Gardening

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25 Foods You Can Re-Grow From Kitchen Scraps! Food is expensive. If you do the grocery shopping for your household, you know that this is one of the highest costs related to your home and family. While it may be unlikely that you can completely eliminate your grocery bill, you can grow certain foods yourself. And, you can grow them from scraps that you would normally throw away.

25 Foods You Can Re-Grow Yourself from Kitchen Scraps

How to Build a DIY Garden with Pallets for $30.
DIY Pallet Garden

It could grow about 12 heads of lettuce and 12 bunches of spinach or a variety of other vegetables.  With food quality being such a major concern right now, why not grow your own and become more self sustainable?

 

 

 

The Vermont Invasives Species Management Team would like to hear how you're managing yard waste/wood debris in your area to collaboratively work towards their goal of no new infestations.

Contact Info:

Judy Rosovsky: judy.rosovsky@vermont.gov, work cell 802-279-2212

Elizabeth Spinney, Invasive Plant Coordinator

Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation

elizabeth.spinney@vermont.gov, (802) 477-2134

 

 

How to Build a Mini Greenhouse - A quick and fun project for kids!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 Everyday Household Items That Make Perfect Seedling Starters

Kick off the gardening season with these clever DIY seedling starter ideas using items you have around the home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out our Pinterest page for lots of great ideas and tips for your garden.

 

HDIY Pallet Gardenow to Build a DYI Garden with Pallets for $30.

It could grow about 12 heads of lettuce and 12 bunches of spinach or a variety of other vegetables. With food quality being such a major concern right now, why not grow your own and become more self sustainable?

 

Planting GardenWhen Should I Plant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

pile of leavesComposting Leaves in the Garden - Learn the Benefits of Leaf Compost

Composting leaves is a terrific way to recycle and create a nutrient rich garden soil amendment at the same time. The benefits of leaf compost are numerous. The compost increases the porosity of the soil, raises the fertility, diminishes the strain on landfills and creates a living “blanket” over your plants. Learning how to compost leaves just requires a little knowledge of the balance of nitrogen and carbon. The correct balance will ensure fast composting of leaves for spring time black gold.

Read this article by Bonnie Grant and more at Gardening Know How: Composting Leaves In Garden: Learn The Benefits of Leaf Compost https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/ingredients/composting-leaves.htm

 

Did you know that 623 gallons of water can be harvested from 1 inch of rain on a 1,000-square-foot roof? As far as rain barrels are concerned, a typical 1/2-inch rainfall will fill a 50- to 55-gallon barrel.  Read about do's and dont's for making your rain barrel here.

YOUR VICTORY GARDEN WILL LOVE YOUR COMPOST
What's a Victory Garden?  During World War II, labor shortages stretched the nation’s food production system to its limits. Americans were encouraged to harvest their own food by establishing “Victory Gardens” at their own homes.  Today, there has been a resurgence of interest in Victory Gardens.  The Composting Council has created an information packed page with interesting information.  Find out more here....

THREE KITCHEN INGREDIENTS THAT IMPROVE YOUR GARDEN SOIL

Eegg shellsGG SHELLS

  • Rinse out any egg shells you have and allow them to dry for a few days. When they are dry they crush very easily.  This will help them to break down quickly when added to the soil.
  • Crushed eggshells improve drainage and the addition of  the calcium is excellent for promoting plant growth and preventing blossom end rot in tomatoes and squash plants.  You can put them in a Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush them.
  • They are a good deterrent for slugs and snails.  Scatter a generous barrier around seedlings to protect them.

used coffee groundsCOFFEE GROUNDS

  • Coffee grounds can also be added directly to the soil. They act as a general fertilizer, adding organic matter, improving drainage, water retention and soil aeration. As they break down, they will continue to add nitrogen to the soil.
  • Used coffee grounds will not affect the PH level of your soil unless used in very concentrated amounts. However; unused coffee grounds or leftover coffee is always such a wonderful pick-me-up for acid loving plants.
  • Coffee grounds also work very well as a mulch around plants. This keeps earthworms very happy as they seem partial to a little caffeine!

banana peelsBANANA SKINS 

  • Adding banana skins is another excellent way to improve your garden soil. More, they can be added directly to the ground as long as they are cut up into very small pieces. These will break down faster and allow all the micro-organisms in the soil lots of surface area to work their magic.
  • This will create plenty of organic matter resulting in a light, well-drained soil which is full of earthworms. Once the banana skins have broken down they will add powerful nutrients; calcium, magnesium, sulphur, phosphates, potassium and sodium, all of which help plants to grow well and develop their fruit.

Leaf and Yard Debris - Leaf, yard, and clean wood debris are banned from disposal in solid waste and landfills as of July 1, 2016.

pile of leavesComposting Leaves in the Garden – Learn the Benefits of Leaf Compost

Composting leaves is a terrific way to recycle and create a nutrient rich garden soil amendment at the same time. The benefits of leaf compost are numerous. The compost increases the porosity of the soil, raises the fertility, diminishes the strain on landfills and creates a living “blanket” over your plants. Learning how to compost leaves just requires a little knowledge of the balance of nitrogen and carbon. The correct balance will ensure fast composting of leaves for spring time black gold.

Read this article by Bonnie Grant and more at Gardening Know How: Composting Leaves In Garden: Learn The Benefits of Leaf Compost.