Category Archives: Garden

Gardening in Texas hardiness Zone 8a

Why I Grow My Own Luffa Sponges (and why you should too!)

by Texas Homesteader ~ 

Did you know you can easily grow your own luffa (or loofah) sponge in your garden? They’re easy to grow, eco friendly and fully compostable. And so many uses too! Use them in the shower, in the kitchen, in an exfoliating soap and more!

You can grow your own luffa sponge in your garden. They're easy to grow, eco friendly and fully compostable. #TexasHomesteader

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Grow Fresh Salad Greens In All Seasons

by Texas Homesteader ~ 

RancherMan & I enjoy eating salads almost daily. I feel it offers two main benefits.

First that dose of fresh veggies is obvs gonna be healthy. And secondly,  enjoying that crisp salad before supper puts my appetite in check by the time the actual entrée is served.

Plus, I can make a very Healthy Salad Dressing in only about 1 minute using unflavored yogurt and lemon juice as a base. So our salads are not only delicious but very healthy too.

But I hate how perishable lettuce is. And the fact that it’s always encased in plastic (at least where we live)

For Christmas I was gifted a windowsill salad growing kit, including two self-watering planters, seed-starting mix and a couple of packets of mixed salad greens. Let’s DO this!

Even in the miserable weather of winter, I'm growing salad greens inside using a self-watering planter pot. Fresh salads at my fingertips! #TexasHomesteader

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FREE Biodegradable Seed Pots – Repurposing Cardboard Tubes

by Texas Homesteader ~ 

Zero-waste seed starting pots using repurposed cardboard. Just plant seeds in repurposed cardboard tubes and when you’re ready to plant the seedlings you can transfer them – cardboard tube & all – right into the garden! The cardboard will decompose and enrich the soil too.

Plant Seeds In Cardboard Tubes and you can drop seedlings - tube & all right in the garden! Cardboard will decompose and enrich the soil #TexasHomesteader

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My Fresh Herb-Drying Setup – No Dehydrator Or Energy Required!

by Texas Homesteader ~ 

Using home-grown herbs elevates the flavor of any dish – the fresher the herb, the more intense the flavor!

The final harvest of all my fresh herbs from the garden happens just before the first killing frost of the season. Then I preserve them to use all year long.

I’ll show you the simple way I dry lots of fresh herbs with no dehydrator or even electricity needed. 

Herb drying doesn't need to take any energy or special appliances. Come see my herb-drying setup. #TexasHomesteader

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The Surprising Benefit Of Leaves In The Garden – Don’t Throw Them Away!

by Texas Homesteader ~ 

This time of year many are dealing with lots of falling leaves. But don’t send them to the landfill! They can be used to keep your garden soil healthy and suppress weeds.

That all adds up to a healthier garden with less work. What’s not to love??!  

I use leaves for mulch instead of raking and bagging them and sending them to the landfill. There are lots of ways the garden benefits. #TexasHomesteader

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Repurposed Coffee Can To Deep-Soak Plants & Conserve Water

by Texas Homesteader ~ 

We’re always looking for ways to repurpose empty coffee cans. I’ve found a way to use them in the vegetable garden to keep my vegetable plants healthy & conserve water too.

Come see my water conservation tips.

A repurposed coffee can can be used for deep soak watering in the garden. It conserves water while allowing water to slowly drip. #TexasHomesteader

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Garden Update: Gardening In Texas In A Hot & Humid August

by Texas Homesteader ~ 

Whelp, it’s August y’all. In TEXAS! August typically means hot and dry weather. And typically the end of the garden too. 

Usually this is when I quit fighting the garden altogether and let it go dormant. When it’s this hot and dry – even if I can keep the plants alive – nothing wants to set fruit anyway.  

But this year I’m actually still in the garden most days. Not to harvest, oh no! But hopefully to squeak things through for a fall garden. This year all has not been lost. Come see.

August is usually so hot & dry the garden goes dormant. But this year we've had some successes too. Come see! #TexasHomesteader

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