There’s something utterly magical about star-shaped blooms scattered like celestial jewels across your garden beds. These floral “stars” don’t just captivate the eye—they beckon pollinators, create low-maintenance carpets of color, and transform rocky outcrops into interstellar vistas. If you’ve ever felt disheartened by plants that wilt under the sun or vanish in shallow soils, worry...
Gardening Tips
Having a garden is a key aspect of a sustainable lifestyle. When you go to the grocery store to buy produce like fruits and vegetables, as well as eggs, each of those items comes with a carbon footprint and other environmental complications. Unfortunately, a lot of industrial-level farming practices aren’t good for the environment and they aren’t sustainable either. Growing your own fruits and vegetables reduces the negative impact that industrial farming has.
We are strong proponents of living a sustainable lifestyle, both by having a garden and by making environmentally friendly choices that put you on a more sustainable path. That includes using less single-use plastic, conserving energy and water, gardening using organic methods, avoiding synthetic chemicals inside and outside of the home, driving less, living off the grid, and other sustainable efforts.
Sustainable living isn’t just good for the planet but it’s good for you too. Often times, living sustainably means simplifying your life – you get more out of life with less. Sustainable living helps avoid unnecessary consumerism, save money, save the earth, and save your sanity all along the way.
Our gardening tips will help guide you to a greener lifestyle that benefits the planet, your pocket, your community, and yourself too. If all of us did just a little bit to be more sustainable, we could have a massive positive impact and change our world.
So let’s explore these gardening tips together and work toward a greener future for our kids and grandkids.
Crafting a rock garden transports you into a miniature alpine world, where each stone and plant must endure sun-baked gravel, shallow soil, and dramatic drainage. I know how baffling it can be to stand before a pile of rocks and wonder which plants will actually thrive in those crevices—no one wants their carefully placed boulders...
Nothing beats the joy of shelling a bowl of fresh, plump peas that you’ve coaxed from your own garden! I know how disappointing it can feel to plant those tiny seeds in hopeful rows, only to watch patchy germination or stunted vines. Peas (Pisum sativum) hail from the cool, rocky slopes of the Near East...
Dreaming of plump, flavorful artichoke buds gracing your dinner table? I know how frustrating it can be to invest time and care only to see your plants bolt too early or yield sparse, inedible blooms. Artichokes (Cynara scolymus) are a Mediterranean treasure, native to the coastal regions of southern Europe and North Africa, and while...
Creating a rock garden is like sculpting a miniature mountain landscape in your backyard—each stone, crevice, and plant placement contributes to a naturalistic scene that evolves through the seasons. I know how intimidating it can feel to balance rocks, soil, and hardy plants on a slope, only to worry that everything will wash away or...
Creating a pond garden is like inviting a slice of the wild into your backyard—there’s nothing quite like hearing the gentle trickle of water while watching life flourish along the edges. I know how exciting (and a bit daunting) it can be to plan a water feature: you envision serene lily pads and dragonflies dancing,...
Growing a bountiful spinach patch feels like hitting the jackpot in the vegetable garden! I know how disappointing it can be to thin out weak seedlings or watch your tender greens bolt into flower just as you’re ready to harvest. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) hails from the mountains of Central and Southwestern Asia, and though our...
Growing an abundant lettuce harvest feels like striking green-gold in the garden! I know how frustrating it can be to seed your flats, only to see slow growth or bolting when the weather heats up. With a few simple strategies, you can coax lush heads and tender leaves all season long—and trust me, those crisp...
Gardening in arid climates comes with unique challenges—scorching sun, poor soil, and infrequent rainfall can leave even the hardiest gardener scratching their head. I know how disheartening it is to watch tender seedlings shrivel under the relentless desert sun! Thankfully, there are herbs perfectly adapted to thrive where moisture is scarce and temperatures soar. As...
Having backyard chickens has become the secret weapon for many eco-minded gardeners—and I can’t wait to share why! As someone who’s spent countless hours wrestling with stubborn weeds and scouring for eco-friendly fertilizer options, I know how exhilarating it is to find a solution that truly does it all. Chickens bring a burst of energy...
Planting cover crops is one of the most effective ways to nurture your garden’s soil between main crops. By introducing a living green layer, you not only prevent bare-ground issues like erosion and nutrient leaching but also set the stage for richer, more fertile planting beds. Cover crops—from deep‐rooted daikon radish to nitrogen‐fixing clover—work below...
Many gardeners view dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) as pesky invaders, ready to colonize every sunny patch of lawn. But before you reach for that weeder, consider that these bright yellow flowers—native to Eurasia and now widespread but generally non-invasive in controlled settings—offer a surprising suite of benefits. From nourishing early-season pollinators to improving soil structure, dandelions...