beginner mindset

Being a Beginner in the Garden

July 11, 2022 by Kathryn Vercillo Leave a Comment

I’ve admitted to you in the past that I honestly have a bit of a brown thumb. During periods of depression, this can make me feel like I will never be able to grow a plant ever again. However, most of the time, I’m able to turn off that kind of thinking. I’m able to…

How To Get Free Seeds From The Government by Amanda Blankenship Seeds might seem like a small expense, but any seasoned…
Should I Use Enviro Ice On My Plants? by Kathryn Vercillo Every week, I receive food from Hungryroot. It's a great…
From Trash to Treasure: Transform Shredded Paper Into Garden Gold by Amanda Blankenship Should you use shredded paper as garden mulch? It might…
What Happens to Plants If You Use Enviro Ice on Them? by Amanda Blankenship About a year ago, I wrote our first article about…

Can Your HOA Force You to Grow Grass? One Maryland Couple Is Fighting That Battle

Can an HOA really tell a homeowner to rip out a garden and put grass back? In Maryland, the answer gets surprisingly interesting, especially after Janet and Jeff Crouch fought their HOA over a yard filled with native plants, flowers, trees, and habitat instead of a conventional carpet of turf. Their dispute helped spark a…

7 Ways to Make a Garden More Useful After Sunset

A garden does not have to clock out when the sun disappears. With a few smart additions, the same patch of soil that produces tomatoes, flowers, herbs, and leafy greens during the day can become a comfortable place to relax, entertain, cook, or simply enjoy the cooler evening air. The trick involves designing for nighttime…

What Should You Do When Ground Cherries Fall Before Ripening?

Ground cherries have one wonderfully strange harvest signal: they fall off the plant when they ripen. But when those little papery husks hit the soil while the fruit inside still looks green, the garden suddenly feels like it has changed the rules halfway through the game. The good news is that a few early drops…

6 Crops That Can Be Blanched for Better Flavor

Blanching does more than prepare vegetables for the freezer. A quick dip in boiling water can soften harsh flavors, tame bitterness, loosen tough textures, and make certain garden vegetables taste noticeably more pleasant at the table. It sounds like a small cooking trick, but the difference can be surprisingly dramatic. The key lies in timing….