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Flowers are one of the most universal ways we mark life’s moments. We send them to celebrate, to comfort, to apologize, to say “I’m thinking of you” when words don’t quite fit. Because flowers are so familiar, it’s easy to overlook what happens behind the scenes: where they come from, how they’re handled, and what impact our choices have beyond the bouquet itself.
Read MoreI remember the first time I grew my own food garden. It was 1999 and I was living in the Pacific Northwest. My food garden was limited to cabbage in a small raised bed, and that first try was disappointing: I barely grew anything, and the cabbage that did grow didn’t exactly look appetizing (plus, I don’t know what I was thinking by planting a crop I hardly ever ate). Plus, I was trying to finish my Ph.D dissertation, so I was feeling stressed out and overwhelmed most of the time. I was determined to do better. After all, as a child I had spent summers on a farm in…
Read MoreThe pace of modern life rarely leaves much room for stillness. Days are measured in notifications, schedules and productivity, with little space left for quiet observation. Yet step into a garden and time begins to behave differently. Growth cannot be rushed. Light changes gradually. Seasons insist on being noticed. A garden asks us to slow down, whether we intend to or not.
Read MoreIf your shed, garage, or garden corner feels more chaotic than calming, don’t feel bad — it’s more common than not! Garden supplies have a way of multiplying over time: half-used bags of soil amendments, duplicate hand tools, cracked pots, and mystery containers whose labels faded years ago. Reassessing and where necessary, purging your garden supplies is not just about tidiness. It can save you money, protect pollinators and soil health, and make gardening feel lighter and more enjoyable.
Read MoreStarting an edible garden can feel exciting and overwhelming at the same time. You might be drawn to the idea of growing your own food, but unsure where to begin, what to plant, or whether you can really make it work with the space, time, and energy you have right now. If that sounds familiar, you are not alone.
Read MoreGrowing edible plants indoors opens up a world of possibilities. You can start seeds earlier, grow leafy greens year-round, and keep houseplants healthy even during the darkest months of winter. But if you are new to indoor growing, you may be wondering about one of the most frequent questions that arises with indoor growing setups:
Do I really need grow lights for my plants, and if so, how do I choose one?
Read MoreSeveral steps follow each other in the making of a green business, and yet waste management remains one of the most critical. Too many small (and even big) businesses promote themselves as “green brands,” only to fall off where it matters the most and generate too much non-recyclable waste.
Read MoreOur household only started composting in earnest about a year ago, with the addition of a Bokashi bin to our kitchen (more on that later). Until then, we mainly composted coffee grounds and eggshells, which I added to the garden beds in three seasons of the year. In winter, I stored eggshells I had dried out in the oven beforehand, and dumped coffee grounds in the soil underneath my rose and blueberry bushes. To be honest, I had often wondered what it would mean to compost all of our food scraps, and how I would manage to keep it up in the coldest months of the year. The Bokashi bin has enabled me to compost year-round and more comprehensively, but it’s not the only way you can continue to repurpose food scraps all year long.
Read MoreWinter often brings a strange contradiction. Our homes feel warmer and cozier, yet the air inside can feel heavy, dry, or stale. With windows closed, heaters running, and more time spent indoors, winter is when indoor air quality quietly becomes a bigger issue.
Read MoreWith persistent inflation raising the cost of electricity in the US and winter being the season when rates normally go up, I resolved to keep my energy costs as low as possible this year. Investing in new windows was out, since I needed to purchase a whole new HVAC system to replace my 20-year old one. This meant that I had to spend hours plugging leaks around my home and insulating wherever possible. So far, my energy costs are stable, but the coming months of near-constant below-freezing temperatures will be the real test.
Read MoreIt was not long after graduating from college in New York and moving to the Pacific Northwest that I became more aware of the concept of eco-friendly living. That term wasn’t in vogue, but all around me, people talked about living with less consumption, less waste, and more conscientiousness about what we were doing to the environment, both in our local communities and globally.
Read MoreThis guide will give you clear, easy steps to successfully grow herbs indoors during the winter season. You’ll learn how to choose beginner-friendly herbs, set up simple growing conditions, and keep them thriving with minimal effort.
Read MoreBok choy is one of those vegetables that feels both exotic and surprisingly easy to grow. Crisp, tender, and slightly sweet, this cool-season green (Brassica rapa var. chinensis) grows quickly and adapts beautifully to a variety of spaces — raised beds, balcony containers, kitchen counters, or even a simple Kratky hydroponic jar.
Read MoreGazing at bare patches in your lawn? You’re not alone. Those thin, ugly spots are such a pain. They can feel especially frustrating when the rest of your yard looks healthy. Whether they were caused by pets, heavy foot traffic, pests, drought stress, or poor soil conditions, bare spots have a way of showing up at the worst possible time.
Read MoreThe winter holidays are here! If you’re like most people, the holidays tend to arrive with a swirl of glittering lights, warm drinks, family gatherings and—too often—mountains of gift wrap, plastic packaging, and impulse purchases that don’t last past January. But gifting doesn’t have to follow this pattern. In fact, some of the most meaningful, low-waste gifts are those you can grow right at home, even in the coldest months of the year.
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