Orange trees are such a joy to cultivate—their glossy green leaves, fragrant white blossoms, and vibrant fruit bring a slice of sunshine to any garden! Yet I know how heartbreaking it can be when those promising buds never swell into juicy oranges or when pests turn your orchard into their personal buffet. Over the years,...
Fruits And Vegetables
Living off grid is a term coined by Nick Rosen, an environmentalist. It’s defined as being independent of systems like utilities and other types of conveniences. Some consider it to be a sort of exile from society, others view it as being a more environmentally positive action, and technically, both are correct.
People who live off grid often have vastly simplified lifestyles. Buying stuff, convenience, and overconsumption take a back seat to more simplistic living. Lots of DIY, self improvement, and producing the things you need yourself.
Living off grid has numerous benefits. Off grid families tend to have a lower environmental footprint due to producing energy from clean tech sources like solar, less consumerism, and producing more food themselves. People who live off grid also experience a ton of personal satisfaction for the work they put in and what they get out.
Living off grid reportedly reduces stress and anxiety and improves health overall. The physical labor involved with off grid living is better for you than sitting at a desk in an office, and the food you grow yourself is often substantially healthier than what you would find in a grocery store.
Families who live off grid don’t just live frugally but can also make a little bit of money at it. Selling extra eggs, produce, and other things can help turn your off grid lifestyle into a net financial positive.
It’s not easy to be a fully off grid individual or family, but there are steps you can take to get you started without cutting off the world and living alone in a remote cabin.
Lemons bring instant sunshine to the garden with their glossy leaves and bright fruit, and nothing beats slicing open a homegrown lemon for fresh juice or zest! Yet, I know how frustrating it can be when your lemons stay small or drop prematurely. Over the years, I’ve watched fellow gardeners wonder if their trees will...
Figs are such rewarding trees to nurture—there’s nothing quite like biting into a sun-ripened fruit that you’ve coaxed along yourself! Yet I know exactly how frustrating it is when your fig tree seems to sulk: leaves yellowing, branches drooping, or that long-awaited crop simply failing to materialize. Over the years, I’ve seen fellow gardeners plant...
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) hail from the high Andes of South America, where indigenous farmers coaxed them from wild tubers into the versatile crop we prize today. They’re generally well-behaved in home gardens—not invasive unless you let every dropped spud sprout—yet they can send distress signals when conditions aren’t quite right. I know how disappointing it...
I’m so glad you’re keeping a close eye on your corn patch—there’s nothing more rewarding than hearing that rustle of Zea mays leaves in the breeze! Corn is native to Mesoamerica, where indigenous farmers domesticated it over 7,000 years ago. It’s well-behaved in most home gardens and not considered invasive, but its love of moisture...
I’m so glad you’re tuning into your lettuce patch—those crisp heads of Lactuca sativa are such a rewarding harvest when they thrive! Native to the Mediterranean region, lettuce has been cultivated for thousands of years and isn’t invasive in home gardens—unless volunteers escape compost piles. Still, even the hardiest varieties can succumb to root rot...
I’m so glad you’re looking to troubleshoot those yellowing zucchini leaves—nobody wants their vibrant green vines to look tired and pale! Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo), native to Central America, is a delight in summer gardens, producing prolific fruits that beckon bees and even small ground-nesting wasps seeking shelter in the leaf litter. It’s generally a well-behaved...
I’m absolutely delighted you’re turning your garden into a kale powerhouse this season! Kale (Brassica oleracea) originally hails from the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor, where ancient gardeners prized its hardy leaves long before it spread across Europe and beyond. It’s not typically invasive in home plots—unless you let it bolt and self-seed—but it does...
I’m so excited you’re on the quest for gigantic cucumbers this season! There’s nothing more thrilling than watching those vines unfurl and yield fruits so plump they almost bend the trellis. Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) hail from the foothills of the Himalayas in India, where they’ve been cultivated for over 3,000 years. They’re not typically invasive—unless...
Peas are one of my favorite cool-season crops—those tender green pods and sweet, starchy peas are a joy to harvest straight from the vine! Native to the Mediterranean and Near East, garden peas (Pisum sativum) have been cultivated for millennia, and while they’re hardly invasive, they can volunteer enthusiastically if you let dried pods fall....
Chard’s bold, colorful stems and glossy, crinkled leaves are a joy to behold—and a treat to harvest! Native to the Mediterranean, Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) has been cultivated since Roman times, and it thrives in both cool springs and mild autumns. I know how frustrating it can be when your chard patch produces...
Summer container gardening is a fantastic way to enjoy homegrown produce even if you’re short on space. There’s nothing quite like stepping onto your patio to harvest sun-warmed cherry tomatoes or snipping fresh Swiss chard leaves for dinner! Yet, I know how challenging it can be to coax big harvests from pots and troughs—especially when...