Kristina Seleshanko's Blog, page 35

Weekend Links & Updates

In which I share my favorite posts from this blog's Facebook page.

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Please see FCC disclosure for full information. Thank you for supporting this site!

" Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Deuteronomy 31:6

It's been very windy. Our large, main living windows often flex in the wind. A little scary! So sometimes I put tape across them...just in case.
* Happily, my blood sugar is now regularly in the 80s and 90s - normal. And I've lost 18 lbs. since going on this super-low carb keto diet right before Christmas. Yay!

* Another pet food recall.

* Have you seen Ball's new spiral canning jars? Pretty! I think they'd be great for gifts.


* Do You Truly Cherish Your Husband?

* Dealing with Sibling Fighting and Rudeness. 

* The Link Between Gut Bacteria and Your Child's Behavior Just Got Stronger.

* How to Adopt for (Almost) Free.

* How to prepare a home inventory, in case of fire or other disaster.

* Want to make your own natural cleaning products? Here's a great resource for getting started.

* Spring is nearly here, and with spring, come nettles - a natural, free superfood. 

* How tending a garden is good for your health. 

* How to prune blueberries for a larger harvest.  

* Have you seen the crazy news story about feeding cattle Skittles? It's true! And they've been doing it for years. Poor qualify feed = poor quality meat. 

* First GMO apple going on sale.


Oldies But Goodies



* How to tell if old seeds are still good.

* How to lead your children to Christ - with a free lesson plan.

* Keeping your marriage spark on Valentine's Day and every day.

* Make your own seasoning mixes to save money and eat more healthy.

Choosing Seeds for My New Garden

Honestly, I'm trying not to get stressed about my garden - or lack thereof. Because as of this moment, the vegetable garden doesn't exist. We still need to remove a few trees around the yard and set up the garden beds. Thankfully, I do have the greenhouse and a few small raised beds (tall square pallets and an old bathtub or two) that the previous owners left behind. Still...my dream garden it ain't. So...I'm reminding myself that getting the garden up and proper is gonna take time.

In the meantime, I've tested my old seeds to see if they are still viable, and have placed my seed orders. There are some "old reliables" coming my way, as well as some fun new varieties to try. Here are a few of the notables that (I hope!) will appear in my 2017 garden.

(Please note: None of the links are affiliate.)


Autumn's Choice butternut squash.* Autumn's Choice Squash. It's hard to beat a good butternut squash: So tasty, and stores all winter long just sitting on a shelf. This year, I'm trying this new-to-me variety because it's said to have a strong resistance to powdery mildew - always a problem where we live. It's also got a slightly shorter growing season than many other varieties (85-90 days), and has unusual and pretty skin. I bought my seeds at Territorial Seed.

* Morris Heading Collards. Greens are an important crop for me, since we eat them a lot because they're an excellent source of nutrients. My whole family loves collards, which we mostly eat sliced thin and sauteed (usually with garlic and salt, and maybe some chopped bacon). This variety is one I've grown for years. It's reliable, tasty, and slow to bolt (go to seed). It also grows pretty quickly and is an heirloom. I bought my seed this year at Baker Creek Seed.

* Brunswick Cabbage. I've grown other varieties of cabbage, but I always come back to Brunswick cabbages because they are large and relatively fast-growing (90 days). This variety is also especially cold hearty and stores well. I buy my seed at Baker Creek.

Bull's Blood beet.* Bull's Blood Beet. This is my favorite beet to grow because the roots are tasty - and so are the tops. I love the large red leaves for sauteing, and my family loves the roots for borscht and pickling. This year, I bought my seeds at Territorial.

* Catskill Brussels Sprout. Homegrown Brussels spouts are far superior to bitter store bought ones! And I keep coming back to this variety because the plants grow so large. (A friend once said of their size, "Those aren't any ordinary Brussels sprouts. Those are old growth Brussels sprouts!") I get mine at Baker Creek, even though they claim this is a dwarf variety.

* Amazing Cauliflower. I've never had much success growing cauliflower, but since we eat a lot of it, and since our new homestead is  more friendly to this cool season crop than anywhere else I've lived, I'm hopeful. Supposedly, this variety matures in 75 days and gives good flavor. I bought my seeds at Territorial Seed.

* Hollow Crown Parsnip. This is the best parsnip I've ever grown. It's sweet after a good frost, and stores well in the soil. (P.S. The crown of the parsnip isn't actually hollow.) You can buy this seed at Baker Creek.


* BeaverLodge Slicer Tomato and Silvery Fir Tree Tomato. To be honest, I've never had a lot of luck growing tomatoes from seed. This is because our growing season isn't long and warm enough to grow them from seed without some artificial lights (for the seedlings) - and I have yet to acquire those lights. But while our growing season is technically rather long here, our weather is also generally cool, which makes tomato-growing a challenge, even with the unheated greenhouse. So I'm really striving to find short-season tomatoes that don't mind a little cooler temps. I chose Beaverlodge because it matures in about 55 days, and is supposed to be abundant. I bought my seed at Territorial. Silvery Fir matures in about 58 days, and is open pollinated. You can also buy this seed at Territorial, too.
Double Purple Orach.* Double Purple Orach. At our old homestead, I always had a tough time growing spinach; the plants grew, just not abundantly. I should have an easier time with spinach at our new homestead, but it's always nice to have orach on hand, too, because it's less fussy and tends not to bolt (go to seed) as quickly as spinach. The flavor is similar. I've never tried this variety before, but I like the idea of getting some purples into my greens, because the nutrients are slightly different. I got my seed at Territorial.
* Double Yield Cucumber. This is a new variety for me, but promises to not only produce abundantly, but to provide good cucumbers for both pickling and eating fresh. I bought my seed at Territorial.
* Fortex Bea. Beans are among the easiest things to grow, and I've always been pleased with my choices, including Dragon Tongue and Golden Gate. But this year, I'm trying this new-to-me variety, which is supposed to be tall and vigorous, with large bean pods. I bought my seeds at Territorial.
Wild Garden Kale.* Miner's Lettuce. Miner's lettuce is supposed to grow wild in my general area...but I've never been able to find any. It's high in vitamin C and extremely cold tolerant; it will grow year round in my area. I got my seed at Territorial.
* Wild Garden Kale. We eat a ton of kale, and this mix from Siberia is a real winner in my garden, year after year. There are some nice variations in color (light green, purple, red, and blue-green) and leaf shape - and while all kale is cold tolerant, this mix is especially so. I buy the seed at Territorial Seed.

11 Ways We Should Have Known I Had Diabetes

8.1 million people have undiagnosed diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control. 9 out of 10 people are unaware they have pre-diabetes, and current American Diabetes Association stats say 1 out of 3 people will develop diabetes in their lifetime.


Sadly, the more I learn about my diabetes, the more I realize I spent years suffering needlessly when someone should have recognized I was diabetic. If I can help even one person get a proper diagnosis of diabetes - thereby giving them the chance to live a truly healthy life - then I want to do that.

So, how should someone have known I had diabetes? Let me count the ways:

1. I'd had gestational diabetes while pregnant with my last child. Gestational diabetes puts women at a 36 - 60% greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.* Every doctor I saw (and there were many) knew I'd had gestational diabetes...and because of this every one of them should have tested me for diabetes. To my OB/GYN's credit, she did want to test my blood sugar - but she insisted it couldn't be done through a blood test; she wanted me to spend the greater part of the day drinking a glucose solution and then waiting around for a result. I had two small children and no babysitter; I told her that kind of test just wasn't going to happen. She refused a blood test. And, sadly, a blood test would have worked just fine.

2. Most of my weight was in my middle. This should scream to every doctor that the patient probably has blood sugar issues. It might not be diabetes yet, but it's almost assuredly insulin resistance, which is a precursor to diabetes.

Gestational diabetes puts women at higher risk for developing diabetes later.3. I was utterly exhausted. Diabetes often isn't the first thing one thinks of when someone says they're fatigued all the time; however, it is a definite symptom of the disease.

4. My testosterone was high. After my son was born eight years ago, I never quite felt well again. I felt my hormones were out of whack and the one hormone test my GYN would do was for testosterone. It was high; she did nothing about it. High testosterone in women often leads to diabetes.

5. I felt terrible after exercising. I don't know how many doctors told me I should feel great after exercising, but I do know I told them all the opposite was true; after exercising I felt even more exhausted and sick. Now I know that when your blood sugar is high, exercise makes your blood sugar even higher; therefore, exercise makes you feel terrible when your blood sugar is out of control.

6. My feet were always cracked and dry. You may know that diabetics tend toward foot troubles, but you may not realize one of those troubles is dry feet.

7. My memory was terrible. This is a common side effect of diabetes.

8. My eyesight kept getting worse and worse. My ophthalmologist literally told me last year, "Huh. Your eyes seem to get worse every year. Hmmm..." and left it at that. But this is another classic side effect of diabetes.
Eyesight that worsens early can point to diabetes.
9. I'd had a magnesium deficiency. Most diabetics are low in magnesium, and researchers think a deficiency may lead to insulin resistance.

10. I was grumpy. Some diabetics say they feel like Jekyll and Hyde because part of the day they feel angry and grumpy and the next part of the day they feel like themselves. This is due to blood sugar spiking and dropping. Once my blood sugar was lowered, my routine grumpiness disappeared.

11. I have a family history of diabetes. On both sides. There is a link between your genes and your chances of getting diabetes, so doctors should regularly test patients who have a family lineage of diabetes.



Many people avoid thoughts that they might have diabetes because they fear the consequences of the disease, which are truly awful. BUT you don't have to suffer from the consequences of the disease if you take your condition into your own hands and reduce your blood sugar. Many thousands of people have done it, and gone on to live long lives.

To learn about more symptoms of diabetes, see the American Diabetes Association website. However, don't follow their dietary guidelines, which push lots of carbohydrates - you know, the carbs that turn to sugar in your body. To reverse diabetes or pre-diabetes (meaning to return to your blood sugar to normal levels - the 80s - and possibly come off insulin or diabetes medication, I recommend the Facebook Group Reversing Diabetes, which has been instrumental in my quickly lowering my blood sugar to normal. If you aren't on Facebook, trust me - this group is worth creating a Facebook account just for the information and support they offer.




* Children whose mothers had gestation diabetes while pregnant with them are also at higher risk for developing diabetes. (As well as learning disabilities and autism.)

Valentine's Day Ideas for Christian Kids

Some people pooh-pooh Valentine's Day - especially for kids. But I say Valentine's Day is an excellent opportunity to teach children more about God's real love. With that in mind, here are some of my favorite ideas for bringing real meaning to Valentine's Day.

* Make or print Valentine cards with scripture verses on them. Here are some free printables to help: From The Crafty Classroom; from Focus on the Family; from Imperfect Homemaker; from Simply Home; from Time Warp Wife.

* Do this simple heart activity to explain sin to children. 

* Print out some free Valentine's gift crafts with scriptures on them.

* Do a Valentine scripture countdown.

* Make this sweet God's love rainbow craft.


"Love Is" spinner from Crafting the Word of God.* Create this fun 1 Corinthians ("Love is") spinner. 

* Give your kids some scripture-based Valentine's Day bookmarks.

* Give your children conversation hearts - with accompanying Bible verses.

* Put up a "love is" Valentine's Day banner.


* Create "Personal Progress Kisses," or encouragements to display Christ-like love. (Here's a variation on this idea.)


* Do a "Create in Me a Clean Heart" activity (for preschoolers) or a "Nothing Can Separate Us From God's Love" activity (for older kids).
Valentine Cootie Catcher from Path Through the Narrow Gate.

* Memorize some love-related Bible verses.

* Make a heart wreath about God's love. 

* Print and play with these cootie catchers about God's love. 

* Make a paper heart that reminds kids how to forgive. 


Want even more Christian Valentine's Day ideas?

* What Love Is...Valentine's Day for Kids (and the whole family) 
* 14 Valentine's Day Activities for Kids  
 

Cream Cheese Pancakes (Low Carb, Keto, Paleo, Grain Free Recipe)

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Please see FCC disclosure for full information. Thank you for supporting this site!

Just before Christmas, a diagnosis of diabetes so bad my doctor said I should be on insulin shook my world. It totally explained my extreme fatigue (the only symptom I had), but it also made me delve into a lot of research - because one thing was for sure: I did not want to be on insulin. Thankfully, I have one of those rare M.D.s who's up to date on nutrition, and he recommended a keto diet lifestyle.

As it turns out, there's a keto diet that's specifically for diabetics. I started it almost immediately, and my blood sugar dropped to normal within 3 or 4 weeks. And unlike other low carb diets I've been on, I don't feel hungry and rarely have cravings. I'm finding the food variety very pleasing, too.

This recipe (discovered at I Breathe, I'm Hungry) is one of my favorites so far. It's very easy, and wonderfully delicious. Even my picky kids like it!

And seriously, even if you aren't watching your carb intake, these pancakes are well worth making - and eating!

If desired, you can make extra pancakes and freeze them, just like you would traditional pancakes. (I've also heard of people leaving out the sweetener and spice and using these as a savory wrap, in place of bread or tortillas.)



Cream Cheese Pancakes




2 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature2 eggs1 teaspoon granulated sugar substitute (I recommend Stevia, since I believe it's the most healthy choice; I use Pyure)½ teaspoon real cinnamon*
1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. (My blender and food processor are both still packed, so I use my Kitchen Aid mixer. When I'm done blending at high speed for several minutes, there are still little chunks of cream cheese. It doesn't look pretty, but I don't think it affects the finished product at all.) Set aside for about 2 minutes.    
   Your batter will look prettier and smoother than mine, if you use a blender/food processor.
2. Place a skillet over medium high heat and add a generous pat of butter. Once the butter has melted and the pan is hot, pour a little of the batter into the skillet. Cook for about 2 minutes, then flip and cook about 1 minute more. These pancakes are easy to flip!  3. Repeat until batter is used up.

I like to butter these pancakes as they come off the skillet; this way, for me, they don't need any syrup.
Nutrition, per batch, according to SuperTracker: Calories 269; Carbs 4g total (not net); Protein: 10 g.; Fat: 24 g.; Fiber: 1 g.

* Studies show that real cinnamon may reduce blood sugar - but it must be cassia (also called Chinese) cinnamon. Most grocery store cinnamon doesn't list its origin or type, but you can buy cassia cinnamon online.

Do Orchards Attract Wasps & Other Stinging Things?

Q: I want to plant an orchard in our front yard, but my husband says that's a bad idea because it will attract bees and wasps. Is this really a issue?

A: Our front yard is lined with fruit trees, and we love it! Not only do the trees provide cooling shade to part of the yard, but they are pretty, too. In fact, I can't wait to see what our yard looks like in spring, with all the fruit trees blooming!

Fruit trees - like pretty much any flowering plant - will attract some bees. That's actually a good thing, for at least two reasons:

1. The bees pollinate the trees, which makes it possible for them to bear fruit.
2. Bees are struggling, in case you haven't heard. Not just non-native honey bees now, but even native species. So giving them a source of pollen is a positive thing.

Our yellow plums.The good news is, bees that are out gathering pollen are not generally aggressive. They are unlikely to sting anyone.

As for nastier stinging things, like wasps, we have had zero problem with them. In fact, when I do see wasps in someone's orchard is because they are attracted to rotting fruit. That is a problem easily solved if you simply keep fallen fruit cleaned up:

1. Harvest regularly, and preserve or give away excess. This helps prevent fruit from falling and being spoiled.

2. Use fallen fruit for jams or jellies. This requires checking the orchard daily and collecting any fallen fruit that isn't rotten.

3. Give any livestock you may have fallen fruit that you wouldn't want to eat, but that isn't rotten.

4. Compost the rest. (But don't over-fill your composter with fruit, or it will decompose way too slowly.)

Does this sound like a lot of work? It can be, depending upon the size of your orchard. But if you're planting fruit trees because you really desire to grow your own food, I think you'll find you're easily motivated.

And I can tell you that if I had a bare yard that needed landscaping, the first thing I'd do is add fruit trees to it.

How to Grow Epic Tomatoes

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Please see FCC disclosure for full information. Thank you for supporting this site!

Last weekend, I fairly devoured Craig LeHoullier's book Epic Tomatoes . Few gardeners have the experience LeHoullier has, given that he's trialed more than 1,200 varieties of tomatoes and introduced 100 new or "lost" tomatoes to the world. This guy knows his stuff.

Epic Tomatoes is really a must read for anyone who grows (or wants to grow) tomatoes. It's an interesting read, too, because the author spends some time discussing the stories behind many heirloom tomatoes - and because he has a knack for writing in a non-technical, but still precise, manner. He talks about the benefits of growing hybrid and heirloom varieties (and has found that hybrids don't outperform or resist disease better than heirlooms per se...it really just depends upon the variety), gives us an interesting history of the tomato and tomato seeds, discusses seed saving, explains various tomato diseases, tells us his favorite varieties to grow, and even gives a short course on how to create new types of tomatoes ourselves. And did I mention all the gorgeous, mouth- watering photos?

But the section of the book that most interested me was LeHoullier's guide to growing tomatoes. And, as it turns out, you can forget any complicated procedures you may have read about elsewhere.

I've never been one to pamper my tomatoes too much, but I admit some of the author's guidelines surprised even me. So while I encourage you to read Epic Tomatoes yourself, here are some of the truths and myths I learned from a man who has grown many, many thousands of tomato plants:

1. Tomato seeds can last for 10 years or more, even with some temperature fluctuations during storage.

2. Tomato seeds can be planted densely - 50 seeds in a square inch. Seedlings can then be divided into individual pots without fear of damaging the roots or slowing down the growth of the plant.

3. Tomatoes don't need pruning. I think this one surprised me most! According to LeHoullier, pruning and removing suckers does not encourage bigger or more plentiful fruit. In fact, he says it decreases crop size. The only reason LeHoullier prunes tomatoes is to control plants that are getting too big and unwieldy for the planting space.

4. Removing foliage from tomato plants does not increase yield, quality, or flavor of fruit. In fact, says LeHoullier, removing a tomato plant's leaves invites sunscald and reduces the flavor of the fruits.
Courtesy psrobin
5. You don't need to remove flowers from tomato plants when transplanting. According to LeHoullier, this doesn't re-direct the plant's energy toward growing roots - and it will make you miss out on some early tomatoes.

6. Tomatoes may not require fertilizer. It all depends on your soil. If you've prepared the soil ahead of planting - adding finished organic matter like compost and aged manure - and if you've tested your soil and amended it as needed, fertilizing may not be necessary at all. Perhaps, the author suggests, you might use a little finished compost as a side dressing now and then. An exception is if you grow tomatoes in pots. This requires more watering, which depletes the soil of nutrients faster, which means fertilizing will be necessary.

7. It's okay to let tomato plants wilt. All tomato plants will wilt when hot sun is overhead; it does not necessarily mean they need watering. Wilting is simply the plant's way of conserving moisture. However, regular watering is still needed, particularly once plants are heavy with fruit.

8. There is no such thing as a low-acid, modern tomato. If you can, you may have heard that modern tomatoes are low acid and therefore not safe to water bath can. LeHoullier says this is absolutely false. Instead, a recent study shows the sugar in these tomatoes masks their acidity.

Courtesy Petar439. Color has nothing to do with flavor. Although LeHoullier says most of his favorite tomatoes aren't true reds.

10. A few heirlooms are less reliable - including some favorites, like Brandywine. One year they may do poorly, and another year, they may produce abundantly.

11. If you don't get fruit, don't blame a lack of bees. Tomatoes are self-fruitful, meaning they don't need pollination to produce fruit. LeHoullier says lack of fruit usually means the blossoms dropped before fruit could set - something that's common during hot, summer weather. Pruning may also cause lack of fruit. And, in rare cases, you might have a plant with a genetic mutation that prevents fruit setting.

* Title image courtesy of  Rob Bertholf

Weekend Links & Updates

First egg from the new flock! This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Please see FCC disclosure for full information. Thank you for supporting this site!

In which I share my favorite posts from this blog's Facebook page.

"The Lord is slow to anger but great in power;
    the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.
His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
    and clouds are the dust of his feet."

Nahum 1:3

 
* Our roof blew off. Well, part of one of them, anyway. We'd known for a while that the original building on our homestead needed a new tin roof. We've had buckets catching rain inside the building all fall and winter. (An obstacle course for me, as I carry wet laundry from the washer on one side of the building to the dryer on the opposite end of the building!) When we had a big wind storm last year, my hubby tied down one especially precarious part of the roof, and we just prayed the thing would stay on until it grew dry enough to replace the entire roof.

No such luck. This week during a storm, that piece flew off. And, of course, my husband was sick in bed with a fever. It really could have been much worse, though. As it is, none of the appliances (washer, dryer, etc.) are wet. Mostly just miscellaneous junk the previous owners left behind are affected. This weekend, my hubby hopes to be well enough to temporarily repair the roof in a stronger way. Life on the homestead is certainly never boring!

* In happier news, last week we got our first egg from our new flock! In fact, at least three of our hens are now laying. I'm so thrilled. With my new diet, I eat a lot of eggs, and store bought eggs are really gag-a-maggot to me compared to backyard fresh eggs.

* I finished this book last week, after neglecting a lot of housework because of it. I really can't recommend it highly enough. It's a page turner with an inspiring message about redemption and grace.

* Chocolate candy recall. 

* Tupperware seasoning recalled due to potential salmonella contamination.

* Junket Pudding. Sounds weird, but it's another healthy, yummy fermented food worth trying.

* How I Learned to Stop Giving the Silent Treatment in My Marriage.

* 6 Newbie Homesteading Mistakes to Avoid 

Oldies But Goodies:

* The secret to backyard eggs that are cheaper than store bought!
* DIY Seed Tape
* How to Clean Soap Scum, Easily
* Sex Ed: Recommendations for Christian Kids

 

Why We Use a Wood Stove on Our Homestead

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Please see FCC disclosure for full information. Thank you for supporting this site!


1. Wood is nearly free. We can heat our entire house all during the cold season without spending much. That's because we live on 15 mostly forested acres, and there is always dead wood that needs removing from our forest. But even when we lived in the suburbs, we used a wood stove and rarely paid directly for our wood; we just asked around and found friends who had fallen trees they wanted removed,or a tree they wanted taken down. (A task you shouldn't attempt unless you've been trained, by the way.)

You might wonder why I didn't say our wood is totally free. Well, because it takes time and hard work to cut it up and stack it - work that involves using a saw, which runs on gas. We figure we spend about $30 per year, tops, on saw gas. Plus there is maintence for the saw, which my husband can do himself, so it might cost a few dollars. Completely worth it, in our estimation. And, if we really needed to, we could use hand tools. So yes, burning wood is a nice act of self-sufficiency.

Even if you have to buy wood, though, you might save money. Here's an interesting news article comparing the cost of wood heat to other forms of heat in different parts of the U.S.

2. Wood is sustainable. We couldn't possibly use all our 15 acres of trees for heating our home. We can't even use up all our dead wood every year. And by removing dead trees from our forest, we are making the way for new trees to grow.

3. No worries about outages. When the electricity goes out, the propane tank is empty, or the gas line is broken, we don't have to worry. We'll still be cozy warm. And even though we don't have a cook stove per se, we can still cook on top of our wood stove - so we eat well during outages, too.

4. Quality of heat. I always feel warmer and more cozy when I'm in a house that uses wood heat. That's because wood stoves use radiant heat - they warm things around them, which heats the house more quickly and keeps the house warmer.

5. Efficiency. Assuming you have a newer stove, wood heat is quite efficient. And you will quickly learn which types of wood burn the hottest and longest in your stove, which makes this form of heating even more efficient.

6. Ambiance. What is cozier than sitting on the couch with your favorite warm beverage next to a wood stove while a storm is blustering away outside? Nothin'.

P.S. If you're concerned about the environmental impact or sustainability of wood stoves, I recommend this article.


P.P.S. Wondering what that fan is on top of our wood stove? It's an eco-fan that helps direct the heat of the stove toward our living area. It runs completely off the heat of the stove. We love it!

7 Gardening Hacks that DON'T Work

Winter on the homestead is a pretty quiet time. Other than caring for animals, doing a little winter canning, and the usual household stuff everyone does, there's not a lot of "homesteady" things going on. Except in my mind.

Because January is the perfect month to finalize garden plans, deciding exactly what I'm going to plant and where. So if I seem a little garden-centric lately, that's why.

As usual, I fuel my passion for gardening by browsing Pinterest gardening boards. I love looking at gorgeous gardens - especially food gardens - but this browsing also exposes me to some of Pinterest's...oddities. Namely, bad gardening advice. So you don't waste your time, money, and heart on bad gardening advice, here are the top gardening tips I see that really don't work.

1. Use eggshells (or egg cartons) for seed starting. These tiny containers don't allow seedlings to grow big, strong roots...And if you transplant your seedlings into bigger containers (or directly into the garden) before they have strong roots, your chances of success plummet. That said, starting containers don't have to cost a fortune. I'm partial to the plastic, lidded containers some greens and salads come in. You can also use the similar plastic containers that bakery goods come in, or tubs from store bought potato salad and the like. (More about using such containers here.) You can even make small pots from toilet paper tubes.

2. Plant your tomatoes with eggshells, Epsom salts, etc. It's true we need to feed the soil in order to feed our plants, but by the time all these organic materials have totally broken down and are available to give the plant nutrition, the plant may already be spent. It's far better to prepare the soil with lots of good, finished compost, shortly before planting. (Or, put uncomposted organic matter in the soil at least a season before planting.)

3. Plant everything in pots. Plant everything close together. This is not to say you should never do these things; they just not always the best route to take. A common myth among gardeners is that wide-spaced vegetable garden rows were first used when fuel powered tractors took hold of farming. Um...no. They were used long, long before that because plants that aren't very close to each other require less watering! Wide spacing allows their roots to spread, which gives them more access to water in the ground. So plant close together if you wish, but give plants room to grow and breathe (to avoid disease), and know that you'll have to water closely spaced plants more frequently. And if you plant in pots, understand that your plants will also need more watering than if they are planted in the ground (because the soil in pots dries out quickly). By the way, you know what the worst containers are? Those trendy metal ones. Put those in full sun and the soil in them will dry out very, very quickly. (P.S. One type of plant I do recommend growing in pots are herbs that tend to spread and take over the garden.)


4. Grow tomatoes in upside down containers. Here's the thing: Healthy tomato plants have big, long roots. Those upside down containers don't give them nearly enough root room - which means your plant will not give you a good harvest. Plus, tomatoes are heavy drinkers (so to speak), and as I already mentioned, things grown in pots require additional watering.

5. Use a planting guide. Often these are apparently supposed to be universal. That is to say, they are designed for someone in California, or Montana, or New York, or Missouri to use. But all those places have different climates. (In fact, all those places have multiple gardening climates.) So such planting guides are pretty useless. If you need help knowing when to plant what, your best bet is to look at your local extension garden website. (And if the website doesn't help, call your local extension office. Click here to find your local extension office.)

6. Worry about companion planting. Okay, so some people really do believe that some plants grow better next to certain other plants, or that some plants don't grow well together at all. But in my experience, as long as you pay attention to the plant's soil and light requirements, this is definitely not the case. For example, common companion planting advice is that peas and beans (Courtesy of
Logan C) don't grow well next to onions. Well, I've grown them together many times and had a great harvest. So my advice is to not get caught up in this type of advice.

7. Grow potatoes in towers. There is one persistent myth I see all over the internet: Grow 100 lbs. of potatoes in a 4 square foot potato tower. Long story short: It's not true. Read why - and learn better ways to grow potatoes - here.

Related Posts:
* Newbie Vegetable Gardening Mistakes - and How to Avoid Them 
* The Pros and Cons of Raised Bed and In-the-Ground Vegetable Gardens
* Starting a Vegetable Garden on a Budget 
* 10 Tips for Brand New Vegetable Gardeners
* Getting More From This Year's Garden