SHIFTING ROOTS

home, garden, food, and prairie lifestyle

Weeds vs Plants: Simple Tricks to Differentiate Between Weeds and Vegetables in the Garden

Your garden is in and your seeds are finally starting to poke above the ground. . . hurray!  But there’s also some other things growing in your garden, and frankly, you’re not sure which is which.  While I can’t possibly know every single weed in North America, I can give you some tips and things you can try before planting to help you figure out which plants are weeds, and which plants are those vegetables you worked so hard to grow.

Planting a vegetable garden for the first time? You'll need to know how to figure out what are weeds and what are plants. Whether you garden in raised beds, small spaces, or by rows, you need to know these beginner gardening tips! #weeds #vegetablegardening #gardening #planting #seedlings #beginnergardener #firsttimegardener

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8 Reasons to Start Square Foot Gardening in Your Backyard

Have you been scrolling on Pinterest lately, oo-ing and ah-ing over all those beautiful raised beds you see with perfectly spaced plants?  It’s called square foot gardening and it’s the perfect solution for those of us with a small space to garden in, or anyone who wants to have a more low-maintenance garden.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission at no extra cost to you if you purchase an item from any one of these links.  You can read more about it in my disclosure policy.  Thanks for supporting Shifting Roots!

The square foot gardening method was created by an engineer, Mel Bartholomew in the 1980’s.  You can learn more about it in this video, or purchase his book, All New Square Foot Gardening, Second Edition: The Revolutionary Way to Grow More In Less Space.  I’ve personally read and love it, and it’s what has convinced me that this is the best way to grow my vegetable garden.

Curious?  I’ll give you 8 good reasons why you should try it this gardening season.

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10 Easy to Grow Vegetables for Your First Garden, Plus 5 You’ll Want to Avoid

Planting your very first garden can be both exciting and scary.  You can’t wait to eat fresh vegetables you’ve grown yourself, but you soon realize that there’s so much about gardening you just don’t know.  Add in a few incidents with killing houseplants and it’s enough to make a first time gardener throw in the trowel.

Don’t give up before you get started.  You can grow vegetables as a beginner and be successful at it too.  As long as you have a location with 6 or more hours of light a day and you water regularly, you can grow a vegetable garden this year.

I’ll show you the 10 easiest vegetables to grow, plus 3 I think you should avoid your first year.

P.S. All the vegetables you see in this post are ones I have personally grown in my own garden.

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How to Pick the Best Tomato Varieties for Your Garden This Year

Tomatoes are the glory plant of the gardening world.  Everyone want to grow the best tasting tomatoes or the largest varieties.  But open any seed catalogue, and you’ll quickly be overwhelmed.  I’ve rounded up the best tomato varieties for your situation.  From cherry tomatoes, to the best container varieties, to the best for sauces, there’s something you’re looking for.

I love growing tomato plants, but it can be hard to know what tomato variety is best. I've rounded up the best varieties for beginners, container growing, making sauce, and more. You'll love these heirloom and hybrid picks for your garden or in pots. #growingtomatoes #tomato #gardening #heirloomtomatoes #containergardening #tomatovarieties #seedstarting #vegetable gardening

P.S.–I’ve even rounded up the best varieties for those of us who don’t like raw tomatoes!!

P.P.S–No, we’re not crazy, there’s just something about the high acidity that weird raw-tomato-hating people like me don’t like.

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25 Best Gardening Books for the Urban Gardener

Urban gardeners face some special challenges, the biggest of which is lack of space.  These 25 gardening books cover all the bases to build the beginner urban gardener’s confidence.  I’ve assembled a collection that covers general gardening knowledge, companion planting, composting, small space gardening, and so much more.

Also, I couldn’t resist adding a few just for my Canadian readers.  When you’re done, check out my list of 25 best gardening books for prairie gardeners, or anyone in USDA hardiness zones 2 or 3.

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