-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
Homesteading
Bee House OR Vertical Planter DIY Project
-James Gordon- Hello all! Welcome to my first ever “Do It Yourself” blog for Fifth Season Gardening Co. So I really wanted to do something very simple, this being my first blog. Thing is, I came up with a fairly simple project with a result that can be used in multiple ways – so, simple with a twist. I’ll be walking you through how you can use the same basic materials to make a bee house or a vertical wall planter. First things first: we need our hardware: 10x20 Quad Tray Winstrip … [Read more...] about Bee House OR Vertical Planter DIY Project
Fermenting for the Holidays: Basic Tools of the Trade & Easy DIY Holiday Gift Ideas
-Kylie Holloway- It’s the beginning of December, and the holiday season is fully upon us; however, with the warmth and joy of the season often comes stress and a feeling of being overwhelmed when it comes to holiday shopping and gift giving. Well, we’re here to help, with some great gift ideas for the foodies in your life! A great DIY holiday gift idea that is simple, fun, and unique is making fermented gifts for friends, family, and loved ones (and is a great gift to send in the mail!). … [Read more...] about Fermenting for the Holidays: Basic Tools of the Trade & Easy DIY Holiday Gift Ideas
The Many Ways of Using Hemp Flower
-Kylie Holloway- As the popularity of CBD continues to rise, many people are turning toward using hemp products for healing anxiety, stress, chronic pain, etc. The flower of the hemp plant can be used in many ways - by smoking, or by being made into oils, salves, and even food. At Fifth Season, we often get questions about other ways to use our CBD hemp flower, rather than smoking it. One of the easiest, cheapest, and fun ways that you can utilize the magical healing properties of this … [Read more...] about The Many Ways of Using Hemp Flower
Mounting a Staghorn Fern
-Pam Scott- Of all the beautiful tropical houseplants we offer at Fifth Season Gardening, I find the Staghorn Fern (Platycerium) to be the most strikingly dramatic. When mounted and hung on a wall, the Staghorn Fern becomes more of a living sculpture than a houseplant. With Staghorns, as with all tropical plants, it is helpful to know how and where the plant grows in its natural habitat in order to maintain its optimal health. Staghorn Ferns are epiphytes, as are air plants and most … [Read more...] about Mounting a Staghorn Fern
Ghosts on the Balcony: A Novice Grows Golden Ghost Peppers Organically
-Dan Toot- We’ve seen the labels in the grocery store, and maybe we’ve looked into the overall benefits of organic growing, but many of us have not put it into practice ourselves. This may be especially true for those of us living in an apartment. But as quarantine encourages us to lean into our hobbies and interests, even an apartment dweller like me can dip their toes into the soil of organic gardening and understand firsthand the allure and benefits of growing organically. I got my hands … [Read more...] about Ghosts on the Balcony: A Novice Grows Golden Ghost Peppers Organically
Repotting Guide: Finding the Perfect Pot
-Ginny Shafer- You finally did it! You assessed the lighting conditions in your home, had an honest conversation with yourself about how often you’ll *actually* water your plants, and you’ve found your perfect houseplant! Now to find the perfect pot to show it off. Just like with lighting and soil, every plant has different needs with respect to planting, so it’s important to choose a pot that’s well suited to meet those needs. When Should I Repot? Houseplants can be repotted when … [Read more...] about Repotting Guide: Finding the Perfect Pot
Make Your Own Soda at Home (despite the tank exchange shortage)
-Jonas Hill- Over the past few months, the home soda maker supply chain has taken a hit. Large, centralized processing facilities in populous areas have seen their home soda canister output drop as necessary measures are taken to ensure the safety of the workforce and general public. That said, folks love their soda, and it’s a great refresher during these hot summer months after a long day in the garden. Stay hydrated and ‘in bubbles’ with this helpful explainer on a simple DIY home soda tap … [Read more...] about Make Your Own Soda at Home (despite the tank exchange shortage)
Tutti Frutti, A Magical Elixir
-Pam Scott- The long warm days and cool nights of May and June have made our fruiting trees and bushes flourish. Berry picking has become a daily pastime in our neighborhood. I just got a call from my neighbor that her sour cherry trees are laden with fruit needing to be picked, soon to be made into pies, tarts and liqueur soaked Maraschinos. Another neighbor has more strawberries than she can keep up with. The rush to get blueberries and raspberries picked before the birds eat them brings me … [Read more...] about Tutti Frutti, A Magical Elixir
DIY Moss Poles
The popularity of houseplants has ushered in all kinds of interesting DIY projects that offer an aesthetic boost and promote healthy growth habits of our botanical friends. Plant influencers and individuals all over the web and the ‘gram demonstrate techniques and practices that eventually make their way back into our shop by way of our customers. It is always exciting when a customer asks me if I’ve heard about this or that, which then becomes my new favorite thing! Recently, I’ve had several … [Read more...] about DIY Moss Poles
