Canadians may be more progressive, but they apparently draw the line at naturalized yards: Rally For The Right To A Naturalized Yard I am lucky I only tend to get one lawn citation a year (or so) and all I need to do is talk my way out of it.

Here are some links to sources for native plants in the Midwest.

Vegetable gardening can be a very rewarding experience. But if you’ve never had a vegetable garden before, the task can seem overwhelming. Here are several easy ways to start your first fruit or vegetable garden. First, some vegetable gardening basics. Most vegetables need full sun, well-tilled soil, and the right fertilizers to bear fruit (or [...]

So you want to go organic! Organic gardening does not just mean no chemicals, fungicides, insecticides, or herbicides, it means creating a natural balance in our gardens. Organic gardening starts with soil and that means recycling; recycling plants, weeds, flowers, vegetables, kitchen waste, newspapers and anything else that will break down into compost. Compost is [...]

Successful organic vegetable gardening can require a lot of work and careful planning. This includes the preparation of the soil by enriching it and protecting the soil from the infestation of harmful insects. Organic vegetable gardening is different from conventional gardening in two major ways. They differ from the usage of fertilizers and pest control. [...]

Every gardener needs a standard complement of tools like rakes, shovels, mattocks, trowels, etc. But as an organic gardener you will find there are some specialized tools on the market that, wielded correctly, can make your gardening chores more like gardening pleasures. Compared to conventional gardening, going organic will bring you more responsibilities like effectively [...]

For some people, the space on their lawn isn’t large enough to accommodate a full-fledged garden, flushed with flora and fauna that will make any passersby give a second look. But you shouldn’t despair when that seems out of reach. You can make a raised bed to help the gardener inch closer to the garden [...]

If you’re serious about organic gardening, you will often find yourself much more food that you can use. What a waste not to not to use good healthy food like this! It’s a counterproductive but surplus crops can offer the gardener lucrative opportunities with a little bit of luck and business savvy. If you find [...]

Weather is a nuisance. You just cannot depend on Mother Nature to provide the things your plants need in the correct proportions — ample sunlight and balanced rainfall seem forever elusive. Some days, the weather just goes over the line with heat wave after heat wave rivaling Death Valley. And on other, it seems like [...]

Your organic garden needs rotted organic material, compost, in order to thrive. Don’t just rely on any old detritus to feed your organic garden though. Depending on your soil and what your growning there are materials that won’t help much, and there are others for which your garden plants are starving. Random composts do not [...]