Gardening

Winter can be a beautiful time to connect with nature and watch birds forage for food. Something that has become particularly popular nowadays is using bird feeders to help give birds access to food through the winter. There are studies still being conducted on the effects that personal feeders have on the bird population, so it has not been fully concluded in research whether they are harmful or not. With that being said, the more sustainable route seems to always be the best way to go. This can be accomplished by growing plants that produce bird-food during the cold season.

We often hear about tea being used for its many health qualities for the body, but did you know that tea can be beneficial for your home garden as well? It’s called compost tea, and here are six great gardening benefits you can gain from using it!

There is just something about the great outdoors that makes us feel alive. The fresh air, flowing water, and life everywhere.

There is so much more to Mother Earth’s medicine than just the plants provided. If I were a doctor I would fill out prescriptions for camping trips and outdoor events. Two of the most important things doctors will tell you is to get a lot of fresh air and to drink plenty of water, but that’s simply the beginning of it. The healing goes as deep as a tree’s roots travel and flows much like a steady river.

Many of the organic gardening techniques used today have been adopted from Native Americans. One of the most popular of these is the Three Sisters technique, which is also commonly known as companion planting. This technique was based off an Iroquois legend, which involved a story about corn, beans, and squash. Legend has it that the three vegetables were three inseparable sisters who would only flourish when they were planted alongside each other. This method of planting works well because each of the plants benefits one another.

If you aren’t familiar with heirloom gardening, now is the perfect time to learn. Heirloom gardening requires planting only heirloom variety plants. Heirloom plants are planted by seeds that have been passed down and grown from generation to generation, although the definition may vary for some. The opposite of heirloom planting is modern hybrid planting. Heirloom plants and seeds are different from modern hybrid plants and seeds because they are open-pollinated, true breed, and they can be saved by the gardener from year to year.

Not what you would have imagined, rain gardens are an excellent way to conserve water, and stave off water pollution…

When I first heard the term, I imagined a scene from a tropical jungle – lush plants, drenched in the rain, giving off aromatic humid vapors. The reality, well, is far more real.

So what is a rain garden?

Hearty Snacks: Fruits and Nuts

Pomegranates:

Average Cost In U.S. and Midwest Region

$2.13 per fruit

Time to Reach Maturity:  12– 36 months

Scraps to Garden:

• Remove the seeds from the ripe fruit
• Discard any flesh and rinse them thoroughly
• Allow them to dry completely
• Plant 2-3 seeds in a pot (that has drainage holes)

with potting soil, covering the seeds about 1/4 inch deep

In the past three years, I have moved several times. And as I settle in to each new space, I always end up adopting various plants to scatter around my place. I have always tended toward ivy or spider plants, since I can’t kill them easily, and most recently I have taken some new succulents under wing. For me, having plants is partially for the aesthetic; a little green in my living space is refreshing and reminds me of being in nature, a place I enjoy very much. However, keeping indoor plants has just as many physical benefits as it does psychological.

The end of the growing season for passionate gardeners can be a bummer. But, to anyone who wants to grow food longer and start it out earlier, this is the article for you.

Being self-sustainable in every way possible is great, so growing your food – and as much of it as you can – is important. Cold frames are a great addition to any garden because you can use them to lengthen your growing season, both by giving plants longer to grow before it gets cold and also by allowing you to start some seedlings early.

If you’re someone living in an urban setting, yet still trying to live as close to the earth as possible while doing so, then you may have considered urban gardening in the past.

My backyard is a paved-over pocket in the city that I call “the oasis.” It’s just enough room for a few reclining lawn chairs, a grill, and six potted plants. It’s not much, but it’s just enough to feel like I have a little nature right out my back door.

Living in an urban area, you have to make the most of all your spaces, especially if you have any outdoor room. A well-planned