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Simple ways to save money while you garden

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Steph Coelho

Steph Coelho is a freelance writer gardening in zone 5b. She is a certified Square Foot Gardener and has taught various garden-related workshops. When she’s not digging in the dirt or writing, she’s cooking up fresh produce, running, or listening to her favorite podcasts.

How To Get Plant Spacing Right

May 25, 2021 by Steph Coelho Leave a Comment

plant spacing

When I started gardening over a decade ago, I was so excited to grow things that I would cram many seedlings into tiny spaces. My first garden was my pride and joy, but looking back on it, I made so many mistakes. Mistakes are good! They help you learn. But some of them are entirely…

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Filed Under: gardening methods, square foot garden Tagged With: garden space, measurements, plant spacing, room between plants, seed spacing, seedling space, spacing

2 Different Ways To Start An Avocado Seed

May 17, 2021 by Steph Coelho 2 Comments

start an avocado seed

  People love to put avocados on everything. I’m as much an avocado fanatic as the next person, but they don’t come cheap. Here’s how to start an avocado seed at home. Growing avocados at home I’ll be upfront with you. Growing an avocado tree takes time and patience. And it’s not a task suited…

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Filed Under: activity, frugality, seedlings, seeds, trees Tagged With: avocado, avocado seed, avocado tree, growing avocado, how to grow avocado from seed, plant an avocado seed, planting avocado, starting an avocado seed

7 Plants You Can Direct Seed

May 10, 2021 by Steph Coelho Leave a Comment

plants you can direct seed

  Recently, I’ve mentioned that this year I just don’t have the bandwidth to garden like I usually do. But that doesn’t mean I’m completely abandoning my favorite hobby. Although I didn’t start seedlings indoors, I still have a vast collection of seeds at my disposal, and I’ve already started sketching a plan for what…

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Filed Under: plant growth, seed starting, seedlings Tagged With: direct seeding, direct sowing, planting seeds, seedlings, seeds, sowing seeds

10 Household Items That Can Be Composted (and 5 That Can’t)

May 3, 2021 by Steph Coelho Leave a Comment

composting household items

  Composting household items is the most efficient way to create nutrient gold for your garden. If you can use up what you have on hand, you can save money and reduce the amount of waste you create. So what can you toss into the compost bin? Here are ten household items you can compost….

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Filed Under: composting Tagged With: compost, compost bin, composter, composting, composting household items, kitchen scraps, plant scraps, waste

A Frugal Gardener Is a Patient Gardener

April 26, 2021 by Steph Coelho Leave a Comment

patient gardener

Spring has sprung! Kind of. Last week where I am in zone 5 Canada, we were hit with a surprise snowstorm. Many people expected a light dusting and for the snow to melt right away, but it stuck around for several days. I know at least one gardener who got a nasty surprise when the…

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Filed Under: garden musings Tagged With: garden musings, patience, patient gardener

Go With The Flow Gardening

April 12, 2021 by Steph Coelho Leave a Comment

go with the flow gardening

Spring is here! I remember at this time last year, we were at the start of this pandemic and I was so excited to start the gardening season. It was too cold to start planting, but I had a ton of stuff started in my basement, and I was slowly starting to harden things off….

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Filed Under: garden musings Tagged With: garden musings, go with the flow gardening, reduce food waste, taking it easy

10 Top Reasons Why Seeds Don’t Germinate

April 6, 2021 by Steph Coelho Leave a Comment

reasons why seeds don't germinate

  There are a lot of reasons why seeds don’t germinate. Knowing what can go wrong is the first step in solving the problem. If you’re struggling to start seeds this spring, here are a few things to look out for. Why Aren’t Seeds Germinating? Here are a few common reasons why seeds don’t germinate….

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Filed Under: indoor gardening, seed starting, seedlings, seeds Tagged With: germination, reasons why seeds don't germinate, seedlings, seeds

How To Do A Spring Garden Clean-Up

March 29, 2021 by Steph Coelho Leave a Comment

spring garden clean-up

It’s springtime! The season that signals to every gardener that it’s time to get started is here. In my neck of the woods, it’s also the ugliest time of year. I become tempted to start my spring garden clean-up right away,  but I know that soon the buds from my maple trees will fall and…

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Filed Under: gardening methods, spring Tagged With: garden clean-up, spring clean-up, spring cleaning

Which Indoor Plants Purify Air?

March 15, 2021 by Steph Coelho Leave a Comment

Indoor plants that can purify air

  Let’s get one thing straight. You probably won’t improve your home’s air quality by filling it with indoor plants that can purify the air. According to a National Geographic piece from 2019, houseplants won’t do much to clean your home’s air.  Most of the advice about air-purifying houseplants comes from an old NASA study. In a…

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Filed Under: gardening myths, houseplants, indoor gardening Tagged With: air purification, air purifying plants, houseplants, indoor gardening, plants

The Importance of Crop Rotation

March 9, 2021 by Steph Coelho Leave a Comment

crop rotation

  It’s that time of year again! Gardeners are starting to plan out the season. Usually, I spend this month sketching out a rough plan for my garden—taking crop rotation principles into account. I also start some seeds in my basement. This year, though, the pandemic has me changing up my plans. I’m giving my…

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Filed Under: gardening methods Tagged With: crop rotation, garden planning, healthy soil, soil

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The Mulch Depth Error That Blocks Oxygen to Roots

The Mulch Depth Error That Blocks Oxygen to Roots

Fresh mulch transforms a yard in a single afternoon. Garden beds suddenly look polished, weeds shrink back, and plants pop against that rich blanket of bark or wood chips. Unfortunately, many gardeners keep piling it on until those beautiful beds quietly turn into oxygen-starved trouble zones. Mulch helps soil retain moisture, regulate temperature, and reduce…

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7 Time-Saving Tools That Improve Garden Efficiency

7 Time-Saving Tools That Improve Garden Efficiency

A thriving garden looks peaceful and effortless from the patio chair, but every experienced gardener knows the truth hides under the mulch. Weeds explode overnight, hoses twist into impossible knots, and pruning chores somehow multiply the second temperatures rise. Smart gardeners don’t just work harder—they work sharper with tools that cut hours of labor while…

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5 Fast-Blooming Options That Add Immediate Color

5 Fast-Blooming Options That Add Immediate Color

Fresh bursts of color can transform even the plainest yard into something that feels alive, welcoming, and full of personality. Fast-blooming flowers make that transformation happen quickly, often within just a few weeks of planting. Gardeners love these plants because they skip the long waiting game and go straight to putting on a show. The…

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Why Poor Drainage Leads to Root Rot and Stunted Growth

Why Poor Drainage Leads to Root Rot and Stunted Growth

Roots demand one thing almost as much as water: oxygen. When soil stays soggy for days, roots suffocate because water fills every tiny air pocket underground. Plants begin to panic in slow motion, even while the surface still looks deceptively green. Leaves droop, growth slows, and stems weaken because the root system cannot perform basic…

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