Yes, I love to pull weeds. And I’m not afraid to admit it. Some of you will judge me. I can hear it already. “You love to pull weeds? You must be insane. That’s what Roundup is for.” Well, there’s no better way to remove weeds from a garden than to pull the weeds out, roots and all. I will save the discussion of using poisons in the yard where kids and pets play for another story. Even if you agree with my anti-poison bias, you still might think I’m crazy for enjoying the process of removing weeds. What Are You, Crazy? No. I am not crazy. Unless being an avid gardener makes me crazy. But I still think pulling weeds is awesome. What’s so awesome about going out into the yard and pulling weeds? Here’s my list of Top 5 Reasons Why I Love to Pull Weeds. Reason 1: I love to pull weeds because I love to dig in the dirt. There’s something wonderful about digging in the dirt. Just ask a scientist. Digging in the dirt stirs up the microbes in the soil. When you inhale … [Read more...] about Why I Love to Pull Weeds
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A Spring Garden Jump Start in 12 Easy Steps
It's time for a spring garden jump start. There are gardening tasks to be done, and the growing season is coming. The grass is starting to green up, bulbs are peeking through the soil, and spring is around the corner. Gardening chores come fast and furious once warm weather hits. Sometimes you don’t have time to fit all the tasks in. A spring garden jump-start is a productive way to begin your gardening year. You can hit the ground running and get ahead of the season. That's why late winter is my favorite time to get many of the spring jobs done-- or at least get them started. It's a great way to reduce the springtime stress of too many gardening tasks to do. So what are we waiting for? Let's use these garden tips and get this spring garden jump start going! Step 1: Weeding My top priority in late winter/early spring is keeping weeds under control. Cold weather weeds such as chickweed and mustard are much easier to hand weed when small. Plus, the weeds haven’t gone to seed … [Read more...] about A Spring Garden Jump Start in 12 Easy Steps
Spring Lawn Care Tips
Spring Lawn Care Tips to Keep Your Grass Looking Great. The spring season is the time for lawns and gardens to bloom and become green. Fortunately, there are several key spring lawn care tips. These tips will make your lawn thrive with the right care during the spring season. Preparing your lawn during the spring season ensures healthy growth throughout the year. With the right maintenance practices, your lawn will be vibrant and healthy. It will also be capable of defending itself from various growth-related challenges and environmental stressors. Following are some of the most vital spring lawn care tips. Spring Lawn Care Tip: Rake Your Lawn and Remove Excess Winter Debris The first spring lawn care tip starts with raking your lawn. Raking begins with lightly scratching and scraping the lawn to get rid of leaves that didn’t survive the winter. The fallen leaves can eventually contribute to an excessive thatch layer that can make your lawn look unkempt or unhealthy. … [Read more...] about Spring Lawn Care Tips
Best Weeding Tool: CobraHead Weeders
Owning a best weeding tool is an absolute necessity for every gardener or homeowner. Without an effective weed puller, it’s virtually impossible to grow a great garden or a lawn that’s the envy of the neighborhood. Everyone who grows plants in the soil knows that weeds happen. These unwanted plants seem to grow everywhere there is bare or cultivated soil. “Weeds start to sprout in spring even before vegetable gardens and flower beds are planted,” said Noel Valdes, president of CobraHead, the company that makes CobraHead weeders and cultivators, widely regarded as the best weeding tools. “The simple act of digging in the soil combined with Spring rainfall can give weed seeds a chance to grow. And most plants that we call ‘weeds’ are very aggressive growers.” An Old Digging Tool is Reborn as a Best Weeding Tool Valdes knows all about weeds because he has been a dedicated organic gardener his entire life. He was digging in his garden with an old-fashioned five-tined cultivator … [Read more...] about Best Weeding Tool: CobraHead Weeders
Easy-to-Make (and Delicious!) Dandelion Pesto
The world is divided into two kinds of people: dandelion haters and dandelion lovers. If you’re someone who’s interested in unique flavors, growing your own food, and creatively making the most of what you’ve got, you may already belong to the latter group. If so, you're going to love this dandelion pesto. But If you despise the dandelion, and spend time and money on its eradication, I suggest you seek revenge on this tenacious weed by eating it. The truth about dandelion greens Dandelion leaves are a classic bitter green, packed with minerals and vitamins. Don’t be put off by the word “bitter”. Lots of people pay good money for bitter greens like arugula, chicory, and endive. In small quantities, raw bitter greens liven up a salad, balanced with mild greens like cultivated lettuce or foraged chickweed. Cool temperatures produce the tastiest, most tender dandelion greens, so look for them in early spring or late fall. Summer dandelion greens (especially those growing in full … [Read more...] about Easy-to-Make (and Delicious!) Dandelion Pesto
