Lawns are an ecological disaster

How to grow the herb shiso perilla Shiso perilla, better known as shiso in Japanese, tai to in Vietnamese and kkaennip or ggaenip in Korean, is one of those herbs that, if you know of it, you rave about and have myriads of recipes, including one for mojitos. I am experimenting with shiso soda as we speak. To everyone else it’s the herb that looks like nettles you’ll have tasted perhaps as tempura or wrapped around a fancy bit of sushi. But it is far more than a garnish and once you get a taste for it, you may find you want a ready supply, so it makes sense to grow your own. If you don’t fall in love with its taste, you will with its looks. How to Can, Freeze, Dry and Preserve Any Fruit or Vegetable at Home Home canning, freezing and preserving, whether it is jam, salsa, applesauce, apple butter, pickles or whatever, is easy; with these simple, fully illustrated directions with detailed tips and tricks. Save money, eat healthier, with no additives or chemicals... and with much better taste! This page provides the links to our illustrated recipes and canning* directions - so easy ANYONE can do it, along with a multitude of other recipes, guides and canning instructions. For safety, these recipes closely follow the USDA recipes, Ball Blue Book and/or those provided by major university extension services. Whenever possible, instructions also are provided to allow you to choose the options that are important to you; such as types of cooking equipment or choices in sweeteners: honey, Stevia (in a prepared form like Truvia, it measures same as sugar; if you use another form, you'll need do your own conversion) - or Splenda, if you prefer, , Stevia, fruit juice or sugar. United States

Canning Without Electricity You need to plan ahead and stock up on supplies if you want to can foods after TEOTWAWKI. Increase Your Food Security Growing a garden, hunting wild game, foraging for wild edibles, raising your own chickens, and preserving the harvest are great ways to increase your food security and gain independence from the grocery store. Learn How to Keep Water Clear in Fountains and Ponds A green and healthy garden is every gardener’s dream. But in some cases too much green can be unpleasant and we are looking for easy to get rid of it. It is the case of algae from fountains or small ponds. If you have some kind of water in your garden you will have to deal with algae at one point. If the amount of floating green slime in your pond is a small one, you can call yourself very lucky. But a larger amount of algae in the water can damage filters and disturb fishes.

How to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden These little creatures were first discovered by Spanish explorers who called them “joyas voladoras” – translation: “flying jewels”. They are really something else – beautiful to watch and admire. But they are a whole lot more than just one of nature’s wonders. Their physical capabilities are truly amazing. They can migrate at least 2000 miles from their breeding grounds to their wintering grounds. Pet Talk in Illinois: Environmental Enrichment for Cats Environmental enrichment is becoming a popular topic amongst cat owners and veterinarians. So what is environmental enrichment? And why are people talking about it? Cats are undoubtedly very popular pets. Although notorious for sleeping most of the day, cats actually do need entertainment and exercise.

Keyhole Gardens: A Drought Tolerant Composting Garden - Dave's Garden by Bev Walker (Sundownr) May 3, 2012 A Keyhole Garden is a raised bed, lasagna garden, composting, and recycling system all rolled into one. The design creates a garden that uses recycled materials, less water and maintenance, and can be made handicap-accessible! Whose Crazy Idea Was This? 10 Best Companies for Non-GMO Heirloom Seeds Steer clear of Monsanto’s GMO seeds and support companies doing the most good for the planet If you buy seeds that aren’t organic, open pollinated or heirlooms, you are most likely buying from a company owned Monsanto called Seminis. Seminis has been buying up patents on most nursery seed varieties like Early Girl and Better Boy tomatoes. Even if the particular seeds you choose from these companies aren’t GMO, you’re still sending money back to Monsanto. The only way to be sure you’re not buying genetically modified seed is to buy organic, heirloom or open pollinated seed from companies who take the Safe Seed Pledge.

180 Perennials that Do Well in Shade (A to Z) - Advertisement - Welcome to our huge and growing perennial database where you can search by many key attributes to discover the perfect perennial for you. If you want to design a garden, check out these garden design software options. We continually update this database, so please bookmark it and check back weekly. You can learn more about each perennial by clicking the perennial name links or images below. Ordered A to Z by default. Grow Food Year Round in a $300 Underground Greenhouse The word Walipini, derived from the Aymaran language and an indigenous Bolivian tribe, is translated as “a place of warmth” and is an earth sheltered cold frame or transparent-roofed enclosure. This underground greenhouse was created for the cold regions of South America to maintain food production year round, but is now being adopted by gardeners of all skill levels across the world. Most say that Walipinis should be at least 8’ by 12’ in size, but many people build even larger. Searching online you can find all types of plans and blueprints on how to design your underground greenhouse.

35 Medicinal Plants You Can Grow In Your Garden If you are looking for a healthier way to treat some of your health problems, while enjoying a beautiful garden, medicinal plants you can grow in your garden are an excellent alternative to taking modern medicines. Just dry your herbs and create your own natural pharmacy At A Glance: OUR TOP 5 PICKS FOR MEDICINAL PLANTS Many of the prescription drugs available today have a long list of possible bad side effects, some of which may even be worse than the medical problem you’re trying to treat. This is why many people are searching for a more natural, safer way to treat their medical problems. 100-Year-Old Way to Filter Rainwater in a Barrel During our boiling, broiling, blistering summer of 2012 here in the Missouri Ozarks, water was a topic of conversation wherever we went. Creeks and ponds dried up (some never recovered) and the water table dropped, forcing a few neighbors to have their well pumps lowered or to even have deeper wells drilled. Many folks shared memories of rain barrels, cisterns, hand pumps and drawing water with a well bucket as a child, usually on grandpa and grandma’s farm.

How to Grow Ginger Indoors Ginger is delicious and medicinal. It is tasty in meals and drinks, and it is easy to grow, even indoors. Choose Seed: You will need a piece of organically-grown ginger to use as seed. The piece should be a couple inches in size, or about as big as your thumb. Do not use commercial ginger because it has been treated with chemicals to stop it from sprouting. Dried ginger will have to be soaked overnight or until moist throughout. Ingenious Embossed Rollers Create Seamlessly Repeating Patterns Clare Bosanquet was at a market in Romania when she stumbled upon a special type of paint roller that had a design carved into its form. Excited by the creative possibilities, the UK-based artist spent the next two months lugging around many of these rollers and “regretting her cumbersome purchase.” The struggle was worth it, however, because it was the start of The Painted House, her shop that sells this type of decorative art tool. Bosanquet has created a two-part kit that anyone can use to print on nearly any flattened surface.