-Gabrial House- Today on the blog I wanted to take a look at the basics of caring for your houseplants. Too often we hear people say “I have a black thumb” or “I killed that aloe plant within a week.” If you follow these basic practices you will have a house full of beautiful lush plants that make you happier and healthier. The first piece of advice I have is to know your plants – different plants require different amounts of water and light, so knowing what you are caring for is really … [Read more...] about Happy Houseplants
Urban D.I.Y.
Forcing Bulbs For Winter Blooms
-Pam Scott- As the days become shorter, we start to see signs that the outdoor growing season is coming to an end. Summer annuals and perennials set seeds for the birds and other wildlife to eat. The trees shed their leaves. As gardeners, many of us still have the urge to nurture color, scent, and life into the slowly greying pallet of the shortening winter days. In this week’s blog, I’m going to talk about how you can do just that by forcing spring-blooming bulbs for a succession of fabulous … [Read more...] about Forcing Bulbs For Winter Blooms
DIY Hard Seltzer: A Trend Worth Trying
-Kristin Weeks- Summer is the busiest season of the year nationwide for beer sales, and over the past several months, the adult beverage industry has witnessed a major rise in popularity of a new kind of boozy beverage, hard seltzer. This light, low-cal, low-carb alternative to beer is attractive to consumers preferring more health-conscious drinking habits and an active lifestyle. Hard seltzer offers that with its sessionability (low ABV, 5% typically) and convenient packaging. Both national … [Read more...] about DIY Hard Seltzer: A Trend Worth Trying
Top 5 Easiest Low-Light Houseplants
-Naomi Austin- Often times people come to us wanting to green their homes, but don’t think they have enough light or discipline to care for plants properly. How happy they are when we point them to our top 5 (virtually) indestructible houseplants! Not all plants want your love and attention. Some are best when almost ignored and thrown in a corner. Sounds harsh, I know, but it’s the truth. The following houseplants are our most recommended for both low light and low … [Read more...] about Top 5 Easiest Low-Light Houseplants
DIY Bird Bath
-Luis Guerra- Attracting birds to our yards is enjoyable and educational, and has practical benefits as well. In addition to the pure pleasure we receive by watching birds in our environment, birds also aid in our struggles against some common garden pests. Many birds munch on slugs, grasshoppers and caterpillars, which we all know are unwanted pesky critters that destroy our fruits and veggies. We often think about birdfeeders when we want to create a hospitable environment for our … [Read more...] about DIY Bird Bath
Magical, Marvelous Air Plants
-Gabrial House- There is no easier way to brighten up a room than with tillandsia, a.k.a. air plants! They can add all sorts of colors, shapes, and textures to any house, workspace, or chill space. Air plants are native to forests, mountains, and deserts of the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, northern Mexico, Mesoamerica, and parts of Argentina. Tillandsia will pretty much grow onto anything their seedpods can land on. They are commonly seen growing on trees, rock walls, … [Read more...] about Magical, Marvelous Air Plants
The Lowdown on Food Fermentation
-Patrick Metz- Winter is tough time of year for anyone, but even more so for gardening and homesteading enthusiasts. It seems as if it is constantly cold, wet, or both, discouraging favorite outdoor activities. But don’t despair! I find this to be the perfect time to experiment in the kitchen. This year, I brushed up on food preservation techniques in preparation for our harvest, mainly food fermentation, and more specifically lactic acid fermentation (aka, lacto-fermentation). First, … [Read more...] about The Lowdown on Food Fermentation
Festive Mulled Wine
-Gabrial House- With holidays right around the corner and a crisper feel in the air I thought it would be the perfect time to share one of my favorite holiday beverages on the blog this week. I love sitting around a bonfire with family and friends sipping on a warm glass of properly steeped mulled wine. There are thousands of variations of this recipe, so feel free to add your own personal touches where you see fit. Mulled wine is a heated (never boiled) wine, infused with fruit, spices, … [Read more...] about Festive Mulled Wine
Save Your Scraps
-Chris Amaya- Thinking twice about which food scraps get thrown away can help reduce your grocery bills and give you the pleasure of growing your own produce at home. There are more than a handful of vegetables and herbs that I rarely re-buy or start from seed because I grow them from leftover bits of my original veggies or herbs. Starting with organic produce is going to be the underlying theme here, because many conventional growers and food distributors will use a sprout inhibitor … [Read more...] about Save Your Scraps
Cultivating Mushrooms at Home
-Jesse Cerrato- Interest in growing edible mushrooms at home is on the rise. Folks with foodie appetites looking for a different kind of hobby and a way to practice economical consumption are joining the movement. Not everyone is sure where to start, but we are here to help! Just like with other aspects of gardening, it’s important to understand the needs and requirements of the species you want to grow. As an introduction, I will specifically cover how to grow Oyster mushrooms in an … [Read more...] about Cultivating Mushrooms at Home
