Garden Betty
Follow this board for all the best tips, tricks, and tools for edible gardeners! Whether you're into raised bed gardening, container gardening, urban homesteading, or backyard chicken-keeping, you'll find plenty of free resources for growing annuals, perennials, vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs. Learn how to choose the right plants for your foodscape and grow the kitchen garden of your dreams!
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Mallow Weed: The Wild Edible That’s Also a Love Potion
Nutritional powerhouse, medicinal herb, and… ancient aphrodisiac?! Common mallow is much maligned in the garden as just another weed, but there’s more to this wild forage than you think. Not only is the entire plant edible (from roots to fruits), it was once described as having magical sensual powers!
How to Keep Pests Away from the Cabbage Family (Without Sprays)
Planting cabbage family crops in spring (like kale and broccoli) has its benefits, but also its drawbacks. While brassicas thrive in cooler weather, they’re also more susceptible to pests that emerge early in the season. Here’s what you can do to keep cabbageworms, cabbage loopers, and slugs off your tender seedlings—without using sprays or poison.
Best Garden Hose Nozzles
A nozzle might not seem like a major purchase, but if you’ve had to replace many nozzles over the years due to leaking or breaking, you know how much it adds up! That’s why I’ve put together this buyer’s guide with the best garden hose nozzles, updated to give you the top-rated options on the market right now.
How Long Do Seeds Last? Check This Seed Viability Chart
Have you ever dug into a pile of old seeds and wondered if they’re still good, or whether you should buy new ones? How long do vegetable seeds and herb seeds last anyway? The short answer: It depends. Here’s what you need to know about seed viability vs. seed vigor.
How to Freeze Parsley, Cilantro, Chives and Other Herbs
If you grow an abundance of fresh herbs in the garden in summer, here’s a quick and easy way to preserve them to enjoy all year long… all without hanging them up to dry! Put your freezer to work to keep the flavors fresh. These are my three favorite ways to freeze all kinds of herbs, from basil and parsley to rosemary and chives.
13 Fruits and Vegetables That Help You Fall Asleep Faster and Stay Asleep Longer
Are there certain foods that help you sleep better? Science says yes—and you might even have some of them in your garden or kitchen already. These 13 fruits and vegetables (plus a highly revered medicinal herb) contain sleep-promoting compounds like magnesium and melatonin that naturally make you sleepier.
How to Safely Get Rid of Wasps Without Getting Stung
The sight of a wasp nest isn’t always cause for alarm. Some wasps are relatively harmless and actually do good in your yard, while others can be pretty nasty, especially if they’re provoked. Here’s how to tell when it’s best to leave wasps alone and when to get rid of them.
Best Oscillating Sprinklers
Are you trying to cover a lot of ground in your yard? Then an oscillating sprinkler might be right up your alley. Check out this updated buyer’s guide for a detailed comparison of five top-rated sprinklers that can help make your job easier in the garden, whether you’re watering your lawn or your flower beds.
Best Cordless Trimmers and Weed Eaters
If you have grass or landscape borders in your yard, a string trimmer is a necessity to keep things tidy. But which one should you get, and why should you go with a battery-powered trimmer over a gas-powered model? Keep reading to learn about the best cordless trimmers and weed eaters on the market.
Why Tomato Leaves Have That Unique Smell
If there’s one thing most people notice first about tomato plants, it’s the smell. But I’m not talking the smell of a fresh, ripe tomato cut open—I’m talking about the distinctive grassy, musky smell of tomato leaves that no other plant has. Why do tomato leaves smell like that? There’s a good reason for it!
Construction Loans: What I Wish I'd Known As a First-Time Borrower
If you’re hoping to build a house, the process of qualifying for, funding, and repaying the loan isn’t as straightforward as getting a traditional home mortgage. This is everything you need to know about construction loans: what type to apply for, how your future house gets appraised, how much money you can borrow, and what happens once your home is complete.
How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Fast!) In the Oven
Sun-dried tomatoes have an intense, sweet-tart flavor that seems to capture the very essence of a ripe summer tomato. But, you don’t have to dry them in the sun for days or weeks on end to reap the benefits. Here’s how you can use your oven to dry them in a fraction of the time.
Beginner's Guide to Growing a Vibrant Chinese Evergreen Plant (Aglaonema Care)
Chances are, you’ve seen an Aglaonema plant somewhere: offices, shops, maybe even a friend’s house. This classic houseplant is wildly popular since there’s a color and pattern to fit nearly any decor. Chinese evergreens are also easy to care for, thanks to their low light needs and general unfussiness.
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