As Winter works its way through, the thought of starting seeds is on our minds. Whether you start seeds inside under grow lights or in a greenhouse with natural light, it's time to think about the seed-starting soil mix you will use. Having a light soil mix is essential. You want to avoid a heavy… Continue reading Make Your Own Seed Starting Mix
Category: Homesteading
Freeze-Drying Onions
We grew a lot of onions on our homestead this past year. We specialize in “Whidbey Sweets,” as we call our Walla Walla Onions. They don’t grow as big here on the island as they do in their namesake of Walla Walla, WA, but it’s also a lot cooler here than in blazing-hot Eastern Washington.… Continue reading Freeze-Drying Onions
My Favorite Herbs For Grow Zone 8b
On our homestead, we are herb-friendly. In a legal state, that sounds like pro-cannabis, but what I mean is we grow many herb plants. Both medicinal and culinary, nearly all herbs are pollinator-friendly as well. Grow zone 8b allows us to grow both annual (yearly) and perennial (comes back yearly) easily. There aren't many varieties… Continue reading My Favorite Herbs For Grow Zone 8b
February Crops To Plant
It's nearly February. The call to start growing is so strong, especially if you get warmer days like we are this week (it's supposed to hit 58° on Sunday!). The lengthening light helps you want to be back outside. I know our warm cycle will go away, and back to chilly, but still, it gets… Continue reading February Crops To Plant
Building Herbal Gardens
When building a garden, planting herbs is one of the most important things you can do in it. Besides offering immense flavor and medicinal uses, many herbs are pollinator-friendly. If you want a higher production rate of produce in your garden, you must encourage pollinators to visit. Growing herb plants for the flowers is a… Continue reading Building Herbal Gardens