by Texas Homesteader ~

There are some plants that work perfectly for a lazy gardener. You know the ones – you plant them once and they provide you with food year after year? I’m sharing some of my faves.

Our homestead is located in NE Texas – in planting zone 8. So your lazy-gardener plant list may be slightly different than mine depending upon your typical weather conditions.

But following is a list of things I – for the most part – planted once and then pretty much just forgot about. And some of these things have provided food for us for several years so far, with several more years to go.

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 

Here in NE Texas the summers can be hot and dry. So veggie garden plants can benefit and be protected by using mulch to cover the soil. It protects it from the drying heat of that brutal Texas summer sun.

It also helps preserve the precious moisture that can be zapped by the hot and dry summer months.

You can buy commercial mulch of course. But I’ve been known to use natural (and FREE) products when mulching around trees and plants. Things such as grass clippings, Free Bark Mulch or even spent hay from around the hay rings.

But for my vegetable garden I’m using something even easier. And it’s something that doesn’t need to be purchased in a plastic bag nor hauled to the garden. No hoe or rake to spread, no extra work at all.

Check out this work-saving Homestead Hack, y’all!

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by Texas Homesteader ~

It’s only March, but there’s much to do now to prepare for your vegetable garden. Spring is almost here, y’all!

Decisions need to be made. Do you know what you’ll plant this year? What does your family like to eat? What about companion planting?

 I’ve been both planning for (as well as actually working in) my garden already. For my garden, I’ve made a Simple Spreadsheet to track the data on my garden each year. It helps me see what I grew where last year and I’ve noted companion planting data too.

Your garden will obviously be different, but it’s easy to set up a spreadsheet like this. Or some people just use a notebook and hand-written notes. Whatever’s easiest for you.

OK, so you’ve got the garden planned. Now you need to get started. Come see what’s going on this month for planning our garden…

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 
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Several years ago I became aware that you could actually grow your own luffa (or loofah) sponge in the garden.

Whaaaaa…..??

You mean those little scrubby things you use in the shower? Who knew??!!

Now I always grow my own luffa sponges and couldn’t be happier!

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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!

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