Let’s just get this out of the way, produce is expensive at the grocery store. Last time I went through the checkout, I thought I must have paid for someone else’s stuff. I walked out of the store with two bags of food, but it sure felt like I paid for a week’s worth of snacks for a high-school soccer team. That’s one reason I love having a garden – it helps me cut down on my grocery bill. But let’s be real, saving money isn’t the only reason to grow your own food at home.
I might be biased, but if you live in an apartment, container gardening is an easy way to give your space some personality and flare (not to mention some free food). I certainly lived in my share of apartments with white walls, white vinyl blinds, light brown carpeting, and a lease that said I couldn’t change any of that. But it’s truly amazing how much difference even a few plants can make in an otherwise boring space.
Figuring out how to regulate humidity indoors can sometimes feel like a hopeless venture. Just when you get it right, someone opens the front door, and the whole indoor atmosphere changes. Or here in New England, one day can be 70 and sunny, and the next is 48 and windy. If I didn’t care about […]
Ah, Parker the Protector, that’s what I’ve come to affectionately call our plucky pug with a heart of gold. You see, Parker’s journey as the guardian of our inkberry bushes began shortly after Gail and I moved to picturesque Plymouth a few years ago. Nestled between our yard and our friendly neighbor’s property, a row […]
I am very late to composting. For years, it was something that I considered doing but never quite got around to. There always seemed to be a reason. The kids were too young, so having one more thing to do in a day was overwhelming. The yard was small; where would I put it? What […]
Antimicrobial spices are certainly more well-known than antimicrobial herbs. Cloves, for example, are clinically proven to fight gum disease and they can relieve tooth pain. Cinnamon is revered for its antibacterial properties. And we all know that garlic can ward off vampires. (Incidentally, there’s some interesting folklore behind that, and some of it may be partially based on facts, but that’s a story for another time.) But herbs? Let’s see what the doctor says.
I have a confession. I get a major thrill when I repurpose something I have lying around the house. So when it comes to homes for my plants, I’m all about that DIY plant container life. What’s even better, is when I can repurpose plant containers out of recyclable materials. Because it’s basically free AND I’m using sustainable materials! I’m willing to bet that if you looked around the room you’re sitting in right now, you’ll be able to find at least one bit of recyclable material that could easily be turned into a DIY plant container. Here are some tips and ideas to remember when making your DIY plant containers from recyclable materials.
If I had to choose the most mysterious flower in my herb garden, it would be lavender. How to dry it, use it, and cook with it are all questions I asked myself once I started growing lavender instead of buying it fully prepared for my every whim.
If you’ve ever bought produce at the grocery store, it’s probably a guarantee that you went home with hybrid vegetables. If you frequent your farmers’ market, you may very well walk away with heirloom vegetables. And if you’ve eaten anything that came from a box or a can or you’ve enjoyed a carbonated cold drink, you’ve almost definitely had GMO vegetables.
I found the most adorable bowl in the shape of an elephant at a local pottery studio and knew I wanted to use it as a planter in my indoor herb garden. I bought Ellie (that’s what I named her) and took her home where she sat on my counter for three weeks while I […]
