Southwestern landscapes have drawn in many people from artists and dreamers to sunshine lovers, desert dwellers, outdoor enthusiasts, and homesteaders. Understanding what species of flora and fauna …
Ash Ain’t Trash! 7-Plus Tested Ways to Use Wood Ashes on the Homestead
For the average suburbanite, wood ashes are something you probably encounter once a year during a summertime campfire, and quickly forget once the s'mores have been eaten. But for most of time (and …
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Never Pick a Trillium
“Did you know there are more than three dozen species of trillium in North America?” My friend, always a fountain of gardening knowledge, was teaching me something new. We were enjoying the luscious …
Sprouts: An Easy Way to Grow Fresh Food Without a Garden
Some folks have huge, lush gardens full of growing produce and gorgeous flowers. Some (currently) can only dream of having huge, lush gardens full of growing produce and gorgeous flowers. And some are …
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The Phalaenopsis Gigantea Orchid
“That’s huge!” I exclaimed. “How did you ever fit it in an indoor orchid garden?” “It took some doing," my friend agreed. “This gigantic phalaenopsis is not even full height.” “How big will it …
Why I (Currently) Use an Incubator to Hatch Chicken Eggs
When I first began homesteading, this is the sort of article I would have scoffed at. I was going off-grid: back to the land, back to nature, back to basics, and I wanted my plants and animals to have …
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Darwin Orchid
“It’s called the Darwin orchid.” My friend pointed to the latest addition to her collection. “Charles Darwin did a lot of research on this orchid," she continued. "It’s also called the Star of …
8 Uncommon Spices You Can Grow at Home
When you’re new to cooking, or if you’ve been raised with a certain style of cooking, the spice aisle can seem intimidating. The names, colors, and flavors are intriguing, but their unfamiliarity may …
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Lady’s Slipper Orchid
“The pouch traps insects,” my friend explained as I leaned in to admire her latest orchid. “Bugs have to climb past the staminode to deposit pollinia and fertilize the flower.” She was fond of …
Saving Lettuce Seeds
Lettuce is the most-consumed leaf vegetable (a fact that I find rather sad as I am a cheerleader for greens and believe many of them deserve far more time in the limelight). I suppose it’s somewhat …
Growing Herbs in Water
“Are you rooting herbs?” I asked my friend -- observing multiple plants in jars of water by a sunny kitchen window. “Rooting and growing” was the response. “You don’t need soil to grow herbs. …
String of Buttons
“What are those? Buttons?” I asked my friend -- once again admiring her sprawling gardens. “Actually,” she began (allowing time for appreciation), “It's called string of buttons or more …
Types of Compost Bins: Which One Is Right for You?
If you are getting into composting, you'll find there are a whole bunch of different bins to choose from. Some are extremely cheap (or free) while others can be expensive. All of them have their uses …
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Growing Your Own Luffa
“I grew some luffa!” My friend was holding up a long, cucumber-shaped object. “It looks like a sponge.” I eyed it closely. “Well, it is and it isn’t,” she replied. “You do realize that luffa …
Saving Squash Seeds
There are probably few crops as simultaneously valuable and undervalued as the squash. These generous plants grow freely, and feed people through the summer as zucchini and yellow crookneck. Then …
Saving Okra Seeds
Okra intrigued me as a child. My classmates had never eaten it -- betraying our northeastern roots where the plant would have struggled to survive, and the pods weren’t part of our regional fare. But …
What’s the Difference Between Hot and Cold Compost?
As gardeners, homesteaders, and off-grid types of all sorts, we know the importance of compost – it adds essential nutrients back to the soil and can help transform a lackluster, underperforming …
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All About the Parrot Lily
“Oh my! Is that what I think it is?” I was admiring a friend’s lily patch. “Parrot lily. Very rare -- especially in this climate.” I’d heard it called parrot tail lily (among other names) and …
Types of Arugulas
Frequently used in leafy salads, arugula (Eruca vesicaria, also known as Eruca sativa) is an annual plant crop from the Brassicaceae family. The arugula plant has Roman roots, and was cultivated as an …
Saving Cucumber Seeds
In the past, I've had a love-hate relationship with cucumbers. I loved their crisp, sweet flavor, so cooling to crunch on a hot summer day, and the way their aroma filled the kitchen with a fresh …
Types of Parsley
Belonging to the same family of carrot, and celery (Apiaceae or Umbelliferae), parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a cool-season crop popularly used in countless cuisines around the globe. Typically, …
Types of Mustard
The wide culinary uses of the mustard plant make it a great addition to anyone’s home garden. Belonging to the Brassicaceae family, mustard has been cultivated for ages as its seeds are processed into …
Hollyhocks
Now that’s an old-fashioned favorite!” I came to a stand by my friend’s display of hollyhocks. “Purple, pink, red ... these midsummer bloomers are real gems. Are they perennial?” “Actually, …
Saving Pepper Seeds
Peppers started out as a tiny berry hidden on perennial bushes in the mountains of Mexico and Central America, but they’ve come a long, long way since they were domesticated 6,000 years ago. Ever …
Types of Swiss Chard
Growing Swiss chard in your home garden provides you a bountiful supply of leafy, cool-weather greens. Planting them can even beautify your space, showcasing bright colors of orange, purple, and red, …
All About Ribwort Plantain
“Isn’t that a weed?” I asked, staring at the gangly plant growing with vigor between the cracks of the patio. The white flowers dangled from tall stems that waved in the wind. My friend shrugged …
Types of Zucchini
Also known as courgette or baby marrow, zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) is one of the versatile summer vegetables you can plant in your home garden. Under the right conditions, zucchini can yield bountiful …
The Difference Between Hay and Straw
I have an awkward confession to make. I'm watching "The Office" for the first time (belatedly), and getting up to speed with all the jokes my friends made back in 2007. While I have enjoyed the show …
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Types of Pumpkins
Pumpkin comes from the genus Cucurbita, covering varieties of gourds, and squashes. Believed to have first originated in North America’s New England, the term is commonly used in grocery stores and …
Foraging for American Elderberries: Identification and Harvest
I truly enjoy foraging in my neck of the Ozarks. As I venture out to collect the abundant wild spinach, pokeweed, and mulberries, my neighbors seem to think I’m mysteriously gifted with esoteric …
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The Scaredy-Cat Plant
“What’s that horrible smell?” I pinched my nose. As always, my friend's sunroom was filled with plants of every description. But there was a new one that caught my attention, and I leaned in for a …
A Toast to the Realistic Garden
You've seen all the social media and glossy-paper magazine gardens. They're lush. They're perfectly weeded. Their plants are in proportioned rows without a single hole in any leaf, and they fill …
Orchids That Are Actually Weeds
“Did you know this little treasure is actually a weed?” A friend was showing me the latest addition to her orchid family. “In countries like Cuba" she continued, "this Epidendrum radicans hybrid is …
Types of Melons
Sweet and juicy, melons can bring a refreshing break from the summer heat. Part of the Cucurbitaceae family, melons are related to cucumbers, squash, and watermelon, similarly grown for their edible …
Vegetables You Can Still Plant in June
Spring is known as the season for "getting the garden in" but perhaps, for whatever reason, you haven't yet put seeds in the soil. Now that spring has nearly run its course, and the long, hot days of …
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Edible Wildflowers
“Some tea?” My friend asked as we lounged in her plant-filled sunroom. “Dandelion?” “Why not?” She poured ... and left the fragrant, yellow flower remnants floating in our mugs. Dandelion …
Half-Forgotten European Food Plants to Consider
The Columbian Exchange was an incredible time across the globe, when among other things, crops of the so-called "New" and "Old" worlds were traded for the first time (or the first time in a long time, …
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Types of Radishes
Part of the popular Brassica family, radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus) is an edible root vegetable, mostly enjoyed as a crunchy addition in salads. Some varieties with hardier fusiform or …
Native American Food Plants to Consider
When you imagine a "garden," what comes to mind? Ripe, red tomatoes? Golden stands of jewel-like corn? Green beans, squash, potatoes, and peppers? These typical food plants all originated in the …
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Gardening Resources for Seniors
Gardening is a rewarding hobby that boosts both physical and psychological health among all ages. If you’re a senior searching for relaxation, consider growing your own garden. Reconnecting to …
Types of Basil
Commonly used in many Asian and Italian recipes, basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a world-famous herb primarily cultivated for its aromatic leaves. Surprisingly, both its flowers and stems carry flavor …
Seed Germination Techniques: Soaking, Scarifying, Stratifying, and Smoking
If you're accustomed to planting simple annual seeds where all you need to do is open a packet, put seeds in dirt, and then wait for them to sprout, the process of more difficult seed germination …
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Types of Okra
Known as gumbo in the South and lady’s fingers in some countries, okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is primarily cultivated for its long, fuzzy, green seed pods. Technically, okra is considered a fruit, …
How to Save Bean Seeds
Beans are an incredibly exciting plant to grow. This may come as a surprise to folks whose experience with the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is limited to the limp, gray-green cylinders that glorp …
Medicinal Benefits of Onions
According to a quick Google search, onions are the third most bought vegetable in the United States (the average U.S. citizen consumes about 22 pounds of onions a year). Most people that I know use …
Types of Turnips
Turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa) is a biennial root vegetable primarily cultivated for its fleshy taproot. Smaller varieties of turnip are suitable for human consumption, while larger ones are …
Saws and Their Homestead Uses
Few tools come in as many different shapes and sizes as the humble saw. To the uninitiated, two saws may look the same, and one may even think that any saw can fulfill the duty of another. Trust me, …
Types of Cauliflower
Cauliflower is a popular cruciferous vegetable that belongs to the Brassica genus. Closely related to broccoli, cauliflower also grows a tightly packed head of florets often referred to as “curd.” …
Ponytail Palm
“You know those hats the young girls wear?” my friend asked. “The ones with the opening for a ponytail?” She pointed at an addition to her garden collection. “Here’s a plant that looks just like …
Types of Watermelon
Belonging to the cucurbits or gourd family, watermelon is a summer staple cultivated around the globe for its refreshing flesh and sweet flavor. From small watermelons to plumper varieties, this fruit …
