Recent Post
Soaker Hose vs Drip Irrigation for Raised Beds
Drip irrigation waters raised beds more evenly and handles timers and multiple beds; a soaker hose is cheaper and fine for one short, level bed. A side-by-side table, when each wins, and a 4×8 layout for both.
Paper Towel Germination Test: How to Test Old Seeds
Roll at least 20 seeds in a damp paper towel, seal it in a bag somewhere warm and count the sprouts. The germination percentage formula with a worked example, how long to wait by crop, and how many seeds to sow per cell once you know your rate.
How to Start Lettuce Seeds Indoors
Sow lettuce indoors 8 to 6 weeks before your last frost and plant it out 4 to 3 weeks before. Why the seed wants light and a cool tray, days to sprout by soil temperature, seeds per cell, and when to direct sow instead.
How to Start Broccoli Seeds Indoors (Spring and Fall)
Sow broccoli seeds 8 to 6 weeks before your last frost and plant them out 4 to 2 weeks before it, or start them about 13 weeks before your first fall frost. Germination temperatures, cool growing, hardening off and how to keep broccoli from buttoning.
Seed Planting Depth Chart for Vegetables
Plant a seed about twice as deep as it is wide. A per-crop depth chart in inches for tray starts and direct sowing, with light seeds, heavy soil and summer sowing covered.
How to Filter Maple Syrup (and What Sugar Sand Is)
Filter maple syrup hot, right off the pan, through a paper prefilter over a wool or Orlon felt cone, then bottle it at 180°F or hotter. What sugar sand is, settling instead of filtering, why syrup turns cloudy, bottling temperatures and how to clean filters.