Ditch the seed heat mats and build your own low-cost DIY germination chamber to jumpstart your vegetable garden this year. This low-cost alternative requires no tools or special handyman skills to set up and can fit more flats than a single heat mat. A homemade germination chamber will set you up for seed starting success […]
DIY Germination Chamber – Low-cost alternative to seedling heat mats Read More »
What does patented seed mean? What is a seed utility patent? Can plants and seeds have intellectual property rights? If you’re wondering along these lines, you’re not alone! We started coming across seeds we thought were open-pollinated and fair game for seed saving this past year and were surprised to find restrictions on saving seeds
Open-Pollinated Seed Utility Patent Restrictions Read More »
Farmer Nathan and I love browsing seed catalogs in the winter, dreaming of our summer garden, and possibly getting carried away with our seed orders. (We can’t be the only ones! 😉 ) We’re always excited to try new varieties, colors, and flavors…but some cultivars aren’t happy to meet us and our good and steamy
Southern seed companies to give a whirl – Southern Seed Guide – (pt. 2) Read More »
Farmer Nathan and I love browsing seed catalogs in the winter, dreaming of our summer garden, and possibly getting carried away with our seed orders. (We can’t be the only ones! 😉 ) We’re always excited to try new varieties, colors, and flavors…but some cultivars aren’t happy to meet us and our good and steamy
What to look for in seed catalogs – Southern Seed Guide (pt. 1) Read More »
Carrots. The base of nearly every soup recipe. Delicious raw with dip or slowly roasted in a glaze. What’s not to love about this versatile and delicious vegetable? Too bad carrot germination isn’t as easy as pie! Over the last few years of trying to grow more carrots and figure out how many we need
Tips to increase carrot germination Read More »
We are starting our fourth year of growing loofah and we’ve certainly learned a few things on how to grow loofah successfully (and unsuccessfully) from trial and error. Year one, we tried direct sowing in a partial shade location. The vines grew like crazy. All the way to the top of a nearby juniper tree…but
How to grow loofah – Tips to grow your own sponges Read More »
You see the transplants starting to pop up at the garden centers. Or transplants that you have nurtured and grown from seed yourself, both eager to be planted. This can be a tricky prospect as either way you have time or money invested and it is hard to see that wasted in the form of
How to plant transplants in your vegetable garden Read More »
It may be winter outside, but it isn’t too early to be thinking about your spring garden! The frosty temperature and occasional snow can make the coming season feel far off. It also can feel a bit intimidating when you feel like you’ve just gotten a handle on growing a few summer vegetables. Good news!
Beginner Spring Vegetable Garden – Step-by-Step Read More »
Oh, what joy can be found in growing your own seedlings for your garden! To be able to watch a seemingly inert dry seed spring to life as it emerges from the ground is truly amazing. There are many advantages to starting your own seedlings and an opportunity to enjoy the springing forth of life
Seed starting – How to jumpstart your garden Read More »
Your seed packets have arrived in the mail, you’re skimming the growing instructions on the packets and you come across a note along these lines: “This seed needs to be cold stratified for 30 days before planting.” Strata-what? What’s this new step? If you’ve primarily been growing an annual summer vegetable garden you may not
Cold stratification for seeds in 4 easy steps Read More »