Category: Gardening

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Four Different Seed Starting Methods

Elizabeth Ann Strube

If you’ve found me via the rabbit hole of seed starting, welcome! A cursory internet search will turn up an overwhelming amount of advice, and I’m glad you’re here to check out mine. Through all my research and personal experience I’ve come up with the four most popular methods of seed starting and I want to share some information about all of them in one place (spoiler: I use all four!). If you’re not sure where to begin or you’re not super happy with the method you’ve been using this is the post for you. I list my pro’s and … Continue reading Four Different Seed Starting Methods

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10 Things I Wish I Had Known When I Began Seed Starting

Elizabeth Ann Strube

Let me preface this post by stating that I am in no way an expert gardener. It takes many years of research and experience to gain such an illustrious title, and although this will be my fourth year gardening at the homestead I still have so much to discover. Nonetheless I have learned enough in the past few seasons that I thought I would share my fortune (and follies) with those who find themselves falling down the seed starting rabbit hole! To see all my posts on seed starting check out my category here. Continue reading 10 Things I Wish I Had Known When I Began Seed Starting

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How Many Plants For Your Family? Vegetable Planting Chart

Elizabeth Ann Strube

feed your family through the summer? What about for your home canning needs? Depending on what type of fruit and veg your loved ones eat the most, it can be more than you think. I’ve compiled this handy chart to help you plan your seed starting or plant shopping, and below you’ll find tips on how to use it well. Continue reading How Many Plants For Your Family? Vegetable Planting Chart

Gardening, Homesteading3 Comments

3 Reasons Why You Should Be Saving Your Own Garden Seeds

Elizabeth Ann Strube

Did you know that with proper selection and care you can grow your own seed stock right in your home garden? Planting heirloom fruits, vegetables, and herbs can provide you with an unlimited supply of garden seeds for generations to come. Read on for my top reasons why you should start saving seeds this season. It Will Reduce The Overall Cost of Gardening Saving your own seeds can be a very economical way to garden! Aside from purchasing online, seeds can be found in all sorts of places from swaps to public seed libraries and even in the wild. Whether … Continue reading 3 Reasons Why You Should Be Saving Your Own Garden Seeds

Gardening, Homesteading3 Comments

How to Shop for Garden Seeds Like a Pro

Elizabeth Ann Strube

Hybrid, heirloom, non-GMO? Oh my! What do all these things mean for a gardener when shopping for seeds? I’ll tell all in this lengthy post and I’ll also share some of my favorite vendors (and coupon codes!) with y’all. If you’re ready to dive into my best practices for seed shopping, grab a hot drink and let’s get going! First, we’ll start with the different types of seed that are (and aren’t) available to home gardeners. Hybrid vs. Heirloom vs. Non-GMO Seeds I want to preface this section with the statement that hybrid seeds are not bad seeds! Hybrid seeds … Continue reading How to Shop for Garden Seeds Like a Pro

Gardening1 Comment

The Top 5 Reasons to Start Your Garden From Seed This Year

Elizabeth Ann Strube

Whether you’re growing herbs, vegetables or flowers, the benefits of starting plants from seed are many! It may seem like a daunting task especially for beginner gardeners who haven’t grown into their green thumb yet. What you probably haven’t considered is that growing from seed can be easier than buying department store plants! Read on for my top 5 reasons to take the leap and start most or the entirety of your garden from seed this year. Continue reading The Top 5 Reasons to Start Your Garden From Seed This Year

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The Growing Zone Paradigm

Elizabeth Ann Strube

Contrary to popular belief your growing zone means almost nothing to your vegetable garden in North America. What?? Bear with me and by the end of this post I’m sure you’ll agree. Just a few years ago when I really delved into gardening – spending hours poring over five-star growing guides and watching breakout channels on YouTube – I was getting inconsistent information as far as what I could grow in my garden, when I needed to start seeds and direct sow, etc. This is mostly caused by an assumption that your zone dictates when and what to do with … Continue reading The Growing Zone Paradigm

Gardening, Homesteading1 Comment

Grow your Own: A Gardener’s Year

Elizabeth Ann Strube

In my quest to find a comprehensive gardening calendar that fits any growing season (and sadly coming up short) I’ve compiled this collection of resources to fit any gardener in any region and any climate. Just a few supplies are needed to put together your ultimate gardening guide and can be found for very cheap, or even free! Planning – let alone executing – a vegetable garden can seem like a daunting task, but if you take it one season at a time you’ll be pleasantly surprised how much food you can grow for your family. For this program I … Continue reading Grow your Own: A Gardener’s Year