Photo Credit: Black Eyed Peas by Shell Greenier used under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Black-eyed peas have been a New Year’s Day tradition in my family for years.

But until recent, I never knew how easy they are to grow in the garden.

So this year, I am going to grow my own black-eyed peas for my New Year’s celebration.

To begin this process, I have to decide whether I want to grow them in the garden or in a container. Since my garden is filling up quickly, I decide to go the container route. In doing so, I will need the determinate variety of black-eyed peas.

This type does not require trellising but does Read the rest of this entry »

Photo Credit: Pear Tree by Shihmei Barger used under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

The other day, I was having lunch with a friend of mine and she ordered a pear salad.

Through our discussion she commented on the fact that she wished she could grow her own pears.

But due to her living environment she felt she could not.

Her living environment was an apartment with a balcony.

Why she felt she could not grow pears perplexed me. She had apple trees, peach trees and even a fig all in a containers on her terrace. As I inquired, she admitted that she really did not know much about raising pears and in doing so she felt it could not be done.

Once the truth was out, I reassured her that yes she could grow pears alongside her other orchard plants. So on to the nursery we went to purchase her pear tree.

You may have noticed that I said pear tree. In this project, we are going to only use Read the rest of this entry »

Photo Credit: Seedling by Jennifer C. used under CC BY 2.0

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Every spring, garden centers are swamped with perspective gardeners.

Some go right for the plants they want while others roam around confused and dazed.

Regardless of which one you may be, there are hints that can aid you in your plant selection.

Following these hints will not only help you become a better gardener but also a frugal one.

I personally like to grow my own plants from seeds but for some people this is not doable. And frankly, I do not have enough room to grow everything I put in my garden space. For those plants that I purchase, I like to go to businesses that grow their own plants. The reason for this is economical and biological.

Buying in my community keeps my local Read the rest of this entry »

Photo Credit: Egg Shell Mulch by London Permaculture used under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Eggshells are such a wonderful nature created invention.

They provide the perfect protection for the raw egg material inside, which will become either human breakfast or a chicken.

But did you know they can also benefit the garden.

Well, they can and the tips below will help you maximize the use of these amazing little calcium-rich containers.

1. Eggshells in the garden. Crushed eggshells are a great addition to the garden space. They provide calcium to the soil, which is very important when it comes to raising tomatoes. A tomato plant low on its calcium uptake will product bottom rot. To prevent this, add Read the rest of this entry »

Photo Credit: Ex-umbrella by End of Radio used under CC BY 2.0

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

The other day, I was coming across campus when a gust of wind hit my umbrella.

It took all my strength to hang on to this umbrella but when I looked up I noticed that my umbrella was inside out and I was getting wet.

Well, I still needed my broken umbrella and decided to hold on to it.

After my classes were over and I got home, I thought about my umbrella. While I knew I could not repair it, I just could not throw it away without considering a re-purposing or reusing project. The more I looked at the metal skeleton the more I considered alternative uses.

First, I thought of hanging it upside down and using it as a clothesline for light-weight objects. But I really did not like that idea. Another consideration I had was turning the spent umbrella into a plant drying station.

While this was a great idea, I wanted something more unique. Something that had a distinctive flavor and this is when I decided on a trellis.

While this will be a short trellis and not one designed to support Read the rest of this entry »