Learn to grow your own food with our expert how-to guides, practical tips, and strategies to help improve the harvest.
shop suppliesInspired by the food shortages during the early days of covid, and the memories of his Grandmother’s front yard garden, urban gardener Milan Turner started out on a concrete patio growing in containers and fabric grow bags. Read about some of his earliest lessons he learned since starting a garden.
Soil blocking is a method of propagating seedlings that involves filling a metal blocking tool with soil and squeezing to form a compressed cube. Seeds are planted directly into the formed block. Soil blocks come in various sizes and are advantageous for air prunin...
At What Stage Do You Up Pot or Transplant Seedlings? Learn from the experts at Bootstrap Farmer all of the top tips for successfully transplanting seedlings into bigger pots or outdoors.
Want to start your plants in a cell seed starting trays? Do you know what size best fits your needs? We will go over the different options to help you select which is best for you.
What you can grow will depend on your location, the microclimates at play, and the space available. Talk to your local extension agent for information on gardening in your area.
For beginners, raised bed and grow bag gardening are excellent choices due to their simplicity and ease of setup. Raised beds offer better soil control and drainage while minimizing weed growth, making them ideal for new gardeners. Grow bags, on the other hand, are portable, require minimal space, and are perfect for growing a variety of plants, making them a beginner-friendly option.
Some vegetables do better when planted together as companions. A great example is that tomatoes and basil make great companions, as basil enhances tomato flavor while deterring pests. Carrots and onions also grow well together, with onions warding off carrot flies and vice versa. Additionally, beans, corn, and squash planted together in the "Three Sisters" method support each other's growth and space utilization.