Our tiny local shop has been doing a fine job of keeping our community well-stocked during isolation. I’m not just grateful for them, but for fellow community members too. Whilst in the shop yesterday, a local man had dropped off a heap of pumpkins, for the shop to give away for free. No better opportunity …
How to Save Pumpkin Seeds for Planting Next Year, From Fruit to Vine Read More »
I love tea! Growing your own tea plants is one of the most rewarding things you can do in your garden. Let’s look at some tea plants for sale, and how to grow the tea plant (Camellia sinensis). Tea has been a part of the human experience since civilization began. It is a great way …
Tea Plants for Sale – Grow Camellia Plants and Enjoy Homegrown Tea Read More »
With feelings of food insecurity on the rise, starting a survival garden may have crossed your mind more than once. Even though we usually have enough food being produced and sold every day, the current crisis has reminded most of us of the possibility that shelves at the local grocery store may one day be …
Best Plants to Grow in your Survival Garden, Part 1: The Basics Read More »
It’s all well and good to buy seeds, but what do we do when the shops run out of seeds? Seed saving is the answer here. Not only that, saving your own seeds is rewarding. It makes sure that special vegetable varieties remain available. Seeds are essential to life. Without seeds, we don’t have plants …
Seed Saving, the Secret to Survival of Your Vegetable Garden & Food Security Read More »
Let’s look at the differences of growing a lawn using hydroseeding vs sod vs seed. Which is better for you? “The grass on my neighbour’s lawn looks so much greener” – a thought that has crossed the mind of pretty much every homeowner despite their pride in looking after their property, and in all honesty, …
Hydroseeding vs sod vs seed – What’s the Best Lawn for You? Read More »
There has been a lot of hype lately about growing plants and vegetables in raised gardens. Are they the right thing for you? Here’s why I say you should avoid raised gardens if you can. I understand there are benefits of raised gardens and for some of you, it’s just the thing. You can …
Why You Shouldn’t Grow Vegetables in Raised Gardens Read More »
Although they used to grow grapes without a trellis in the old days (and probably still do in many vineyards and gardens), I really prefer my grapes on a grape vine trellis (also know as a grape arbor), especially when they’re getting started. Grape vines can ramble a bit, so without a trellis to train …
15 Sturdy Grape Vine Trellis Design Ideas for Your Backyard Arbor Read More »
So, Ooni launched their brand new Ooni Koda 16 pizza oven yesterday! It’s their latest gas-powered outdoor pizza oven that can bake bigger pizzas than the last model, the Koda 13. The Koda 16 fires out 16″ pizzas because of Ooni’s new, largest-yet stone baking plate. Ooni Koda only came in 13″ pizzas up to …
New Ooni Koda 16 vs Ooni Pro – Pizza Oven Feature Comparison Read More »
I realised today that I really need a gardening apron. I never wanted an apron for gardening, thinking it was just a little too “grandma” or I didn’t want to seem like I couldn’t handle getting dirty or something like that. But you know what, it’s actually not great getting mud on your clothes when …
Best Gardening Apron With Pockets for Harvesting & Tools 2020 Read More »
This is my Z Grill review which includes a Z Grills comparison, how to start it the first time, warranty, and some helpful videos. I came across the Z Grill in Australia, of all places, after speaking to a great guy named Mick, who runs Z Grills Australia. I’ve never met anyone more passionate about …
Z Grill – How Good Are Z Grills? A Half-Priced Traeger? Read More »
Chances are that if you’re reading this article, you’re looking for the best pole saws of 2020. I’m going to be honest with you upfront; most of these pole saws are older than that, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t the best. I’ve taken a pretty thorough approach to this review, given the sheer …
Best Pole Saws of 2020 – Gas, Cordless, Telescoping… Complete Review! Read More »
A great word, hydroseeding, but what is hydroseeding grass, exactly? Have you ever bought or rented a place with outdoor space, only to come to the realization that the upkeep of your lawn is far greater than you ever imagined? This is exactly what happened to me last year. I closed on a new home …
What Is Hydroseeding Grass? Lush Lawn in 3 Weeks Read More »
13 Best outdoor banquette ideas! When you’re hosting outdoors, there are a whole bunch of seating options at your disposal; benches, deckchairs, armchairs, and patio seating to name just a few. But we think that the best way to get everyone together is with an outdoor banquette. Not only do banquettes save space and seat …
Our tutorial on how to make wine barrel furniture – a beautiful oak wooden DIY wine barrel tray from the top of an oak wine barrel. A step-by-step guide to a DIY wine barrel tray! How To Make Wine Barrel Furniture This tutorial is written by Claudio, who was born in Brazil and has been …
Wine Barrel Tray DIY – How To Make Wine Barrel Furniture Read More »
The Mittleider gardening method is based upon a scientific protocol of cultivating plants in the ground in either raised beds or grow boxes so they can garner the ultimate benefit from the 16 essential nutrients they need to thrive. The gardening method, created after years of research by Dr. Jacob Mittleider, is centered around the …
Mittleider Gardening Method – More Food From Your Garden! Read More »
You may be wondering why I’ve dedicated an entire guide to something as simple as a bee and how to become a beekeeper in your backyard. I’ve talked about my love of multitasking animals here before, and honey bees are some of the best around. Obviously, they’ll provide you with the liquid gold we know …
How To Become a Beekeeper in Your Backyard Total Guide Read More »
The arrival of cold weather doesn’t have to be the end of outdoor parties. The best wall mounted outdoor heaters will keep the party going long after the leaves have fallen. From your basic element heaters, to models that can be adjusted by remote control, they’re small and unobtrusive yet powerful enough to keep your …
Best Wall Mounted Outdoor Heaters – Don’t Let the Cold Stop You! Read More »
There are some Dandelion look alikes to look out for when you’re foraging for Dandelion. For example, there’s Wild Lettuce, Hawkbit, and several Cat’s Ears species. It’s really important to know you’re foraging for the right plants, and to know what’s the difference between Dandelion and Wild Lettuce. Let’s compare Wild Lettuce vs Dandelion! Dandelion …
Wild Lettuce vs Dandelion – What’s the Difference between Dandelions and Wild Lettuce? Read More »
This is your total guide to Moringa, and why you really should grow the Miracle tree or Drumstick Vegetable! Moringa (also often spelled Morninga) is described as the new kale, for good reason. It is very rich in vitamins, minerals, highly-digestible proteins, and phytochemicals. It may not be all that much better in nutrition than …
Total Guide to Moringa – Why You Should Grow the Miracle Tree or Drumstick Vegetable Read More »
Some people don’t want squirrels in their garden full-stop. You might not be looking for how to attract squirrels, but rather how to keep squirrels away. Squirrels can chew away at flower bulbs, dig holes, and strip the bark from trees. But if you provide food for them, you can coax them away from your …
What to Feed Squirrels in Backyard – How To Attract Squirrels! Read More »
There’s nothing worse than inviting guests round for an outdoor party in the backyard and being bombarded by winged insects while you try to relax and eat. So, after months of being attacked at BBQs and picnics, I’ve been scouring the net for how to keep flies away from food at an outdoor party. Here’s …
11 Ways of How to Keep Flies Away From Food at an Outdoor Party Read More »
Tripods and a kettle on an open campfire might sound like a great way of outdoor cooking, but a stone stove or outdoor survival oven is a much better way to go. Gusts of wind that might blow smoke and sparks all over the place won’t bother you anymore, and heat stays where it is …
How To Build Stone Stoves and Outdoor Survival Ovens Read More »
I’m a mom and for me, there’s no better gift than something to do with gardening. Plants are my favorite gift, they really are the gift that keeps on giving. A plant is something that will be in mom’s garden forever (well, for a long time anyway) and gives her roses, apples, lavender… Good stuff! …
Thoughtful Gardening Gifts for Mom – Best Gifts for Gardeners Read More »
So, you want to learn how to keep rabbits out of the garden? I don’t blame you; they may be cute, but they’ll make short work of your garden. After spending an entire summer carefully looking after my veggie garden, imagine my horror when the local community of floppy-eared rabbits began chomping through my plants. …
How To Keep Rabbits Out of the Garden – 5 Humane Solutions That Work Read More »
I sometimes buy books just because they look nice. I might flick through them every once in a while, but they mainly just sit there and look pretty. The following beekeeping books aren’t the ‘sit and look pretty’ type, although some, The Beekeeper’s Bible in particular, looks stunning. The Beekeeper’s Bible – Richard Jones Beekeeping …
The most helpful beekeeping books for beginner backyard beekeepers Read More »
While we can’t take away the need to trot into work every morning, we do have something that will brighten the day entirely. Picture this: instead of stepping into a cold bathroom cubicle, you’re rinsing yourself down inside of an eco-friendly off grid shower under the open sky. Let’s face it, nobody likes hearing their …
You can grow a lot of basic food crops yourself, even though not many people grow them in their own gardens. You might be used to buying these foods from the shop, but they’re actually quite easy and productive to grow in your own self sufficient garden. How good would it be to not buy …
5 Must-Grow Vegetables for Edible Self-Sufficient Gardens Read More »
Buckle your seat belts, as I’m here to tell you all about string. But this is no ordinary string; it’s specialized for using with your string trimmer as you tackle that overgrown garden. So, without further ado, here’s the best trimmer line for string trimmers. Best Trimmer Line Top 5 Review Oregon 22-895 Magnum Gatorline …
Best Trimmer Line for String Trimmers – What is the best line for you? Read More »
One of the many hobbies I enjoy in the outdoors is smoking meats. I happen to have a culinary background, but also love hunting, fishing, and trapping. Over the years, I have owned several different types of smokers. I probably smoke over 50 pounds of meat over the course of any given year. I find …
Tired of lugging an old mower around the lawn? I don’t blame you; it’s the same reason I finally ditched my aging push mower. Self propelled mowers do all the legwork for you, so check out this list of the best self propelled mower under $350. Best Self Propelled Mowers – Our Top 5 What …
Best Self Propelled Lawn Mower Under 350 Review – Winner Is About $310! Read More »
It was like all my Christmases came at once, when, a couple of months ago, my husband’s grandmother offered to pay for $400 worth of fruit trees. I spent a whole day browsing an online fruit tree nursery’s website, researching the varieties on offer, and researching whether they would grow here. Oh, the joy! Chill …
How To Grow a Wild Food Forest, Self-Sufficiency Garden Read More »
KA-BAR is well known for making some of the very best fixed blade knives on the market. Their , for instance, has seen extensive service throughout global military conflicts and is held in exceptionally high regard. But today, we’re going to talk about a lesser-known type of KA-BAR knife, known as the Becker knife, or …
Best KA-BAR Becker Knives Review – BK2, BK9, BK10, BK22, BK16 – Updated March 2020 Read More »
Are you looking at buying a quality and relatively inexpensive knife that would be suitable for everything from camping to wilderness survival to general-purpose use at your home? If so, you might want to take a close look at Condor Tool & Knife. In this Condor knives review, we’ll take a closer look at what …
Best Condor Knives Review – Tool and Knife For Bushcraft, Survival, and Home Read More »
“I have a dream that, one day, this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged …
I was born in Waimate, South Canterbury, in the late 1920s and brought up on my father’s farm in a rural community of about thirty farms in the district of Waihaorunga, which is twenty-five kilometres west of Waimate. This area is very close to the geographical centre of the South Island, a fact I was …
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