By -Georgia Lund- Urban gardens are popping up everywhere across the nation. Groups and individuals are purchasing vacant city lots that were deemed as undesirable and useless and transformed them into productive plots of land that can produce enough food to feed several families. Urban farming is a trend that is gaining momentum because it’s an affordable, achievable way to solve the hunger problem in many urban areas.Community Garden UpdatedUrban gardens, or urban farming as it’s also called, is the updated version of a community garden. Community gardens have been...

By -Georgia Lund- Rock gardens are the perfect solution for those with brown thumbs, rocky slopes or for those that just don’t want the responsibility of tending to an all-green garden. Rock gardens can transform a barren terrain into an attractive and inviting outdoor space. Since rocks are the feature, with a little greenery tucked in, maintenance for these types of gardens is minimal. Use these tips for creating your unique rock garden this weekend. Pick a Spot A rock garden can be a little circle tucked into a small...

  By -Georgia Lund- Organic gardening is not complicated and can be done in three easy steps; mulch, treat and get a toad. With the three easy steps outlined below, you can garden without the use of chemicals or pesticides and enjoy a bountiful harvest. Mulch is a Must Mulch is a vital element for an organic garden. A four-inch layer of mulch placed on top of garden soil eliminates the need to use chemical weed killers. The mulch will prevent the growth of unwanted weeds while helping to retain...

  By -Georgia Lund- Since the majority of spring flower bulbs require time spent in cold temperature before they will bloom, a beautiful spring flower garden must start in the fall. Selecting healthy bulbs and planting them in the right location is also necessary to achieve beautiful spring results. Use these tips for fall bulb planting so you can enjoy springtime floral fragrance and beauty in your landscape. Healthy Bulbs Whatever flower choices you make, always look for bulbs that are plump and firm. Don’t purchase bulbs that are soft...

          By -Georgia Lund- The majestic monarch butterfly is one of the most recognizable butterflies in America and dependent upon the milkweed for its survival. Due to land development and the usage of pesticides, natural habitats for milkweed have been destroyed. The loss of milkweed has caused a reduction in the monarch population, and the beautiful species of butterfly continues to decline in number.By -Georgia Lund-  Monarchs Monarch butterflies have large wings that have a distinctive yellow, black and white color pattern and is found in...

By -Georgia Lund- Is It Too Late to Plant Now for a Fall Vegetable Garden? Fall vegetable gardening differs from summertime gardening and in some ways is more rewarding too. As the weather cools down in fall, working in the garden is more enjoyable than it is during the heat of summer. Certain vegetables that refuse to grow in the heat of summer can now be planted and harvested in the cooler temperatures. Deciding if it is too late to plant a fall vegetable garden in your region is easy...

By Dr. Heather Stein - Over 4000 species of bees are native to North America. Bumblebees, digger bees, carpenter bees -- to name but a few -- pollinate not only as many as 75% of the plants that grow on our hillsides and in our forests, but also many of the crops that grow in our fields and home gardens -- like pumpkins, tomatoes, and blueberries. The imported honey bee, however, is responsible for the bulk of our agricultural needs. Indeed, California's almond crop alone relies on over 2 million colonies...

By -Georgia Lund-  Fresh garden tomatoes are in abundance right now. The juicy, ripe flavor of a home-grown tomato is hard to beat. Unfortunately, the harvest season will soon end, and we will be left with nothing but flavor-less hothouse tomatoes from the grocery store. But there are some tricks to storing fresh tomatoes, so the eating season will last even after the harvest season has ended. Use these tips on how to save garden tomatoes so you can enjoy fresh tomato flavor for a few more weeks. Green Tomatoes...

  -By Dr. Heather Stein-  Easy Aromatherapy Plants have always played an essential component in healing and medicine across cultures and eras.  Aromatherapy is just one of the many branches of such ancient and established methods of curing both mind and body of ailments, and essential oils are they basic building block of an aromatherapist’s toolbelt. Because the olfactory receptors in our noses transmit information to our hypothalamus – the part of the brain that controls, among other functions, feelings of hunger, anger, and sexual desire -- aroma allows us...

   -By Dr. Heather Stein-  When midsummer finally arrives and my neighbors’ gardens begin producing mountains of tomatoes, zucchinis and other fresh yummies, I inevitably regret not having invested more in my outdoor space. Herbs to the rescue! Whether you’re an amateur chef, DIY beauty product chemist or just want to enjoy the fruits of the long, hot days, it’s not too late to acquire some already sprouted aromatic greens for a flower box or containers on your balcony. What to Grow Parsley, thyme, basil and chive will grow happily...