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The Easiest Vegetables to Grow for First Time Gardeners

Have you been preparing your garden for the season and getting ready to plant your very first garden? Gardening is an exciting activity that keeps you stimulated and active and provides your home with fresh produce at a moment’s notice. However, finding the perfect plant to grow isn’t always super straightforward. To reduce any stress or anxiety about choosing the right crop, use this simple list of the easiest vegetables to grow for first-time gardeners.

Spinach

Spinach is exceptionally hardy and grows quickly at high yields. In many regions, it’s a challenge to grow this veggie unsuccessfully. They yield the most in early spring or fall, although they’re highly resistant to extreme heat or frost. They are a good option for first-time gardeners to grow season after season. Plus, having fresh spinach at home is perfect for Italian dishes, green smoothies, and fresh salads.

Lettuce

Lettuce is considered a salad green, part of a class of vegetables known for growing effortlessly in any garden. Don’t worry about overcrowing this veggie—they actually thrive in denser gardens. Best of all, lettuce and other mixed greens can grow from a windowsill or indoor pot! Save seeds so you can have a constant supply of delicious greens.

Basil

Basil plays a lovely role in Italian meals, like pasta, pizza, and salads. It’s also great for other meals that need a boost in rich flavor. Luckily, basil is super simple to grow inside or outside! It does require regular watering, sometimes two times a day if it’s in a smaller pot. Additionally, it is very frost sensitive and not a great option for late fall or winter. However, it’s a lovely tasting, smelling, and looking plant to have indoors or out in the backyard!

Bush Beans

When it comes to simple vegetables that are easy to grow, look no further than bush beans! They don’t require poles or stakes, as they grow as compact plants. They also have a quick turnaround—beans are typically ready for harvest only eight weeks after planting. These fresh beans are perfect for salads, homemade edamame, or a refreshing summer snack. Don’t overwhelm yourself by planting complicated vegetation without experience. Use this guide on the easiest vegetables to grow for first-time gardenersto enjoy the experience. With time and practice, you’ll be a tried and true green thumb enthusiast with expert skills!

Going Green: Tips for Planning an Eco-Friendly Wedding

Most couples agree that their wedding was the party of a lifetime. These parties are all about celebrating love and the union of two people, but like any great party, this experience can be far from eco-friendly. However, if you love living a sustainable lifestyle, then an environmentally safe wedding may take priority in your planning. Lucky for you, we’ve got some must-know tips for planning an eco-friendly wedding!

Carefully Consider Fashion

Wedding dresses aren’t cheap, and the fashion industry is one of many rapidly polluting our environment. Many brands don’t use ethical practices when making their dresses, resulting in overworked and underpaid employees. When you wear a second-hand dress, you cut down on these practices.

Your gown isn’t the only dress you have to worry about. Eco-friendly brides go about choosing gowns for bridesmaids in a few ways. While some search out brands using suitable fabric, other wives-to-be allow their bridesmaids to pick their own dresses. If you do this, remember that even though everyone won’t look uniform, you can still request they wear similar outfits to create visual cohesion.

Consider Lab-Made Diamonds

Some couples are lucky enough to inherit family heirlooms, which adds to the sentiment while also being eco-friendly. Relying on hand-me-down jewelry isn’t your only option, though. Many couples shop for lab-grown diamonds, and these differ from mined diamonds because obtaining them is ethical and does less harm to our planet.

Change Up Invitations

You’ll need to send out invitations to your guests and inform them of the time and place of your wedding and how to RSVP for the big day. While you could send out virtual invitations, for some, these e-invites feel too easy to miss or accidentally delete. With romantic heart-shaped invitations made of recycled paper, you can still send out physical invites without harming our planet. Including seed paper even gives your invitees an eco-friendly souvenir!

Celebrate Outside

When it comes to picking out the perfect venue, strive to pick a location where you can celebrate outside. If you need ideas on the ideal location, consider renting space at a(n):

  • Botanical garden
  • Campground
  • Old barn

Some couples also create an intimate feel by hosting a backyard wedding. As you decide on your venue, make a plan for any party waste, including leftover food. Some couples allow guests to take leftovers home to keep the food out of landfills.

Think About Décor

A list of tips for planning an eco-friendly weddingwould be incomplete without mentioning decorations, so think carefully about your chosen decorations. You could incorporate natural elements or upcycle your décor! Many decorate with old wine bottles or glass jars because it gives old material a new life. If you want to take things one step further, you could donate or resell any items you purchased, such as linen tablecloths and napkins. By donating decorations and other wedding essentials, you pass down the love for the planet and allow like-minded couples to celebrate their big day.

3 Excellent Gift Ideas for Nature-Lovers

Shopping for an outdoorsy person can be hard. Being out in the forest or on a mountain doesn’t leave much room for scented candles or bath bombs. When you’re brainstorming presents for your eco-friendly friends, you have to think outside the box. Luckily, we havethree excellent gift ideas for nature-lovers that will make any forester smile.

Gear

Every camper, hiker, rock-climber, or forager will usually tell you the same thing when you ask them what they want: gear! You may think of the ever-expensive deluxe tent or the high-tech water filter, but these pricey options aren’t your only options. Carabiners, ropes, tent posts, and pickaxes often get lost or worn down, so people who spend a lot of time outdoors often have to buy these repeatedly. Even propane for a camping stove or MREs (“meals, ready to eat”) make excellent gifts for hardcore backpackers. Showing them that you know what they need to be safe and comfortable can be the perfect gift.

Eco-Conscious Snacks

Chances are, your outdoorsy friend cares about the environment. If their love language is food, sending them something that’s good for them and good for the Earth is a great idea. Stepping out of your comfort zone to bake rather than order something can add a little extra love. However, if you burn whatever you cook, there are other options. All-natural gift baskets are eco friendly, thoughtful, and customizable! Any long-lasting, easy-to-store food is anexcellent gift idea for nature-lovers.

Nature Guides

An atlas is an invaluable tool for roughing it; giving the recipient an atlas that’s specialized for the place they’re going to next can keep them safe. Some nature-lovers also enjoy seeing the rarities of the outdoors; for example, bird-watchers often love to make notes on what they’ve seen. Plus, the ability to identify different plants, fungi, and animals can be critical for outdoorsy people, especially with the trend of self-sustainability on the rise. Foragers need to know what’s growing around them.

Ultimately, you know your friend best. So consider what their passions are and why, and never be afraid to just ask what they want or need!

3 Tips for Getting Your Backyard Ready for Summer

When you want to spend time with those closest to you in the summer, what location do you think of? Most imagine the backyard as a central hub spot for summer fun and socializing. However, after winter weather takes its toll, your yard may need a little TLC. If that’s the case for your outdoor area, follow these three tips for getting your backyard ready for summer!

Lawn Care

Use the changing weather as an opportunity to aerate and fertilize your lawn. Experts recommend that you aerate your lawn every two to three years during the springtime. This process will help your grass reach water, nutrients, and oxygen. In turn, you will have a more luscious lawn. Fertilization is an important part of the process. That said, it’s essential to find the right kind of fertilizer for the kind of grass and climate that surrounds you.

Landscaping

Prepare your landscaping to have a blooming, beautiful summer. Take a walk around your garden and prune your plants if needed. Take the time to water them with a bit more care than usual. They will be thrilled to have this kind of upkeep after the winter season. If possible, consider adding compost during spring as well. Compost will help your plants flourish and grow—and may even help ward off unwanted bugs or predators.

Entertainment

If you don’t have an area devoted to entertaining yet, now is the time to prepare your budget and yard. Consider adding a patio area for you and your friends or family to socialize on. If you already have one set up, pressure washing your patio and deck makes it looks brand new and welcoming again. This small step will go a long way to making your outdoor space summer ready. Additionally, decide what outdoor activities you’d like to have available to guests, whether a bean bag toss station or a life-size game of Jenga. Have peace of mind that you’ve created a beautiful space for your guests to enjoy when they come over this summer. Use these three tips for getting your backyard ready for summer. From your lawn care and landscaping to your entertainment, there are several ways you can invest in your backyard for the summertime!

Easy Ways To Create an Eco-Friendly Home This Spring

After a long winter, warm weather makes us want to get out and do things. Home improvement projects are a favorite “to-do” in the spring, but it can be difficult to know where to start, especially if you don’t want to be wasteful. Here are three easy ways to create an eco-friendly home this spring that will create wonder and not waste.

Grow Something

Spring is the perfect time to start a garden or incorporate other kinds of plant growth into your home. While large gardens are ideal for maximum food growth, you may not have space for it. There are several great ways to increase your garden’s yield, even if it’s small, such as composting or stretching your growing season.

If you don’t have space for an outside garden, grow something inside. Leafy greens and root vegetables both grow well indoors, although some require more room than others. If your indoor growth space is limited, try herbs or “useless” plants. Plants that aren’t edible can still help clean your home’s air.

Eco-Friendly Building Materials

Taking on bigger home projects is a great way to take advantage of warmer spring weather. Sustainable building materials, such as high-density polyethylene sheets, are becoming more readily available, so your construction projects can keep your home eco-friendly.

Certain projects can even make use of materials you already have. Recycled windows make great greenhouses, which helps you reduce waste and provides an opportunity to get window treatments that will help regulate your home’s temperature. Additionally, you can make a chicken coop from almost any recycled material, from an old plastic playhouse to a rusted-out car.

Simple Swaps

Eco-friendliness comes down to the little things, too. In your kitchen, you can swap paper towels for reusable rags or use cloth totes for plastic bags. For your laundry, you can try dryer balls on wet days and line drying on clear days. Also, wash with cold water instead of hot—and only do so when the machine is full. The bathroom will benefit from a low-flow showerhead and homemade cleaning products in recycled containers. And the rest of your house will thank you for using LED lightbulbs, a smart thermostat, and power strips.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to make changes immediately. Use what you already have until it’s gone, even the less eco-friendly things. Throwing out half a box of dryer sheets because they’re not eco-friendly or letting your high-flow showerhead drip until you can afford a low-flow replacement doesn’t help the environment. Use or fix what you already have until you need a replacement, then choose an eco-friendly one.

As we welcome warm weather into our lives and use the new season to start home projects, remember to be as eco-friendly as possible. While these are three easy ways to create an eco-friendly home this spring, there are many more that will enhance your home and help the environment.