Niki Jabbour's Blog, page 51

Heirloom seeds: The ultimate guide to selecting and growing heirloom seeds

Heirloom seeds are popular with home gardeners, but what exactly is an heirloom seed? The true definition is often debated but most experts classify an heirloom variety as one that is open-pollinated and has been in cultivation for at least fifty years. In my own vegetable garden, many of our favorite crops are heirloom varieties [&hellip

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How to grow garlic in pots: The best method for success

Growing your own garlic is a very fulfilling task. The varieties available to home growers are far more diverse and flavorful than what you can find at the grocery store. Plus, growing garlic is pretty easy. But what if you don’t have an in-ground vegetable garden? Can you still grow garlic? Absolutely! In this article, [&hellip

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Tulip planting depth: How to plant your tulip bulbs for optimal blooms

You’ve picked out a variety of tulip bulbs and you’re excited to dig them into the garden for spring. Besides choosing the right location for your bulbs (more on that in a moment), knowing the recommended tulip planting depth for your particular bulb(s) is an important step. Plant flower bulbs in the ground as soon [&hellip

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Indoor food garden ideas: 11 easy vegetables and fruits to get you started

There’s no need to let cold weather or a lack of outdoor garden space stop you from growing food. There are many vegetables, fruits, and herbs that can be grown indoors. Below you’ll find 11 indoor food garden ideas to get you started. Some, like sprouts and microgreens, are very quick to go from seed [&hellip

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Lithops: How to grow and care for living stone plants

Lithops are one of the most unique houseplants you can grow. Also called living stones, their crazy-cool appearance makes them both a curiosity and a prized treasure for houseplant enthusiasts. Yes, lithops can be a challenge to grow, but success is possible if they receive enough sun and are grown in very well-drained potting mix. [&hellip

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Perennials for small gardens: Choose flowers and foliage that will stand out

I love going for walks through my neighbourhood and on garden tours, and seeing which plants the resident gardeners have chosen, and how they’ve arranged them. It’s a great way to gather ideas. You can see which plants might be space hogs and which ones work well in small spaces. Whether you have a postage-stamp-sized [&hellip

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Growing brussels sprouts: A seed to harvest guide

As a kid I was definitely not a fan of brussels sprouts. Boy, have times changed! Now I grow several varieties every year, waiting impatiently for the harvest season to begin in late autumn. Growing brussels sprouts isn’t difficult but it does require patience as the plants take about four months to go from seed [&hellip

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Top dressing the lawn: How to have thicker, healthier grass

If you love the look of a lush, green lawn, but you don’t want to spread synthetic chemical fertilizers where your kids and pets play, consider feeding your lawn naturally instead. Top dressing a lawn with compost is the best way to provide the long-lasting, slow-release nutrients that encourage optimum turf grass growth. In this [&hellip

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Garden weeds: Identifying the unwanted plants in our gardens

Every spring, I see various iterations of this quote superimposed over various plants or in some fancy graphic: “What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” It’s by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Can someone please tell me what the virtues of bindweed are? I haven’t discovered them yet. In fact, this [&hellip

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Garden soil amendments: 6 organic choices to improve your soil

There are very few gardens with naturally perfect soil for growing plants. But, as gardeners we have a wide assortment of garden soil amendments we can add to build soil, improve structure, provide nutrients, and promote healthy plant growth. I rely on amendments like compost, leaf mold, and aged manure digging them into my beds [&hellip

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