Backwoods Survival Guide (Issue 33)

Welcome to issue No. 33! This is our special Suburban Homesteading issue. Many of our readers don’t have endless acres of land available to them. They aren’t able to raise cattle, plant massive gardens or pursue any number of other major homesteading projects. But that doesn’t mean they have to give up on the dream. I tasked our contributors to come up with practical advice for everything from growing gardens to living frugally to working in the kitchen, but with a focus on doing it in urban and suburban locations. Not surprisingly, given how talented and experienced our writers are, they responded in spades. We have great articles on growing and preserving food, saving money, raising animals, making repairs, and so much more. All of it is geared toward those…

I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE IT CAME FROM, BUT SOME PEOPLE ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT YOU CANNOT GROW FOOD UNLESS YOU HAVE MULTIPLE ACRES OF LAND. TO BE HONEST, NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. ALL AROUND THIS COUNTRY, IN HUNDREDS OF CITIES AND SMALL TOWNS, PEOPLE HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE FOOD THAT THEIR FAMILIES EAT AND THEY ARE DOING IT ONE POT, AND ONE PLANT, AT A TIME. IN THIS ARTICLE, WE WILL GET YOU STARTED ON HOW YOU TOO CAN PROVIDE YOUR FAMILY WITH FRESH VEGETABLES FROM JUST A FEW POTS ON YOUR PORCH. THESE TIPS WILL WORK ANYWHERE, SO LET’S GET GOING. THINK POSITIVE How many times have you heard people say, “I don’t have a green thumb” or “I…

I never throw anything away if it could possibly have another use, and containers are no different. If you do the same, then that is a good thing. The important thing is to use only clean containers for your plantings. • Old soil left in containers can harbor bacteria, viruses, fungi and other harmful stuff, so you want to get it all out. Proper cleaning and sanitizing is vital. It’s not difficult, if you follows the steps below. • Empty the containers completely. Remove as much of the old soil that you can. • Using a stiff brush, remove anything that has stuck to the inside of the container. • Wash the container with a mild, environmentally friendly dish soap to clean out anything left behind. • Mix a solution…

GARDENING IS A FUN AND REWARDING ACTIVITY. WHO CAN RESIST PERUSING SEED CATALOGS IN ANTICIPATION OF PLANTING SEASON, EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF A LONG WINTER? Beginners eager to jump in envision connecting with nature, planting seeds and harvesting vegetables. On the other hand, new gardeners may also experience frustration as they face challenges. I have made several gardening mistakes over the years. Let’s look at common beginner mistakes and practical solutions to avoid these pitfalls. PLANTING CROPS NOBODY EATS One of the mistakes I made when I first started gardening was planting too many vegetables and herbs that went uneaten. I was excited about buying and sowing seeds that I thought would grow well in my area. One year I planted eggplant and lemongrass. They did grow, but no…

Crop rotation means you don’t plant vegetables from the same plant family in the same spot every year. The main reason is to prevent fungal diseases from building up in the soil, as well as to deter pests from gaining a foothold and attacking your plants. Rotating plants also prevents the soil’s nutrients from getting depleted. However, there are conflicting views regarding crop rotation. Some gardeners practice it year after year, while others have indicated crop rotation is not necessary and may not be suitable for small gardens. Since I have had some pest issues in the past, I prefer to practice crop rotation. However, for gardeners who prefer to skip it, here are some other tips to keep your plants healthy: • Prune dead plants and clean up debris.…

ONE OF THE GOALS OF HOMESTEADING AT VIRTUALLY ANY LEVEL IS FOOD PRODUCTION. AND THE MORE FOOD YOU CAN PRODUCE EACH SEASON, THE BETTER, OF COURSE. One of the primary limiting factors when it comes to garden production is the length of the growing season. Many of us live in areas where that season might only be a few months long. When you’re dealing with limited garden space, it becomes even more important that you get as much use out of it as you can. There are a number of ways you can sort of cheat the system and extend the growing season. START INDOORS There are several websites that you can use to determine the average last frost date for your area, typically by ZIP code. What this gives…