My first two raised beds were your standard rectangles anchored by 2x4s. My husband and I found the plan online and he surprised me by building them one weekend while I was away. They may have been simple, but they introduced me to all the benefits of gardening in raised beds. When it came time to work on Raised Bed Revolution, coming up with the different projects was one of the most fun aspects of the putting the book together. And since then, I’ve come across even more raised bed designs for gardening—if only I had more space!
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Raised bed designs for gardening: Tips, advice, and ideas
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Growing tomatoes from seed: A step-by-step guide
Why start your own tomato seeds when you can pop into your local nursery and buy ready-to-plant seedlings? The biggest reason is variety! Your local nursery may have a dozen or so varieties of tomatoes, but growing your own tomatoes from seed allows you to choose from thousands of heirloom, hybrid, and open-pollinated varieties available through seed catalogs. Plus, starting your own tomatoes can save money, especially if you have a large garden.
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Houseplant fertilizer basics: How and when to feed houseplants
Being a houseplant parent can be confusing business! Unlike human babies, houseplants don’t cry when they’re hungry or uncomfortable. Instead, they respond to their environment in different, far more subtle, ways. Knowing when it’s time to feed houseplants is challenging stuff, even for long-time houseplant growers. Today, I’d like to review the basic ins and outs of houseplant fertilizer, and cue you in on how and when to feed your houseplants. Continue Reading
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New plants for 2019 gardens
One of the perks of being a garden writer is I sometimes get to trial new plants and seeds a year before they appear in retail nurseries, garden centres, or catalogues. I may also spot a striking specimen in other trial gardens a year or two before they’re released, or watch someone in the plant world tease new varieties in a talk. And at some point in any given year, my inbox starts to receive sneak peeks at new plant introductions. By the time the growing season rolls around, I’m usually pretty prepared to make recommendations—and seek out my favourites for my pots and plots.
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Vegetables to grow in winter: 8 crops for winter harvesting
I live in a region where winters can be long, cold, and very snowy. But, I still enjoy a homegrown harvest from my vegetable garden year round. The key to a successful winter harvest is to know the right vegetables to grow in winter and pair them with the right season extenders. That means growing cold tolerant crops in structures like cold frames, mini hoop tunnels, greenhouses, or polytunnels.
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Apartment plants: 15 of the best houseplants for apartment living
Fill your living space with houseplants to improve your mood and help clean the air. While you may think you need a big space to grow houseplants, nothing could be further from the truth. Just like our homes and our bodies, houseplants come in all shapes and sizes. But people who live in apartments, condos, lofts, or other tight living quarters need to think a bit harder about which houseplants are best for them. Thankfully, there are a whole host of perfect apartment plants for even the most petite home. Continue Reading
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