Soil Sampling: Why Bother?
Many college co-op or extensions offer soil sampling. Why bother paying to have your soil tested? Now is the time, right before the summer garden season kicks off to get your soil tested. This can happen in the fall or the spring, as the mineral contents don’t change over the winter. But as it’s spring, […]
5 Steps to Planning your Garden in Winter for Summer Success
Today is a snow day. The kind of snow that is wet and heavy flakes that cling to the trees. Each tree is given it’s own winter coat, to shine in the sun and brighten the day. I love this kind of winter day! I also love gardening in the spring. To each it’s own […]
Why Apartment Gardening is NOT Part of My Survival Plan
I have the ability to grow plants in my apartment. I have detailed my indoor apartment growing system which I have used to successfully grow carrots, tomatoes, green beans, spinach, and jalapenos. (My Indoor Growing Systems) Growing inside allows you to grow through the winter and have fresh produce year round. However there are a […]
How to Make your Own Apple Cider Vinegar from Apple Peels + Cores
Do you have left over apple scraps from making an apple pie or apple sauce? Don’t toss them! Use them to make apple cider vinegar. I will just call out the haters right now. Technically apple cider vinegar is made from apple cider (pressed apples), this is Apple Scrap Vinegar since it is made from […]
Class Review of Russ Cohen: Wild Plants I Have Known…And Eaten
On March 2, 2017 the Burlington Public Library invited Russ Cohen to give a presentation on foraging for edible plants as part of their survival month. This free event happening right down the street was just was I was looking for. Wild Plants I Have Known…and Eaten by Russ Cohen Price: Free Duration: 2 hours […]
10 Lessons Learned from Last Year’s Garden 2017
2017 was my second year gardening a rented plot at my local community garden. This year I had 600 sqft of freshly tilled soil to learn to grow, and make my fair share of gardening mistakes. My 2016 garden was a great success and I shared my lessons learned: 10 Lessons Learned from Last Year’s […]
Final 2017 Community Garden Yields
This year we have 600 sqft of growing space at our local community garden. When I was first starting to garden, I wondered what are typical yields of a home gardener? Not yields for an experience commercial farmer with tons of pesticides, but the common man’s yields. Sadly gardening season is over now but here […]
7 Actually Easy to Grow Vegetables for the New Gardener
When I was first learning to garden I read many articles that all started with “Grow tomatoes they are super easy!” Well, then reading more I also learned that for tomatoes you have need support because they will fall over and the tomatoes will rot. You need marigolds or prepare to fight off hoards of […]
6 Steps to Setting Up a New Garden Space
As many readers may know, I live in an apartment but rent space in a community garden. This offers me many benefits but also has the draw back of limited space. However this weekend, the extra unsold lots got put up for sale and I was able to buy one! Exciting news, I could add […]
My First 2017 Harvest + Blooming Vegetables
One very rewarding thing about gardening is seeing your efforts start to bloom: literally. As we are getting out of June and into July, my garden is starting to bloom. Not the great big flowers for your table but the smaller ones that produce fruits, beans and vegetables. I also harvested my first crop: turnips! […]
Starting Seeds or Buying Transplants: Which is Better for Your Garden?
As a new gardener starting out, should you start from scratch and use seed packets? Or does it make more sense to buy transplant from a nursery? If you plan on transplants, are you going to start seeds yourself or rely on nurseries with greenhouses? I will cover some of the main concerns and reasons […]
Post-Vacation Garden Growth
We have returned from our 11-day trip across Ireland and Northern Ireland. I loved seeing the grand coastlines and sheep-farming landscape, however I was excited to return to my garden. I was excited when I left to return and see how everything grew while I was away, hoping it didn’t die. To see how I […]
Preparing My Garden for Vacation: Community Garden Update
Tim and I are headed out of town and out of the country for nearly 2 weeks. While we are gone, I would love if our plants didn’t all die. So, I am trying to do as much as I can to prepare my outdoor garden for the upcoming abandonment. This means, for my climate […]
My Community Garden Layout for Summer Success
by Lauren at Modern Self-Reliance Good morning all! Tim and I had a great Saturday morning (May 13) installing fencing and digging out our garden beds. For those who want to follow along, Tim and I rent 400 square feet of growing space at a community garden. We are responsible for everything, except they kindly […]
10 Lessons Learned from Last Year’s Garden 2016
This summer 2017 I will be continuing to learn to garden through the use of a 800 sqft community garden plot. I will post throughout the summer my progress, yields, and setbacks. Last summer (2016), my first year, was a great success but I learned many lessons. I feel it is always important to review […]