage has the distinction of being a culinary herb, a medicinal herb, and an ornamental plant. Its botanical name Salvia comes from the Latin word salvare, which means “to heal” or “to save”, a tribute to its health-boosting properties. Frequently used in meat dishes and stuffing, sage actually helps your body break down fats for…
Pets are wonderful, but fleas…not so much. Unfortunately for those of us in warmer climates, fleas can be a nearly year-round nuisance, even with indoor animals. Luckily, many common can help you repel fleas to keep your family safe without resorting to chemical pesticides. As a bonus, most of these plants smell great to humans,…
You’re excited to be growing spinach. The weather isn’t too hot yet and things are looking good…except suddenly your spinach is covered in white spots! Your precious young spinach is covered in white fuzz. What’s wrong with your spinach!? And is it safe to eat? This post is here to help you understand the white…
Mulch is widely used in both gardens and landscaping. It can form a weed barrier, preserve soil moisture, provide nutrients, and look nice, too! Unfortunately, mulch needs to be applied in fairly thick layers in order to be effective. If you have a lot of lawn or garden area to cover, purchasing mulch can really…
Peppers are a popular choice for a home garden but can be a little more temperamental than vegetables like tomatoes. They love the heat of summer but will need some attention from you throughout the season. To get your plants started off right, you’ll need to take a few important steps like planting them at…
Are you confused about what “hardening off” your seedlings means? Are you eager to get your garden started and want to plant those seedlings you bought this morning? Or maybe you’re wondering why your healthy looking seedlings suddenly wilted when you transplanted them last year. Whether you started your own seedlings indoors from seed or…
There’s nothing like picking fresh herbs from your garden right before cooking a meal! Cilantro is a fairly easy to grow herb and essential for a wide variety of global cuisines. Discover how to successfully plant and grow your own cilantro with this complete guide. Cilantro can be a very divisive herb. Some people love…
You know compost is a must-have for a healthy, organic garden. You also know you “should” be composting, but it can seem so intimidating to get started. And when is compost actually ready to use, anyway? Composting is a fantastic way to recycle food and garden scraps into fertile soil that will take your gardening…