Trifolium pratense AKA red clover is a great plant to add to your garden, especially if you’d like to improve the soil. It’s a great ground cover that replenishes nitrogen in the soil and is just plain beautiful. (And maybe you’ll find a lucky “4-leafer”!) Cultivating Cultivating is so simple. It’s right up on my …
Calendula officinalis has proven to be one of the easiest plants to grow. You can start it inside to plant out in the spring or sow the seeds directly in the ground. It prefers healthy, loamy soil in full sun. You will not get good results if you pick a shady area. It likes a …
One of the reasons I love garlic is its accessible almost worldwide. Garlic is a powerful herbal ally, as well as an easy-to-find addition to your diet and lifestyle. Of course, you’ll likely have garlic breath, but just think of all the wonderful cleansing properties that are enveloping your respiratory system! Besides, the cure for …
If you’re looking to add lemon balm to your garden (which you should!) there are a couple of tried and true methods of doing so. Lemon balm grows well from seeds that have been stratified for at least one week. You can start the seeds indoors and transplant in the late spring. You can also …
In my neck of the woods, we will start to see viola popping up here and there very soon! Not only are they happy looking herbs but they’re also edible and medicinal! Today I want to give some tips on how to cultivate them. The flowers are purple/violet, blue or white/ yellow or multicolored. The …
Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) is a perennial, herbaceous plant in the Malvaceae family related to hollyhock, cotton and hibiscus. It grows well in most locations down to zone 3, which means almost anyone can grow it! It does have preferences, however, and will grow better if certain conditions are observed. It likes to be watered well …
Let’s talk about cultivating mullein, aka Verbascum thapsus. These guys are going to start popping up soon here in North Idaho (once the snow decides to leave). All during the growing year in most countries in the world you will find mullein along roadsides, railroad tracks, open fields and construction sites. I have several mullein …
Cultivating plants whether fruit/nut trees, herbs, berries or vegetables can be daunting if it’s new to you. Sean has an amazing knack for breaking things down into bite-sized pieces to make permaculture approachable and easy to understand. Throughout his courses, he brings the theoretical down to the practical with hands-on projects and real life examples. …
Completed compost is a living, humus-like byproduct of the breaking down process of organic material. Composting speeds up decomposition so the materials break down faster than they normally would in nature. Compost benefits: Improves the texture of your soil Holds space for water and oxygen Increases the presence of micro and macro-organisms What does a good …
Borage is one of our favorite plants to grow throughout our homestead. But we get particularly beautiful, large ones growing in our hoop-house alongside our tomatoes, peppers, melons and cucumbers. They make incredible pollinator attractors, but did you know that borage is also a popular food choice employed in various recipes in the Mediterranean? The …
