Growing and harvesting your homegrown bell peppers. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Bell peppers need warm soil and warm temperatures to thrive. To encourage faster growth in cooler areas, consider laying black plastic over the soil. Just be careful not to let the soil get so hot that beneficial soil bacteria are killed. For improved fruit production, keep …
Transplanting Your Homegrown Bell Pepper Plants
How to transplant your homegrown bell pepper plants. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Once your seedlings have produced true leaves it’s time to harden them off. This is the process where plants are acclimated to new environment by slowly introducing them to outdoor weather. Start in the morning and bring them in later and later each day …
Get Started Growing Your Very Own Bell Peppers
How to get started growing your very own bell peppers. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Depending on the variety, growing bell peppers from seedlings can take up to 100 days to reach maturity. So it’s a good idea to start them indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date. Use a seed starting mix and …
The Many Varieties of a Crunchy and Tasty Fruit
The many varieties of a crunchy and tasty fruit you can grow in your own backyard. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Bell peppers are fairly easy to grow at home as long as the weather plays along. They are a perennial in tropical areas. But in colder climates, they are grown as annuals and they really have …
Planting the Best Nectar Plants for Pollinators
The best nectar plants for pollinators. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Create a pollinator-friendly garden by choosing at least three must-have plants and aiming for blooms throughout as many seasons as possible. Single-petal flowers are easiest for bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators to reach; double-petal varieties are showier but offer less nectar and accessible pollen. Torch Lily …
What Plants You Need to Water Before Winter
What plants to water before winter. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Many plants die from dehydration as well as cold winter temperatures. Continue to water trees, shrubs and perennials as needed as the weather cools. Water all of your plants thoroughly before the ground freezes. Another way to give plants a boost and help them survive is with …
How to Tell if a Watermelon is Ripe
How to tell if a watermelon is ripe. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. When picking a watermelon at the market the first way to tell if it’s ripe is by looking at its belly. This spot on a ripe watermelon will be yellowish and not white, which indicates an unripe melon. Using your knuckles, rap on the …
Things, Other Than Plants, to Include in Your Garden
Some great things, other than plants, to include in your garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Gardens are places for growing, and while most of it is largely centered around plants, there are many other things of benefit that are important for a healthy, self-sustaining poly-culture garden system. Stones, for example, can play a vital role in …
Tips for Moving Plants Indoors for the Winter
Some tips for moving plants indoors for the winter. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. When the cold weather begins to arrive its time to move some of those plants indoors. But there’s more to it than just plunking them back in your living room corner. While some types of plants can cope better with big changes to …
Growing One of the Most Used Spices in the World
Growing one of the most used spices in the world. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Peppercorns is one of the most used spices in the world. You can grow it from home as long as you have space, patience, and heat. Peppercorn is a perennial vine that blooms lovely little white flowers, typically in the middle of summer. …