Tag Archives: Urban gardening

By Larraine Roulston: Last month I viewed an amazing nature documentary entitled Sex, Lies and Butterflies. By incorporating sophisticated macro-filming techniques, viewers can observe butterflies’ fragile beauty and survival tricks, and witness one of Earth’s most amazing migratory accomplishments. For over 50 million years, these incredible insects have been pollinating …

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By Kim Robson: Gardening can be expensive. Every year, I start a summer container garden. By the time I buy two or three bags of potting soil, a variety of plants, and maybe a few new pots, I’ve spent upwards of a hundred bucks. But it is possible to garden …

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By Larraine Roulston: Gardening has been described as a “happy endeavor.” Research suggests that breathing in the soil’s bacteria can increase the brain’s serotonin levels. This may indicate that gardening offers therapy that acts as a natural antidepressant for young and old alike. My mother, a gardener with a truly great green thumb, …

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By Kim Robson: Most of us have gotten pretty good at reading food labels. But have you looked at the ingredients list on those store-bought bags of “organic” fertilizers? You may be shocked to find these components included: Chicken or Turkey Feathers Manure Dehydrated Manure Chicken Litter Bone Meal Fish …

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By Ann Sanders:  Spring is a stunning and bountiful season when your garden gets the opportunity to be at its best. But before the colorful and vibrant season arrives, you face the aftereffects of a harsh winter. The biting cold and the freezing snow can have some extreme impacts on …

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By Ann Sander: If you are a fan of flowers but cannot grow some due to extreme weather conditions in your area during winter, worry no more. There are several flowers that bloom in the winter time such as Nemesia, Witch Hazel and Pansy flower. These flowers are known to …

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By Fredrica Syren: It’s been almost a year since our chickens moved into our backyard. We bought four hens from a neighbor — along with a chicken coop he had built. “The girls,” as my husband calls them, are an endless joy for our kids and ourselves. The kids named …

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By Larraine Roulston: Layering fruit/vegetable peelings with dry yard trimmings makes a great soil conditioner to enhance your garden. When soil is healthy, the helpful microbes greatly outnumber the harmful ones and keep them under control. Finished compost not only feeds the good microbes by increasing their numbers and diversity but also eliminates the …

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By Fredrica Syren:  I love this time of the year when our homestead is exploding with ripe vegetables and fruits. My tomato plants are producing like never before, and on top of that, I also received tomatoes from a neighbor who does not know what do with her huge tomato …

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By Larraine Roulston: Mint contains source vitamins A, B-6, C, E and K; and minerals, including copper, calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium, which makes it amazing for eating and/or drinking, skin application and therapy. Its history goes back to ancient times. Dried peppermint leaves have been discovered in several Egyptian pyramids. Greek and …

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