Grow

Grow

Choosing Fruit Trees for Your Climate and Land

You landed here because you’re convinced that a home orchard is worth trying and are eager to explore next steps (but if you’re not there yet, check out our first article of this series on why a home orchard is a great choice for every family). Now for the fun part: selecting fruit trees that will thrive in your climate and on your land!

But before we look at how to pick the right tree for your property, food forester and orcharding mentor Jason Ross will help us assess how much land is really needed to establish a holistic orchard, and where those trees should go (spoiler alert: your nice lawn could be the perfect spot!).

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Grow | Strategy

Why Every Homestead Should Become a Little Holistic Orchard

You know summer is in full swing when the grocery stores are laden with beautiful, juicy peaches, plums, and apricots. It’s a memorable season, not least because the sticky sweetness of these fruits leaves their mark on children’s faces, hands, and hearts.

But what if, instead of going to the store or the farmer’s market, you could enjoy gathering your own fruit from the backyard? What would it take to start a little home orchard?

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Grow | Strategy

How to Stop Squash Vine Borers Before They Start

Of all the pests a home gardener runs into, the squash vine borer might be the most discouraging, because by the time you know it’s there, the fight is basically already over.

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Grow

How to Prevent Tomato Hornworms with Companion Planting

If you read the first article in this series, you already know you can reframe your thinking around bugs in the garden. Most garden insects are helpers, not enemies! But there’s one insect that should never get the benefit of the doubt, and for good reason. It’s the tomato hornworm.

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Grow | Strategy

How to Attract Ladybugs to Your Garden (And Why You Shouldn’t Buy Them)

When you start homesteading, it’s a little like entering the Matrix. Little by little, you experience a radical paradigm shift.

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Grow

When to Pick Cucumbers: Signs They’re Ready for Eating or Seed Saving

A cucumber will lie to you. It looks ready days before it is, and it slips past perfect while your back is turned. Learn to read the signs, though, and you’ll be rewarded with the crispest, sweetest harvest of your gardening year.

Read More When to Pick Cucumbers: Signs They’re Ready for Eating or Seed Saving

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