"Garden"

Garden / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Food production

Lasagna gardening: the pros & cons of a lasagna garden

...gardening trick may be viewed as ‘being lazy’ by someone else. If you’re of the opinion that easy is better as far as gardening is concerned – then a lasagna garden may be the perfect fit for you. A Lasagna Garden is an easy way to convert a lawn into food producing garden Lasagne gardening also saves waste, as it ma...

Greenhouses and Sunrooms / Solariums

How to build a greenhouse in a cold climate

...gardeners guide to growing vegetables in the shade Growing food in small spaces - apartment and balcony gardens How your diet impacts climate change - which foods have less impact And sign up here for a free Ecohome Membership and reap all the benefits!

Greenhouses and Sunrooms / Solariums

Solariums in cold climates won't heat your home

Can you build a solarium in a cold climate? Solariums have been gaining in popularity over the last 20 years, as many homeowners have found them to be a very enticing solution to brightening up a long winter. They are made even more appealing by the many manufacturers who offer solariums at very attractive prices - esp...

Recycling and composting

Waste management: compost and recycling

...Garden composters are a great way to recycle kitchen waste into next years tasty tomato and zucchini crops Some leaves can be added to vegetable compost, but larger quantities can be composted in a pile of their own. As with vegetable compost, occasionally turning leaves over with a garden fork speeds up the decomposi...

Landscaping

Which are the best bee-friendly & eco-friendly alternatives to grass lawns in backyards?

...gardens. A lot of maintenance: Some people love to mow the lawn, but for the most part, this is a task that few would miss, even with gas-powered garden tools. Since most of these have two-stroke engines, that makes them serious polluters. Gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment (GLGE) ranging from string trimmers ...

Landscaping

Urban farming turns beautiful gardens into a grocery store!

...gardener would love a sunny backyard or even better some acreage to grow edibles, but that isn't always the case. Some of the more limited spaces would be apartment balconies, but if they are at all facing south you'd be surprised at the yield you can get with a little ingenuity. Repurposed eavestrough in a vertical g...

Greenhouses and Sunrooms / Solariums

7 key principles for an abundant greenhouse

...gardening advice in the Ecohome Building Guide and in these pages : DIY recipe to make your own natural non toxic paint How to grow microgreens in your home DIY recipe to make your own horse chestnut laundry soap at home How to make a greenhouse in a cold climate Find out more about the benefits of a free...

Food production

Flow frames: How to make your own honey

How to make your own honey at home Can you imagine having honey on tap straight from your beehive? That is exactly what father and son team Stuart and Cedar Anderson aim to bring to market with an Indiegogo campaign they are launching later this month. Update: It launched yesterday! Don't miss out, one day into the c...

Lifestyle, location and commuting

Creating a farm and building a resilient lifestyle

As founder of the Resilient Design Institute, Alex Wilson is an internationally renowned authority on resilience in home design. Beyond just homes, 'resilience' can in a way describe a lifestyle, or perhaps a life philosophy. Sure, 'green' homes can help save the planet, but some of them may also save the individual. ...

Landscaping

How to make a keyhole raised garden, a DIY guide

...garden throughout the growing season. Mix a keyhole garden with vegetables that grow in the shade, and you've a winning combination for urban gardens! DIY how to build a keyhole raised garden Here is an easy step by step guide to growing food in a keyhole raised garden bed: 1.) Site: Once you have chosen an area larg...

Food production

Growing vegetables in the shade

...Garden!. Now that you know which vegetables grow best in the shade, learn more about how to start a garden and growing food at home in the following pages: Step by step guide on how to create a lasgna garden Growing food at home in small spaces - our best tips A guide to growing edible perennials in yo...