Fall through Winter Gardening: how to harvest throughout the cool season

Fall through Winter Gardening: how to harvest throughout the cool season

For many of us who grow food, late autumn brings cold weather and spells the end of the harvest. But the cold season doesn’t have to end your gardening journey. While it is true that some places, like USDA zones 0-2, have extremely short growing seasons that make growing vegetables outdoors extremely challenging, in most zones, even those where it snows every winter, you can continue to grow fresh herbs, vegetables, and even some flowers all year. Planting or placing your crops inside a greenhouse, coldframe, hot box, polytunnel, row cover, pop-up-plant protector, or heavy-duty gardening plastic will keep them growing through the fall and winter months. Some of these tools are inexpensive, while others can cost a small fortune. For example, a lean-to or freestanding greenhouse with walls made of polycarbonate plastic can be purchased or built for as little as a few hundred dollars, while a large walk-in greenhouse with walls of horticultural-grade glass can cost tens of thousands of dollars. These are some of the most common ways that you can extend your growing season from the early fall months, or even begin growing new crops in the winter.

Read More

Plant problems and quick fixes: how to diagnose and remedy common issues in your garden

Plant problems and quick fixes: how to diagnose and remedy common issues in your garden

The past year has seen many people turn to food gardening – some for the first time – to cope with the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here at Green and Prosperous we have previously written about the mental and physical health benefits of gardening. While previously, food gardening seemed to be something you did as you approached middle age and your senior years, nowadays people of all ages are enjoying the benefits of growing some of their own food.

Read More

What you should know about companion planting

What you should know about companion planting

(thumbnail image: Unsplash/ Markus Spiske)

Experienced food gardeners know that their plants like to be surrounded by friendly companions. Companion planting, also called interplanting or intercropping, means growing one kind of plant next to others that help it thrive. Using this technique in your food garden can help you grow more in less space, and is a method especially favored by small-scale organic growers. There are many benefits to companion planting, and most experienced gardeners who use this technique anecdotally report

Read More

10 Gardening Hacks for the Newbie Gardener

10 Gardening Hacks for the Newbie Gardener

Guest post by Michael Hill

The global health crisis caused by COVID-19 has brought many tragedies to people’s lives. This battle still rages on, as scientists race to get the vaccine that can stop its spread distributed to everyone around the world. While we waited at home for the development of vaccines that would allow us to gradually resume our normal lives, a lot of people discovered new hobbies or activities to combat the boredom and anxiety brought on by the lockdowns.

Read More

8 Ways to Do Sustainable Gardening

8 Ways to Do Sustainable Gardening

Guest post by Penny Roussis

Tending a garden is beneficial not only to the overall aesthetic of your house but also to the environment. It can cut down CO2 in the atmosphere and it also provides shelter to birds, butterflies, and bees, which all take part in beautifying the space by pollinating flowering plants.

But did you know that gardening, if done right, can help Mother Nature even more?

Read More

How to make organic pest control sprays for your garden

How to make organic pest control sprays for your garden

One of the more frustrating aspects of food gardening is having to share your crops with herbivore insects. When insects become a problem in the garden, most growers reach for insecticide-pesticides. Insecticide-pesticides are either synthetic, using human-made substances derived from chemical compounds, or organic, using human-made substances derived from plants with little or no chemical altering involved.

Read More

How To Organize Your Potting Shed

How To Organize Your Potting Shed

Guest post by Amie Hamilton

Houses with large lawns or spacious backyards are the favorite playgrounds of home gardeners. Whether they’re new to the hobby or have been a longtime gardener, having such a space is perfect for experimenting with different gardening techniques or planting approaches. These spaces can also be a good area to mount a potting shed.

Simply put, a potting shed is a small shed housed within a lawn or backyard. It’s ideal for those growing a smaller type of food garden like an herb garden, which is growing in popularity these days, especially with urban gardeners. But aside from housing small potted plants, the potting shed is also used as a storage shed. Over time, the shed may become unruly and disorganized when not properly supervised.

It’s indeed a beneficial hobby to take care of plants and such, though the upkeep is another issue altogether. If you’re a home gardener burdened with the thought of organizing the potting shed, here are a few tips to help you get the job done as efficiently as possible.

Read More

Winter can be a surprisingly busy time for gardeners.

Winter can be a surprisingly busy time for gardeners.

Guest post by Tim Allen

No matter what you grow or how big (or small) your garden may be, there’s a lot of work that needs to be done as winter approaches to keep your plants safe. Weeds need to be plucked, bulbs need to be planted, shrubs and landscaping need to be wrapped up -- you know the routine.

But what about your indoor plants?

Read More

Cannabis Strains to Add to Your Garden

Cannabis Strains to Add to Your Garden

guest post by Zaroon Khan

Whether you have been a lifelong weed aficionado or enjoy the occasional toke for the benefit of CBD, you might consider growing your own ganja from home. As decriminalization and legalization efforts take hold in states across the country, more people are gaining the opportunity to experiment with cannabis cultivation. Though you should check with your own state laws to be certain, it is likely that you can plant some pot in your garden plots for safe, sustainable and fun access to premium weed.

Read More

How to Start a Gardening Blog from Scratch

How to Start a Gardening Blog from Scratch

Guest post by Natasha Shetty

Gardening, like a garden itself, is an evergreen topic. The same holds true for a blog about gardens and gardening. In fact, gardening is a passion, an interest and a hobby that millions of people around the world pursue avidly. There are also a number of professional gardeners who provide vital tips and tweaks about gardening and related topics.

Ask anyone who knows gardening and they’ll surely testify it isn’t that proverbial cakewalk that involves writing merely about plants, soil, fertilizers and other paraphernalia. Instead, a gardening blog requires year of extensive experience as a hobbyist or professional gardener.

If you’re from either of these two categories- professional gardener or gardening aficionado, here are some tips that can help you start a gardening blog from the scratch in 2020.

Read More

Tips for Growing a Successful Food Garden

Tips for Growing a Successful Food Garden

guest post by Carrie Spencer

Hoping to grow your own food? Gardening is a great way to save money on the freshest produce possible. That said, growing herbs, fruits, and veggies can feel a little intimidating to first-timers. But it does not have to. There are plenty of easy ways to get started that will not overwhelm you no matter what you want to grow.

Read More

Bonsai for Beginners: Where to Start?

Bonsai for Beginners: Where to Start?

Guest post by Kaizen Bonsai

When it comes to growing your own Bonsai tree, there is a common misconception that they are extremely difficult to care for. However, this is not the case and beginners are perfectly capable of growing their own Bonsai tree indoors and caring for it. In this article, we will talk you through the three main techniques of growing a Bonsai tree; cultivation, styling and care.

Read More

Building a DIY Greenhouse in Your Backyard

Building a DIY Greenhouse in Your Backyard

guest post by Anita Ginsburg

A greenhouse is going to provide your family with a constant supply of fresh produce, but building that type of structure can be a major undertaking. Well before you break ground, you will need to spend a little bit of time carefully planning out every step in this project.

Read More

10 Tips for starting your food garden

10 Tips for starting your food garden

Interest in gardening has taken off since COVID-19 has forced most of us to stay at home for long stretches of time. While many people in the US have taken this time to start a food garden and to learn about how to be more self-sufficient, others have found that gardening relieves their boredom and provides other mental and physical health benefits.

Read More

Zen Garden Ideas

Zen Garden Ideas

Guest post by Ilija Acimovic

Gardens are a beautiful way of staying in touch with nature. Even the smallest amount of ground in your front or back yard can be turned into a garden, and with little effort, you can have your own veggies or a colorful setting where you can go to relax. Gardening became so popular recently that Americans spent $3.5 billion on gardening food in 2013; currently half of US homeowners work on their gardens. After all, there’s nothing better than witnessing plants that thrive around you.

Read More