photo by di the huntress Garden season doesn’t have to be costly. If you head out to a retail store and buy everything all at once, it’s going to add up quickly. But if you do some careful planning and are patient and creative, you can enjoy a beautiful garden on a shoestring budget. What [...]
photo by Durgan Food is something you might take for granted. As a country, we’re fortunate. But if you’ve ever gone through a weather emergency or financial hardship, you know you aren’t as immune to a food shortage as you’d like to think. If you’ve ever participated in Scouts, you might have learned a bit [...]
photo by Dave Melbourne DEAR SARA: I had a recipe for a plant spray that was comprised of garlic, water and maybe soap or vinegar. I can’t find it. It was very effective and kept the insects away from all my plants that I move outdoors during the summer. Do you know of this recipe? [...]
photo by marlana Frugal people know how to make things. It’s not just a way of combating costs. For many, these are basic life skills and a way of life. A little self-reliance goes a long way. It’s easier to start out small and build your way up. This sets you up for success instead [...]
photo by ceanandjen “There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” — Anais Nin Gardeners are optimists. I realized that as I planted four bare-root perennials. They’d been sitting in a bag for way too long. I completely forgot about [...]
photo by Jonny Hunter Coffee drinkers unite! It’s time to get green and frugal with your coffee grounds. Don’t home brew? Starbucks is on board with a program that provides free grounds for customers to use in their gardens. Establishments, family and friends can provide them, too. According to J. Trent of the University of [...]
From December to March, there are for many of us three gardens – the garden outdoors, the garden of pots and bowls in the house, and the garden of the mind’s eye. — Katherine S. White
Planning ahead with a garden journal can save you time and money. Are you planning for the upcoming gardening season? Starting a garden journal now, will serve as a reference later, on what worked well and what didn’t in your garden.
photo by navdeepraj Many of us flip through garden magazines, all the while thinking that it takes years, a professional, or tons of money to landscape the gardens featured in the glossy pictures. This isn’t necessarily true. You can design a breathtaking garden and be the envy of the neighborhood by following some of the [...]
photo by Jonny Hunter Coffee drinkers unite! It’s time to get green and frugal with your coffee grounds. Don’t home brew? Starbucks is on board with a program that provides free grounds for customers to use in their gardens. Establishments, family and friends can provide them, too. According to J. Trent of the University of [...]
photo by Scott Lepage Winter is the perfect time for home-baked bread. It’s not hard to do, but it can be time-consuming. The smell that fills your home and the taste makes the effort worthwhile. I’ve included three easy recipes that will round off your bread-baking repertoire. The monkey bread is so simple that kids [...]
photo by journeyguy It’s a shame to throw away shoeboxes. I’ve often reused them to hold household items such as mail, CDs, coupons, odd small toys, photos, over-the-counter medications and to organize dressers. By accident, I realized they make great gift boxes, too. I bought some travel toys and crafts for my kids and placed [...]
photo by aspaonline DEAR SARA: We used to have a hot-air popcorn maker back in the day, and its long since been history. Now I’m looking around for hot-air popcorn makers, and they’re kind of overpriced, around $50. I’m trying to make popcorn without the oils/butter, etc. Some of the reviews I’ve read have said [...]
photo by peagreengirl Draft stoppers are a great way to keep the heat in and the cold air out. The first tip is prettier than using a rolled-up towel against the door. You can reuse materials you already have and don’t have to keep kicking it back in place. It’s easily removed, and you can [...]