-Ryan Blankenship- One of my all time favorite liquid organic nutrients is from Roots Organics. This company uses top quality inputs that help create some of the best tasting fruits and flowers in my opinion. Their products are all CDFA certified which is an organic certification from California. Their testing is very stringent and more difficult to get than your traditional OMRI certification. I feel this is one reason why Roots Organics is a bit better than some of the other organic … [Read more...] about Roots Organic Liquid Line
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UPDATED: Making Beer Kits at Home with Brewer’s Best
With fall on the horizon this week we decided to re-feature one of our most popular brewing posts focused on successful brewing from kits. Our kits are fantastic for people looking to get into brewing, for people with a few brews under their belts, and even for experienced brewers. Learn how to dial your kit brews up a notch or two without going to whole grain brewing and you'll have batches of beer ready to go by Oktoberfest. -Gabrial House- With fall in full swing, why not start a batch … [Read more...] about UPDATED: Making Beer Kits at Home with Brewer’s Best
A Helpful Houseplant: Aloe Vera
-Kamron Kinder- Aloe Vera is a great house plant. Not only does it add a bit of life to your house, it also has healing properties in its sap. The gel-like liquid from a broken leaf can be used to soothe minor burns and abrasions. Just clip or break off a leaf, and the sap can be applied directly to skin! Aloe is a member of the succulent plant group, meaning it has a high water-retention rate. There are some 400 species of Aloe worldwide, and it is believed to have originated in … [Read more...] about A Helpful Houseplant: Aloe Vera
Aunt Bee’s Pickles? Aw, Heck to the No!
-Ashley Mattison- Pretty much any southerner of a certain age knows ‘The Pickle Story’ episode of The Andy Griffith Show. You know, the one where the prospect of having to eat Aunt Bee’s homemade pickles drives the good gents of Mayberry to extraordinary lengths to avoid that fate. Loving store-bought pickles myself, I was wary of trying to turn my annual abundance of cucumbers into homemade pickles, both because I was well-steeped in Mayberry lore as a kid and because I thought pickling … [Read more...] about Aunt Bee’s Pickles? Aw, Heck to the No!
Introduction to Hydroponics: Integrated Pest Management
-James Gordon and Kamron Kinder- Greetings everyone! Welcome back to Introduction to Hydroponics. In this blog we will be talking about IPM, Integrated Pest Management. Integrated Pest Management is the cornerstone of every garden, as without it, you run the risk of undoing all your hard work. So let's go over what needs to be done for this very important part of our garden to thrive. From raised beds, to indoor gardens, to small air plants hanging in the window, IPM will help keep … [Read more...] about Introduction to Hydroponics: Integrated Pest Management
Beginner’s Guide to Summer Pest Control
-Sara Vandersip- As the summer heat persists, so do summer pests. Prevention and treatment for some of those pesky summer bugs in your garden is very important for keeping your plants alive and healthy. Here is our beginner’s guide to getting rid of four common pests: aphids, caterpillars, squash beetles, and June beetles. If you see little green bugs on your leaves, especially their undersides, you’re most likely dealing with aphids. They are quite tiny, with adults measuring under ¼ … [Read more...] about Beginner’s Guide to Summer Pest Control
Kolsch: Tips & Recipe
-Ryan Blankenship- After brewing and sampling beers over the last decade, I would have to say that my favorite summer ale is the Kolsch. This light colored, low hopped ale has the perfect balance for that 90 plus degree day. Whether sitting by the pool, relaxing at the beach, or even after doing all of that dreaded yard work, this ale is so refreshing. So what exactly is a Kolsch? It is an ale that takes on several characteristics of a lager. This beer is best fermented at 60F to help it … [Read more...] about Kolsch: Tips & Recipe
Summer Care for Tropical Houseplants
-Pam Scott- Being a parent of tropical houseplants has its challenges year-round, but keeping houseplants indoors during the summer months has some unexpected challenges that most plant caregivers don't anticipate. As plant owners, it is our responsibility to provide our plants with the optimal conditions, water, light and nutrients that mimic their native environments. We often don't consider the fact that changes in light and humidity indoors during the summer months can greatly affect the … [Read more...] about Summer Care for Tropical Houseplants
Bacteria-Based Fungicides for the Organic Garden
-Mike Weeks- We are entering the time of the growing season where it becomes especially important to protect your outdoor plants from all sorts of incoming pressure from insects, bacteria, and fungi. The moisture and heat of summer create perfect conditions for these pathogens to grab hold of your plants if left unchecked. This post will focus on organic fungicides, specifically the living, bacteria-based ones, that can help you keep your garden healthy and productive. For many years … [Read more...] about Bacteria-Based Fungicides for the Organic Garden
Making Strawberry Wine
-Ryan Blankenship- With the spring gone and summer in full swing, strawberries are being harvested. What better thing to do with that sweet berry than to make some wine out of it. Strawberries not only have great antioxidant value to them, but they are full of macro, micro nutrients, and some vitamins as well. So while you're enjoying that sweet wine, you are also filling yourself with some good nutrients as well. On top of all this goodness, they also contain an enzyme called amylase, … [Read more...] about Making Strawberry Wine
