Whether you’re heating your home with wood or enjoying an evening with friends and family around the fire pit, properly seasoned firewood is the key to a hot, clean-burning, crackling …
It’s 1 AM, and I’m surrounded by three books, a digital magazine opened on my tablet, a podcast on my phone and a carousel of open tabs in my browser. …
If you’ve been gardening for longer than five minutes, then you already know the benefits of compost. This “Black Gold” is touted for its ability to improve all manner of …
For a good portion of the United States, rosemary needs to be grown as an annual. Those of us living where winter means serious business have to start our rosemary …
This is the best pumpkin butter you will ever eat. I know, it’s a bold claim, but it’s just that good. I’ve been making the same pumpkin butter recipe for …
Allow me to introduce you to the spring bulb that will make your neighbors envious. Ok, so envy is not exactly the sentiment I’m encouraging here. I’m hoping for more …
If you’re a longtime reader of Rural Sprout, you know my love of Christmas cactuses and talking about how to get them to bloom. If you’re not a longtime reader, …
Most gardeners wait for the first frost with trepidation. I know when our first frost was predicted this week, I made several trips in and out of the house, bringing …
You’d think that after fifteen years of planting tulip bulbs in the fall, my enthusiasm would have tapered off by now. Alas, it hasn’t and probably never will. Not only …
It’s fall, and that means it’s time to rake the leaves. Or leave them where they land. But before you opt for your usual choice, you might want to consider …
Over the past couple of years, I’ve become slightly obsessed with bringing more edimentals into my garden. If you’re not familiar with this term, it refers to plants that are …
Now that the kids are all too old to go trick-or-treating, I rarely do much for Halloween. My fall decorations are usually just that, fall-themed. You know, chrysanthemums, a few …
Fall is the time to plant garlic. And this fall, I’ll be trying a brand-new way of growing garlic that I learned from my new neighbor. Judging by the size …
It’s officially fall, and that first frost will be here before you know it. Don’t be one of the many gardeners caught unaware when it happens. For much of your …
I have a theory that there are two types of gardeners in this world. Those who see a plant they don’t recognize, think ‘what’s this doing here?’ and then pull …
Each fall, you’ll see gardening articles spread across the internet telling people to deadhead their mums to encourage another round of blooms. As someone who actually gardens, I’m here to …
Every fall, we all run out and purchase chrysanthemums to decorate our homes. Their glorious fall-colored hues bring a splash of bold color to our homes as the natural world …
Pinch the flowers! Pick your basil often! I hear and see these gardening admonishments all over the internet, and for good reason. If you want a bumper crop of basil, …
Wait, wait … Don’t prune it! My other half often jokes about me having a panel show in the style of Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me! Except it would …
It happens to us all. We have this picture-perfect experience planned in our heads. You’ll wear a cute fall outfit with a cozy fall sweater; the kids will all have …
Most of us treat fall as the end of the gardening year. The tomatoes have all been picked, we tidy (or don’t tidy) our garden beds, and we’ve got at …
So many gardeners are missing out on one of the coolest experiences of gardening – planting and growing a winter garden. Oh sure, we all like to grow a handful …
New gardeners or forgetful gardeners (hi, friends) who want a fall garden have already missed the boat by the time true fall rolls around. So, if you’re dreaming of Brussels …
For the most part, knowing when a vegetable is ready to harvest is pretty easy. Tomatoes turn red, beans fill out and lengthen, lettuce becomes full and glossy. But for …
I have the following phrase written down in my gardening journal for this coming weekend: Decide what to do with BES! What the helianthus does that even mean, Mickey? Who’s …