No homestead would be complete without a fruit and vegetable garden. This section of the site will show you what to plant, where to plant it, and much more.
From composting to cultivation to worm farming and pest control, we’ll be covering it all.
I had an email from a reader of the site the other day, who had read my article about Bokashi composting [link] and was worried. It went something like this:’Dear Steve, I have maggots in my Bokashi compost bin, what should I do….. blah, blah. Thanks for a great site and some interesting topics”I have … Read More
Having recently bought a manual push reel mower as a replacement for my electric rotary mower, and having used it for a couple of months over the summer, I thought it might be nice to do a little review and share my experiences of a manual push reel mower versus an electric rotary mower. This isn’t … Read More
The Bokashi composting method is an anaerobic method of fermenting biodegradable kitchen waste into a finished compost that can be used to provide nutrition to plants. The difference that sets the Bokashi method apart from other forms of composting is that apart from being anaerobic (it does not require oxygen for the composting process to occur), … Read More
Worm farming is an awesome way to create compost to use on the garden, but harvesting worm castings from your vermicomposting bin or worm farm can be a bit of a drag. I used to struggle with separating the worms from the compost, but no more. Choosing a good method to separate the worms from the … Read More
If you haven’t heard of trench composting (AKA in-situ composting) and you’re the sort of person who likes to maximize efficiency, while minimizing hard labor, then composting directly in your garden bed is something I think will excite you. The results are fantastic for minimal effort. If you’re a lazy gardener like me, the whole … Read More
Composting improves garden soil, increases plant health, can help reduce disease and pest attack, and is good for the environment. Here’s how to do it. Composting! The mystical art of turning kitchen scraps, leaves, grass cuttings and twigs into the elixir of life for plants. So many methods, so many options. In this article, I’m … Read More
If you’ve got Bermuda grass as your lawn, you’ll know it’s a super tough, resilient type of grass, great for heavily used lawns (pets, kids?) But that resilience comes at a price. Effective lawn care can become an issue without the right mower. I’m going to discuss some options that are essential when choosing the … Read More
As a kid I remember the lessons at school. Runner beans in jam jars sitting on damp tissue paper, growing cress in small trays, and learning how to grow carrots from scraps, and a plethora of other vegetables too. I enjoyed those times, funny how such apparently simple things seem like so much fun. Well, it’s not … Read More
Thanks for coming over and checking out the Better Homesteading blog, great to have you here. In this article, I’m going to chat about how to grow herbs with grow lights, something I really got into a couple of years ago when I realized that I wanted herbs all year round, and the climate that … Read More
Hydroponic herb gardening is becoming extremely popular, not just with the hippies growing marijuana in their lofts, but for the food grower who wants to extend the growing season in their locality or grow healthier herbs and vegetables by maximizing nutrients to the roots of their plants. I’ve grown plants hydroponically for a couple of … Read More