The Best Pellet Grills for Backyard BBQ Offer a Mouth-watering Way to Cook Outdoors Backyard BBQs and cooking on a grill are popular outdoor activities. But the best wood-burning pellet grills take outdoor barbecues to the extreme. (And we mean that in the best possible way.) Gas grills and charcoal grills have dominated the art of barbecuing for decades. That’s because both kinds of grills have their own advantages. Cooking on a gas grill is convenient. Propane gas provides a clean, mess-free burn, and a gas grill starts instantly. Meanwhile, cooking on charcoal grill is a time-honored tradition. Charcoal gives you better control over the shape and size of the grilling fire. But the best pellet grills create the perfect environment for cooking meats—and just about anything else. We love cooking outdoors, and we love cooking on a wood pellet grill. So, we decided to spread our love by reviewing the best pellet grills for backyard BBQ cooking. What’s So Great … [Read more...] about Best Pellet Grills for Backyard BBQ
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Grow Your Best Garden Ever
Would you like to grow your best garden ever? Well, great gardens don’t just happen. They certainly do not magically appear in your yard. So, the sooner you plan and start your best garden ever, the sooner it will begin to manifest in your yard. A great garden is typically the result of careful planning. Most extraordinary gardens are created over a period of years using the garden plan. Add a few happy accidents that happen along the way, and you have the recipe for a special horticultural wonder that will be the envy of the neighborhood. Don’t Be Afraid of Small Failures Talk to experienced gardeners and garden experts, and most will freely admit to buying plants that did not survive in their gardens. Karen Park Jennings, the former president of Park Seed, once told me, “I’ve learned a lot by killing plants.” That’s part of being a gardener. Some gardeners will even admit that some of their favorite plants arrived as volunteers in their garden. One of the healthiest … [Read more...] about Grow Your Best Garden Ever
Backyard Greenhouses for Every Budget
It’s always growing season inside backyard greenhouses. Quite simply, that’s the appeal of a backyard greenhouse-- or even a larger-scale greenhouse on your acreage property. Even when there’s snow on the ground and the cold wind is howling, it’s always summer in the greenhouse. The controlled climate inside a greenhouse makes it possible to grow ornamental plants and edible fruits and vegetables all year long. According to Tammy Wylie of Advance Greenhouses, you can enjoy the benefits of having your own greenhouse without being a professional grower. "Greenhouses enable you to enjoy growing plants all year long, and that's the best way to take your gardening to the next level," she said. Many avid gardeners and property owners have installed a greenhouse to grow their favorite plants—especially homegrown fruits and vegetables—throughout the year. That's because an impressive variety of greenhouse styles, sizes and price points is available. Some lightweight greenhouses can … [Read more...] about Backyard Greenhouses for Every Budget
Creating Your Ideal Garden Space
Whether you have a large lawned garden with fruit trees or a small shady backyard, you want to make the most of your outdoor space. But how do you turn it into the ideal garden space for you, and how do you keep it looking good? Even if you’re not an experienced gardener, you can still create your perfect outdoor space. Hiring expert help and adding new features to your garden will make a big difference. Here’s some quick tips to help you do that. How to find the right gardener First, it’s wise to hire someone local to help create your ideal garden space. The quickest and easiest way to find a gardener is to search on the internet for a gardener near me. But before you start handing over your money, you need to make sure you know what you want doing, how much it’s likely to cost, and whether the gardener can deliver the service you need. Make a shortlist of local gardeners, then give them a call and find out if they are taking on new clients and what sort of prices … [Read more...] about Creating Your Ideal Garden Space
The Best Books on Keeping Backyard Chickens
The popularity of keeping backyard chickens keeps growing. But getting started with chickens can be a daunting process. There are so many choices to make and mistakes to avoid! Of course, there are hundreds of amazing online resources about keeping backyard chickens—ranging from YouTube channels to Facebook groups. But it’s hard to sift through so much information and so many opinions. (Not to mention all the social media drama). When it comes to starting the new hobby of getting, raising and keeping backyard chickens, you just can’t go wrong with a few carefully chosen guidebooks. So, here is our list of the best books on keeping backyard chickens (in no particular order). If you want to buy any of the books, just click on the book cover and the link will take you directly to the book on Amazon. (Home Garden and Homestead is an Amazon affiliate, and we receive a small commission. Thank you!) Keeping Backyard Chickens: Getting to Know Your Birds These two books give a … [Read more...] about The Best Books on Keeping Backyard Chickens