This post was most recently updated on January 25th, 2020

Gardening Articles

Do you dream of self sufficiency? The first step to providing your own food is to grow your own self sufficient garden. Get all you need to know to get started.

This is the growing collection of recipes, tips and tricks related to your vegetable garden, growing herbs and fruit at your place.

Our Monthly Gardening Guide for Zones 1-10

Note: I am based in New Zealand, but 90% of my readers are from the USA so the months/seasons are done for the northern hemisphere. For the right one for the southern hemisphere, simply add on 6 months and use that one instead

Knowing what to plant in your garden in September is very helpful for planning your garden. This is also what people in the Southern hemisphere should plant in March!

WHat to grow in your garden in early spring - may in the northern hemisphere or September in the southern hemisphere. #piwakawakavalley

Here is what to plant in your spring garden in April in the northern hemisphere or October in the southern hemisphere, for USDA zones 1-10. #gardening #veggiegarden #vegetablegarden #homesteading #piwakawakavalley

What to grow in your spring garden in march in the northern hemisphere or in september in the southern hemisphere #homesteading #piwakaeakavalley

Knowing what to grow in your winter vegetable garden is tricky. Here is a list of plants in your USDA Zone that you can plant in February (or July) beginner gardening, growing food, urban garden, winter garden, vegetable garden, self sufficiency

Not sure what to plant in your Winter garden this month? Here is a list of tasks and plants that are suitable for the month of January - or July in the Southern Hemisphere. #vegetablegarden #wintergarden #homesteading

Not sure what to plant in your Winter garden this month? Here is a list of tasks and plants that are suitable for the month of December - or June in the Southern Hemisphere. #vegetablegarden #wintergarden #homesteading

Not sure what to plant in your Fall garden this month? Here is a list of tasks and plants that are suitable for the month of November - or May in the Southern Hemisphere. #vegetablegarden #fallgarden #homesteading

Here is some helpful advice for your garden this fall/autumn. A list of tasks to do and plants you can plant in October in the Northern Hemisphere and April in the Southern Hemisphere.

Knowing what to plant in your garden in August is very helpful for planning your garden. This is also what people in the southern hemisphere should plant in February!

How do you what to plant in your vegetable garden in June? Gardening information sure can get a bit confusing at times! You may get a book to follow along with what to plant in the garden week by week. But unless it is written for your specific area, you will probably struggle if you follow it. Here I will show you what to plant in your vegetable garden in June if you are in the Northern Hemisphere and what to plant in your vegetable garden in December if you are in the Southern Hemisphere.

Gardening Articles

Are apple trees better to plant, or peach trees? promo image

There are pros and cons to growing vegetables from seed and there are pros and cons to growing vegetables from seedlings. Below is a list of the positives and negatives to both ways of growing plants for your garden, a list of which vegetables do better from seeds or transplants, and how to grow vegetables from either method.

why arent my tomatoes going red promo image

A good compost pile can be a great source of nutrients for your garden. A bad compost pile can be a stinky, slimy disaster. Below is a list of 35 examples of what not to put in compost piles or bins.

Growing your own food is brilliant, and adding chickens to your backyard improves your self sufficiency and resilience. But how do you protect your garden from the chickens? Protecting the garden from free range hens is a really common problem for most backyard chicken owners! Chickens love to look for their own food, to dig and scratch and dust bathe in bare soil. Not to mention snack on fresh young green plants.

how to prune fruit trees in winter in your backyard orchard. Pruning apple, pear, apricot, peach, plum and nectarine trees in to a vase or goblet shape is easy with these pruning tips and guides, video included.

free succession planting spreadsheet garden planner

5 Secrets to a High Yield Vegetable Garden 1

reasons to grow a food forest promo image

Manzanilla tea has many benefits. Also known as chamomile, this plant grows well in herb gardens and is a great medicinal herb to add to your natural medicine first aid kit. Grow this plant in your backyard today

Poor growth in your garden this season? Even in composted raised beds? If your vegetables are stunted and slow growing, or your plants are not growing at all, this could be the remedy that you need. Plants with nitrogen deficiency struggle to grow and here is what you need to do to add nitrogen to your garden soil. #gardening #piwakawakavalley

Have you got a bumper carrot harvest and need tips on storing your root vegetables over winter without the refrigerator? Here are several ways to store carrots, beets, turnips after harvest. #piwakawakavalley #storingtheharvest #foodpreservation #rootcellar #carrots #beets

4 Easy steps to start a vegetable garden from scratch, a beginners guide to growing your own vegetables and food plants at home. Become more self sufficient this season and grow some veggies in your own garden. #beginnergarden #piwakawakavalley

big list of nitrogen fixing plants for your garden #piwakawakavalley

Companion Planting can be a confusing business. It takes a while to get your head around companion plant combinations that work and don't work together. Some plants work better with others and some are a terrible combination and they both struggle. Here are some well known combinations that work and you should aim for, or don't and you should avoid.

Simple and affordable seed raising table ideas. Can be used as a heated propagation table for growing plants from cuttings, or germinating seeds for the vegetable garden. #piwakawakavalley

Grow food from scraps that you would usually throw away with these handy kitchen hacks. Easy to grow foods that you can try to grow at home #piwakawakavalley

Not all fruit is sold in the store. Here are 10 delicious fruits that you can grow in your backyard that are not available commercially! Perfect for growing in a food forest or orchard #homesteads #urbanhomesteading #gardening #piwakawakavalley

5 common diseases that affect all citrus trees including oranges, limes and lemons. If you are growing these fruits in your garden, this post is for you! Pin it for later #citrusplants #orchard #piwakawakavalley

Here are some salad greens that you can plant now and have salad greens next winter! Perennial, self sowing and super tasty you should try these wild greens #forrage #piwakawakavalley

Here is the information you have been looking for! How to grow green beans, what is the difference between green beans and scarlet runner beans and are beans a good plant for beginner gardeners? Check out these helpful tips to get you started #vegetablegarden #getgrowing #piwakawakavalley

Are you new to gardening? Here is the beginners guide to growing cabbage for your vegetable garden, in step by step fashion, everything you need to know about planting cabbage in your backyard #vegetablegarden #piwakawakavalley

Are you new to gardening? Here is the beginners guide to growing peas for your vegetable garden, in step by step fashion, everything you need to know about planting peas in your backyard #vegetablegarden #piwakawakavalley

Tiny concentrations of picloram, clopyralid and aminopyralid, as low as 1 ppb (parts per billion), can be lethal to sensitive garden plants such as peas, beans, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes and potatoes.

Growing vegetables in containers is a very efficient and convenient way to enjoy both gardening and fresh produce from right outside your kitchen. The following are some of the best vegetables to grow in containers and pots.

Pruning tomatoes correctly can be so confusing when you are a beginner gardener. Here is a step by step guide to pruning tomatoes correctly for a bumper crop of toms in your garden this coming season #vegetablegardening #piwakawakavalley

Blossom end rot affects all sorts of plants including tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini. Luckily blossom end rot is easy to diagnose and easy to treat in your backyard garden, tunnel house, or green house. #piwakawakavalley

Make your own Effective Pesticide Neem Oil and Garlic Organic Spray Recipe

When you start a new garden, or renovate and old one, plants can be expensive! Did you know you can get free plants by dividing flax, tussock and other grasses? #gardening #frugal #homesteading

We have set up this passive grey water recycling system that feeds my plants while I am busy doing other things. DIY, do it yourself, make your own, recycle, upcycle, shabby chic, aged wood, rustic, DIY home decor, DIY craft, make your own gifts, DIY projects, DIY instructions, #selfsufficiency #blacksmith #diyproject #diyoutdoorprojects

Are you thinking about growing chamomile in your herb garden this season? You should! Here is everything you need to know about growing and using chamomile around the homestead and in herbal remedies #piwakawakavalley

Grab your free PDF seed sowing and harvesting guide, what to plant and when in your garden.

Are you thinking about growing comfrey in your herb garden this season? You should! Here is everything you need to know about growing and using comfrey around the homestead and in herbal remedies #piwakawakavalley

Are you thinking about growing thyme in your herb garden this season? You should! Here is everything you need to know about growing and using thyme around the homestead and in herbal remedies #piwakawakavalley

Growing potatoes in pots, a beginners guide to growing your own potatoes. You can grow spuds in pots, containers or tyres with great results. Find out how today! #piwakawakavalley #potatoes #vegeteablegarden

Are you thinking about growing sage in your herb garden this season? You should! Here is everything you need to know about growing and using sage around the homestead and in herbal remedies #piwakawakavalley

Growing great vegetables and flowers required great soil. Find out which organic amendments are best for your soil here. Make sure you prepare your soil well for planting this spring by using these additions to your garden

Growing and using hyssop the herb on the homestead and in your herb garden in your backyard. #piwakawakavalley

Learn these great gardening tips, from a seasoned gardener. Growing potatoes using the back to Eden method of gardening is by far the easiest way to get a good crop of potatoes for beginner gardeners. Follow this step by step guide to growing a good crop of spuds in your vegetable garden this season

Growing tomatoes isn't the easiest. Here are some useful, practical tips for improving your tomato harvest this growing season. #piwakawakavalley

If you are growing seedlings for transplanting in to your vegetable garden this season, be sure to harden the seedlings off correctly before moving the baby plants outside to your permanent garden beds. #piwakawakavalley

How to turn bad soil into good soil. Preparing the soil before planting is a key part of growing a garden. Restoring soil is possible when you follow the right steps to improve the soil in your vegetable garden. #piwakawakavalley

Designing a food forest from the ground up can be an overwhelming and seemingly insurmountable task at the beginning. I have created a series to help you in the design process. I will hold your hand while you get the hang of it all. I am right there beside you growing my own food forest from scratch with you.

Kale is one of the easiest vegetable plants for beginners to grow! Here are step by step instructions on how to grow it in your vegetable or herb garden, or even in pots or containers. Get the full easy instructions in this beginner gardener guide #vegetablegardening #piwakawakavalley

Spinach is one of the easiest vegetable plants for beginners to grow! Here are step by step instructions on how to grow it in your vegetable or herb garden, or even in pots or containers. Get the full easy instructions in this beginner gardener guide #vegetablegardening #piwakawakavalley

Lettuce is one of the easiest vegetable plants for beginners to grow! Here are step by step instructions on how to grow it in your vegetable or herb garden, or even in pots or containers. Get the full easy instructions in this beginner gardener guide #vegetablegardening #piwakawakavalley

Are you new to gardening? Here is the beginners guide to growing carrots for your vegetable garden, in step by step fashion, everything you need to know about planting carrots in your backyard #vegetablegarden #piwakawakavalley

The first thing you need to find out is roughly what USDA Zone you live in. USDA Zones are divided up based on your area's average temperatures over the last 30 or so years. Knowing what zone you are in will ensure you are planting the right plants at the right time of year for optimal success.

Are you new to gardening? Here is the beginners guide to growing lavender for your vegetable garden, in step by step fashion, everything you need to know about planting lavender in your backyard #vegetablegarden #piwakawakavalley

Back to Eden Gardening is a method of no till and minimal input gardening that is a great and productive way of growing lots of vegetables from your backyard. This beginners guide will show you how BTE gardening can work at your place. #backtoedengarden #vegetablegardening #piwakawakavalley

Are you new to gardening? Here is the beginners guide to growing broccoli for your vegetable garden, in step by step fashion, everything you need to know about planting broccoli in your backyard #vegetablegarden #piwakawakavalley

Saving water is a key skill when you are homesteading. Use these useful hacks to conserve water on your farm and reduce your water bill and stay safe in a drought #homesteads #homesteading #piwakawakavalley

Grafting fruit trees ourselves means we have to wait a couple more years for fruit. It also means I can do it for around $6/tree.

Growing a food forest is a great way to use permaculture to ensure you have a sustainable, organic, perennial food production space in your backyard. We include 5 steps to creating a food forest at your place.

Herbal medicine is the foundation of almost all of our modern medicines, and when practised wisely by a skilled practitioner, it can be just as effective, if not more so. There are many benefits of herbal medicine, here we will explore the top 7 benefits of using home remedies, as well as some of the risks associated with using traditional herbal medicines. #naturalremedies #herbalmedicine #piwakawakavalley

Growing a vegetable garden is the first step in self sufficiency, food security and knowing where you food comes from.

Buying a homestead is the dream of many. It does come with its own risks and benefits. If you buy the wrong block of land, you will be stuck with the consequences for a long time to come. It is important to think very carefully before buying a block of land. Buying rural land is very different to buying in the city, and the bigger the plot, the more there is to consider. #piwakawakavalley #homesteading #homestead #rurallife

Foraging for food is super satisfying, but these 5 foods you do not have to travel far to find. In fact you can probably forage from your backyard for this list. It might surprise you that you can eat them, but you can, and they are delicious!

Have you put off growing herbs in your garden because you don't know where to start? Here is some tips for beginners to growing your own herbs at home. #herbs #gardening #homesteading

I seriously miss fresh vegetables over the winter. Here are 5 plants that grow really well indoors over winter.

Are you a beginner gardener? Here are 10 of the easiest vegetables for beginners to grow in their garden. #vegetablegarden #Beginnergardening #piwakawakavalley

Honey bees are facing extinction. There are some things we can do to help ensure their survival. Having a garden full of bee friendly plants is one of them. Here are 40 fabulous plants to get you started with planing a bee friendly garden. #bees #keepingbees #gardening #sustainability #homesteading

These are the 3 tricks I use for my Heirloom tomatoes to tell when they are ripe as they come in such a large range of colors. Here is how to tell if green, yellow, black, pink and red tomatoes are ready to harvest. #tomatoes #growingtomatoes #summerharvest #homestead #gardening #garden #selfsufficiency

Use permaculture zones to plan your backyard and homestead with these tips on permaculture design #piwakawakavalley

The benefits to having your own compost in your garden is huge. Here at 5 of the best reasons why you should be making your own compost.

Building a compost pile is a necessary thing for your garden. Compost is very beneficial and it is a lot easier to get right than you might think! Find out how to do it today, or pin it for later!

Do you want to grow a garden, but aren't sure where to start? Our seed sowing guide for beginners with give you the tips on tricks you need to sow your own seeds

Growing your own garlic is so super easy. I challenge you to give it a go this year! Growing garlic as a cash crop is a legitimate option for making money from your garden.

The benefits of cover crops, green manure result in a productive garden

Imagine growing vegetables that require just about the same amount of care as perennial flowers and shrubs—no annual tilling and planting. They thrive and produce abundant and nutritious crops throughout the season. Once established in the proper site and climate, perennial vegetables planted can be virtually indestructible despite neglect.

Crop rotation is a simple concept often made difficult. With a good permaculture crop rotation system you will develop a productive garden.

Beginners Guide to Growing

If you are brand new to gardening, this is the page to start on! Here are all the ‘how to grow’ instructional posts for all the vegetables the you might want to grow in your garden.

The Self Sufficient Garden

Being self sufficient is the dream of any homesteader. Having a self sufficient garden is the beginning of becoming a producer rather than a consumer.

There are many reasons to grow your own vegetables, having food self reliance is only one of them.

Planning to be self sufficient in your garden takes some organisation and thought. Permaculture zones are a great place to start when planning a homestead.

They help you plan what you will use most often, and how to minimise your travel around your yard.

There are things you can do to reduce the amount of time you spend in your garden, making your place an efficient homestead.

Mulching, cover crops and perennial vegetables all play a part in a permaculture garden.

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There are other things that you can do to save more money in the garden – make your own organic bug sprays, graft your own trees or grow your plants from seed.

If you haven’t grown anything in the past, I suggest our guide to starting a garden from scratch.

Once you are sorted with the basics you can jump on and follow our weekly garden guide that lets you know what you need to do and when in your garden.

Gardening Articles

Our Monthly Gardening Guide for Zones 1-10

Gardening Articles

Beginners Guide to Growing

The Self Sufficient Garden

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