One of the best ways to create both a low-maintenance and highly productive vegetable garden is by using mulch around your plants - especially when you can avoid a few of the more common mulching mistakes that can spell the difference between smashing success or a disappointing growing season! When it comes to vegetable gardening, …
Looking for the best slicing tomatoes to grow in your garden or on your patio in containers? When it comes to preparing a delicious homemade sandwich during the warm summer months, nothing can add more flavor than the perfect slice of a juicy tomato. Especially when it's homegrown and plucked fresh from your backyard! When looking …
When it comes to getting the most out of your garden space and allowing crops to work naturally together, it doesn't get any better than using the 3 sisters companion planting method to grow sweet corn, beans and squash/zucchini! This growing method was mastered hundreds of years back by Native American tribes, and it allowed …
While mowing the lawn might seem like a mundane spring and summer chore, you can actually put those grass clippings to good use in your garden! Mowing is just a part of warm weather living for most folks. The grass needs to be mowed and the result of this process is grass clippings. Most people …
One of the best ways to grow healthy and productive tomato plants in your garden is by powering your plants on a regular schedule - and there is no safer and better way to do that than to fertilize your tomatoes naturally! Tomato plants are heavy feeders. It takes a lot of nutrients and energy …
Looking for some of the best and easiest methods to avoid powdery mildew in the spring? Believe it or not, it's actually easier than you might think to keep this disease at bay! Powdery mildew is the most common and recognizable group of fungal diseases for plants. It affects not only vegetables but many different …
There's no doubt that getting daily fresh eggs is a great benefit of having a backyard flock, but did you know there are a whole host of ways that chickens can help your vegetable garden too? The popularity of raising backyard chickens has grown substantially in the last few years. It seems like between all …
When you don't have the space, resources or time to deal with traditional composting methods, hole composting is the perfect alternative! With traditional composting, you need a dedicated space on your property that is usually at least a few feet wide in all directions. That can be a lot of real estate when you are …
If you need a little inspiration for that garden or nature lover in your life, you are in luck with today's feature of eight great and unique Christmas gifts under $30! Most people don't have the time (or the patience) to go store to store picking out that perfect holiday gift for all the people …
Is there a natural way to stop ground moles from ruining your yard and garden space? Moles actually aren't herbivores at all but are in fact insectivores. So how can they cause so much damage to lawns and the plants growing in them if they aren't actually eating the plants? While they don't actually consume …
This week's podcast and corresponding article are all about 8 simple garden tools and gadgets that every gardener should own. Gardening doesn't have to be expensive or hard work, but some basic, inexpensive tools can definitely help make the job much easier! You don't have to spend a ton of money on gadgets like rototillers …
Looking for safe and effective ways to protect your plants from grasshoppers? Grasshoppers are herbivores that feed on the leaves, foliage, fruit, and stems of plants as well as grasses. They prefer a terrain that is warm, dry, and full of low-lying plants and grasses - making your garden space the perfect target. They typically …
This week's podcast and corresponding article are all about succession planting in your vegetable garden - or more importantly, how to get the most out of your garden space! Succession planting is a great way to extend your growing season beyond one planting and one harvest each season. No matter where you are located, you …
This week's podcast and corresponding article are all about how to fertilize your vegetable garden. With these simple tips and secrets, your vegetable plants will be growing nice and strong all season long and providing you with an amazing harvest! Whether you are growing your plants in containers or directly in the soil, how, when, …
The praying mantis might look a little intimidating at first, but they are the perfect beneficial insect to attract to your garden space! While they are technically called "mantids," most individuals know this insect as the specific species name "mantis." Praying mantises are carnivorous insects that feast on all sorts of garden pests and insects, …
When people think of "dill," they most likely think of a type of pickle - but when you include growing dill in your garden, there are many more benefits that go way beyond turning your cucumbers into a delicious treat! Dill is actually a leafy vegetable and in the same plant family as celery (Apiaceae). …
Have you ever wondered how easy it is to hand pollinate zucchini, cucumbers, or other cucurbits? Cucurbits like cucumbers and zucchini are a garden staple for most growers. However, they can often have issues when it comes to pollination and fruit production. That's why it's good to know how to hand-pollinate - and it is …
While there aren't many hard and fast rules when it comes to gardening, there are a few simple tips that you need to keep in mind in order to have a successful harvest. One of those key tips is to rotate your garden crops every year. Have you ever had a bumper crop of green …
This week's podcast and corresponding article cover seven big planting day secrets that can help get your garden off to an incredible start - and have you on the way to an amazing harvest this year! What you do prior to and during planting day will affect the health and growth of your garden more …
One of the most challenging tasks for any gardener is actually one of the easiest ones to perform. That task is the process of thinning out your seed crops after they germinate. If you plan on having a garden this year, your budget can start to add up quickly. Especially if you are purchasing your …
You just can't compare the flavor and texture of homegrown baby potatoes to those you purchase in the store. With today's tips, you will be able to plant and grow your own delicious crop of new potatoes this growing season with ease! New potatoes are not a specific variety of potatoes. In fact, they are …
Spinach is a fast-growing, cool-weather loving, versatile kitchen vegetable that also happens to be one of the easiest of all garden plants to grow! Even better, it can be grown in either the spring or fall as long as the temperatures stay cool and pleasant. It makes for a perfect early spring crop because as …
If you are looking to grow a plant that will not only produce an abundance of fruit, but one that is delicious and able to be utilized in a variety of recipes, then zucchini is the one for you! Zucchini is the perfect plant for getting the most bang for your buck. A single healthy …
Green onions are one of the easiest of crops in the garden to plant and grow from seed. Paired with their quick germination rate and short growing span, they are the perfect addition to any home garden. Especially when you consider they don't require a lot of space to grow! Due to their shallow root …
This week's how-to garden article and corresponding podcast are all about how to use worm castings to power your plants, vegetables, bushes, trees, and so much more! Worm castings are one of the biggest and best secrets to growing amazingly healthy and productive plants. They are not only easy to use, but they are versatile …
If your garden soil is tired, weak and depleted of nutrients from years of growing - planting a green manure crop this spring might be just the answer! Your garden vegetables and plants can only be as good as the soil they grow in. If your soil is lacking in nutrients and organic matter, it …
This week's how-to garden article and corresponding podcast are all about starting your garden seeds indoors. Thankfully, it doesn't have to be difficult or expensive to start your own vegetable and flower seeds. While you can go to your local nursery or garden center to purchase transplants, there's just something special and so rewarding about …
We can all admit that the last few years have been a bit . . . out of the ordinary to say the least! For gardeners, it might be in our best interest to prepare earlier than normal to start seeds indoors than we typically do. From a massive shortage of toilet paper to backlogs …
Your outdoor garden doesn't have to be the only place where you can grow items to use in your kitchen! We've put together a list of our eight favorite herbs you can successfully grow indoors all year long! Do you like to spend as much time in the kitchen as you do in the garden? …
If the fall and winter months have you feeling a little down and bored because your vegetable growing season has come to an end, don't fret! Using a cold frame might be just what you need! Cold frames are a great way to extend the length of your growing season when typical outdoor temperatures …
There might be no more important chore than taking time to clear out your garden in the fall. As the temperatures turn a bit cooler and your vegetable plants begin to slowly fade, sometimes the garden takes a back seat to other chores. But it might be surprising to find out that working in your …
Planting and growing ornamental cabbage and kale in your landscape is a great way to add beautiful colors during the fall months. While most plants are grown for beautiful flowers, the foliage is what really stands out for these two plants. Both feature multiple variants of green foliage with beautiful rosettes in the center. They …
One of the best ways you can help improve your soil is by adding compost! It's considered to be "Black Gold" to gardeners, and you'll soon find out why! Not only is it practically free to make, but it's also easy! Follow these simple suggestions to learn how to compost like a pro! Learn All …
Hit the play button below to listen to this weeks episode : The Best Heirloom Tomato Varieties To Grow In Your Garden. Below you will also find our show notes along with references and links from the article. Be sure to check out all of our past episodes on the website at SIMPLE LIFE GARDEN …