The Essential Gardening Step You’re Probably Skipping

When I started my first vegetable garden, I drew everything out on graph paper, much to the amusement of my husband. As it turns out, I had the right idea. A few years later, when I became a Master Gardener, I learned that record-keeping is an indispen…

When I started my first vegetable garden, I drew everything out on graph paper, much to the amusement of my husband. As it turns out, I had the right idea. A few years later, when I became a Master Gardener, I learned that record-keeping is an indispensable first step. Because, while we think we remember, the reality is that we forget things (did I fertilize that tomato plant two weeks ago?) in the course of a gardening season, let alone from one gardening year to the next.

How you keep track of what you grow—with a garden app, notebook, monthly planner, index cards, or on spreadsheets—doesn’t matter, as long as it works for you and you record things while they’re still fresh in your memory. As with anything else, record-keeping takes the guesswork out of gardening so you can focus your efforts on making your plants thrive.

Read More >>

How to Cope With the Garden Gnome Shortage

Ketchup packets. Tapioca pearls. Garden gnomes. What do all three of these have in common? They are just the latest products experiencing shortages due to pandemic-related supply chain disruptions. You probably heard about the container vessel that got…

Ketchup packets. Tapioca pearls. Garden gnomes. What do all three of these have in common? They are just the latest products experiencing shortages due to pandemic-related supply chain disruptions. You probably heard about the container vessel that got stuck in the Suez Canal last month, right? While we were all laughing at memes and wondering how, in the year 2021, a big boat could get stuck and there was absolutely nothing modern technology could do about it, the global supply chain was getting absolutely wrecked. And the ramifications of the Suez Canal blockage have landed where we least expected them: our gardens.

Love them or hate them, garden gnomes are a staple of quirky (creepy?) yards everywhere, as ubiquitous as the hot pink plastic flamingo. Since the coronavirus pandemic started, gardening centers have experienced record sales, and recent reports show they’re not slowing down anytime soon. Between the Suez Canal blockage and unprecedented demands, garden centers in the U.K. have a severe shortage of, yes, garden gnomes. My theory? Cottagecore, the growing aesthetic trend in design and on social media, is to blame. Cottagecore gestures at English countryside houses and charming gardens, and what’s more quaint than a collection of stately garden gnomes?

Read More >>

8 Outdoor Essentials to Make Your Backyard Feel Like a Living Room

Now, we spend a lot of time deliberating how to best reflect ourselves in our homes, but what about our outdoor spaces? While you could certainly create a functional outdoor setup with some cobbled-together items, we prefer looking at it through the le…

Now, we spend a lot of time deliberating how to best reflect ourselves in our homes, but what about our outdoor spaces? While you could certainly create a functional outdoor setup with some cobbled-together items, we prefer looking at it through the lens of designing a living room. And just like a living room, any truly cohesive outdoor “room” should contain a specific group of items that make it feel cozy and lived-in. Would you design a living room without a couch? Or lighting? Or a rug? We think not, so we sought out some help determining the core pieces needed for a backyard oasis.

Justina Blakeney, founder of the brand and blog Jungalow is more boho than modern, more maximal than minimal, and more abundant than restrained, so it's no surprise that she’s crafted some amazing outdoor living spaces that are full of life. “I believe that good design increases quality of life,” she’s written. “I believe in vintage, organic and handmade. I believe in the healing power of plants, good light and fresh air.” Well, so do we.

Read More >>

Is This Raised Bed Method the *Key* to Gardening Success?

I’m always looking for ways to make gardening more streamlined, so when I stumbled across the concept of a keyhole garden, my interest was officially piqued. These garden beds look like raised beds—and it’s no secret we love a raised bed—but they have …

I’m always looking for ways to make gardening more streamlined, so when I stumbled across the concept of a keyhole garden, my interest was officially piqued. These garden beds look like raised beds—and it’s no secret we love a raised bed—but they have an ingenious added feature that makes them even more efficient and easy to care for.

Naturally, I needed to know more about keyhole gardening and whether it’s as game-changing as it seems, so I reached out to a few master gardeners to pick their brains. Here’s what I learned.

Read More >>

13 DIY Patio Furniture Ideas You (Yes, You) Can Do

While gazing at the big empty space behind your home, filling it with DIY patio furniture might not be the first solution that comes to mind, because sure, ordering online is technically easier. But think about it this way: using simple blueprints to p…

While gazing at the big empty space behind your home, filling it with DIY patio furniture might not be the first solution that comes to mind, because sure, ordering online is technically easier. But think about it this way: using simple blueprints to piece together your own custom furniture means it’s not only going to be more affordable, but it can also (exactly) match your freshly stained deck and provide you with an unparalleled sense of achievement.

If you’re worried you’re not quite cut out for building furniture, thanks to hours spent laboring over “simple” Swedish designs (you know exactly who we’re looking at), know that these ideas were sourced with you in mind. Plus, we’re willing to bet there are a few stunning DIY projects already gracing your home (hello, custom artwork, lavender sachets and perfectly patched walls!).

Read More >>

How to Stain Your Deck (Just in Time For Spring!)

Purchasing a home comes with a myriad of to-dos, some more urgent than others. Since moving into our house, we’ve done everything from stain the floors and rewire the outlets, to rehab the staircase and replace the countertops. Because we moved during …

Purchasing a home comes with a myriad of to-dos, some more urgent than others. Since moving into our house, we’ve done everything from stain the floors and rewire the outlets, to rehab the staircase and replace the countertops. Because we moved during winter, our work has largely been concentrated indoors, but all it took was one nearly 50 degree day recently to switch all of that focus and attention to our backyard space. First on the list out there? Staining our (well-worn, well-loved) deck.

I would classify myself as someone who is pretty DIY savvy and willing to figure out how to do just about anything myself, so the idea of staining the deck in our sunroom ourselves really doesn’t scare me away. It helps that I’ve “been there, done that” a bit too—the deck at my house growing up was a bit of a problem child, and I helped my father tend to it (I’m serious, it was very delicate and picky) nearly every summer. One of the biggest lessons I learned when it comes to staining a deck is—like with almost every home project you do—it’s all about the prep work. Nail that, and you pretty much can’t mess up the rest of the process, resulting in a richly-stained deck that levels up the beauty of your outdoor space and will last you for years to come. Looking to tackle staining your own deck? Follow these easy steps and you’ll be on your way to hosting outdoor BBQ’s in no time.

Read More >>

Barbeque Begone! How to Get That Smoke Smell Out of Everything

Now that all of our social activities tend to happen outdoors—and now that the outdoors is not nearly as hospitable a place as it was a few months ago—it’s likely that backyard fire pits are all the rage again. Maybe your extended family is huddling ar…

Now that all of our social activities tend to happen outdoors—and now that the outdoors is not nearly as hospitable a place as it was a few months ago—it’s likely that backyard fire pits are all the rage again. Maybe your extended family is huddling around for s’mores, distanced six feet apart, calling for quite a substantial fire to warm the divide. It could be that you’re just grilling on the deck, shuffling back and forth into the house with steaks for a Friday dinner. Or perhaps you’re a serious outdoors-person and you’re braving the winter elements—in which case, a crackling fire is most definitely necessary.

The origins notwithstanding, smoke smell is one of the most notoriously clingy scents, latching onto clothes, hair, blankets, furniture, and anything that comes within a 10-foot radius of it. It can be tough to banish, too, often lingering well past the last s’more is scarfed down and steak digested. To remedy that, here are some tips (straight from the experts) that will be sure to get even the most stubborn smoke odor out of winter sweaters and summer patio furniture alike.

Read More >>

30 No-Cook Summer Dishes for When You Absolutely Cannot Turn On the Oven

I love my kitchen, I really do. But lately, I’ve been searching for every excuse under the sun to get outside. Whether it’s taking a long walk home from work, bringing my weekend reading to the park, or slipping outside for lunch, I’m making the most o…

I love my kitchen, I really do. But lately, I’ve been searching for every excuse under the sun to get outside. Whether it’s taking a long walk home from work, bringing my weekend reading to the park, or slipping outside for lunch, I’m making the most of our very warm, sunny weather. But some days are just too hot to think, too hot to move, and certainly too hot to cook. For those sticky, sweaty, sweltering days, make one of these no-cook summer dishes. That means that you don’t have to turn on the stove or oven to enjoy a seasonally inspired meal for lunch or dinner. I want dishes I can toss together sans stove or oven, like crispy salads, cool soups, and crunchy sandwiches. And, thankfully, summer’s bounty is ready to provide. After dinner, cool off with a frozen treat like our no-churn ice creams or dairy-free sorbets. We're in the dog days of summer, when all you want to do is sit by the A/C with a pint of ice cream. Here, I’ve gathered 30 of our freshest no-cook dishes. Now, go outside and enjoy the day!

1. Corn, Shrimp & Avocado Salad With Chipotle-Pepita Dressing

When you’re sick of the heat and don’t feel like cooking, this no-cook salad will save the day. Pro tip: Purchase fresh, precooked shrimp so that you don’t have to turn on the stove.

Read More >>