starting seeds

Seeds You Can Save From Everyday Foods to Grow New Plants

February 15, 2026 by Catherine Reed Leave a Comment

You don’t need a fancy seed catalog to start more plants, because a surprising number of groceries come with a free “starter kit” tucked inside. When you learn which scraps actually sprout, you can turn snack time into planting time and stretch your garden budget way further. The trick is picking foods with viable seeds,…

7 Seed-Starting Mistakes That Cost More Than They Should

January 28, 2026 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

Seed starting feels like pure optimism in physical form. Tiny packets promise tomatoes the size of softballs, basil that smells like summer, and flowers that stop neighbors mid-walk. Many gardeners jump in buzzing with excitement, only to watch trays of soil sit there like they missed the memo. These failures do not usually come from…

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…

Why Gardeners Should Think Twice Before Moving Soil From One Yard to Another

Your neighbor has extra topsoil from a landscaping project, and they’re offering it to you for free. It sounds like a great deal, especially when buying several bags of garden soil can quickly add up. But what if that free dirt brings invasive worms, stubborn weeds, or plant diseases into a garden you’ve spent years…

The Best Mulch for Strawberry Beds Before Winter

Your strawberry plants might look perfectly healthy heading into fall, but one harsh winter could undo months of gardening work. Unlike many perennial plants, strawberries have shallow roots and crowns that sit close to the soil surface, making them vulnerable to freezing temperatures and repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Without proper protection, those productive plants could struggle…

Your Neighbor’s Tree Is Dropping Leaves Into Your Yard — Who Has to Clean Them Up?

Every fall, the same frustrating scene plays out in neighborhoods across America. Your neighbor has a beautiful, towering oak tree, but somehow you’re the one spending every weekend raking up its leaves. You didn’t plant the tree, you don’t own it, and you certainly didn’t volunteer to become its personal cleanup crew. So, can you…

The $20 Garden Center Purchase That Could Damage Your House Years Later

That $20 tree sitting outside the garden center might look like the perfect bargain for your yard. It’s small enough to fit in your trunk, promises beautiful shade, and seems like an inexpensive way to improve your landscaping. But plant it in the wrong spot, and that innocent-looking sapling could eventually contribute to cracked pavement,…