Cutting into a plant for the first time… it can feel wrong, almost like you are damaging something you’ve waited months to grow! I can hear you… “What if I ruin it?” you are thinking. But wait! This is exactly how many of us gardeners…
A healthy raised bed is easy to fill with lush leaves and colorful blooms; a chemically toxic one a bit less, especially in spring! And if you want a perfect vegetable combination for texture, structure and foliage all year round, but you have little space…
Learn how to make a simple mullein tincture at home using fresh or dried leaves. This easy herbal remedy is traditionally used for lung support, cough relief, and chest congestion. A must-save natural recipe before cold season hits—tap to see the full step-by-step guide. I…
Made with fresh elderflowers, citrus, and sugar, this old-fashioned cordial is simple to prepare and keeps well once bottled. It has a soft floral flavor that works in everything from lemonade and cocktails to whipped cream and ice cream. A useful syrup to have on…
This golden syrup tastes like April in a jar. Sweetened with raw honey and scented with fresh forsythia flowers, it takes twenty minutes of gentle simmering and an hour of patience while the blossoms steep. Pour it over yogurt, stir into tea, or brush onto…
Turn a handful of wild violets into a magic potion that shifts from deep purple to bright pink right before your eyes. This simple syrup takes ten minutes to make and tastes like spring in a jar. I use it in lemonade, drizzle it over…
Peony jelly is a lightly floral preserve made from fresh petals, with a soft set and just enough sweetness to carry the scent of the blooms without turning it into something overly sugary or heavy. Peonies rarely make it past the vase. For a few…
You picked it up at the garden center because it looked incredible. Full, lush, architectural — exactly the vibe you wanted. The tag said “easy to grow,” so you brought it home, planted it carefully, and gave it your best shot. Two months later it…
Lilac jelly is one of my favorite ways to bottle up spring before it disappears. This low sugar version uses Pomona’s Universal Pectin and just one cup of sugar, which lets the actual lilac flavor come through instead of getting buried under sweetness. It’s a…
Do you want a gorgeous display of native spring blooms without the hassle of indoor seed starting? Maybe you think your soil is too poor for a vibrant show, and do you still want to achieve that stunning wildflower meadow look? Before you spend a…