How can you grow vegetables, herbs, and fruits without a greenhouse?

Even if you’re still on-grid, you can take steps towards sustainable living and food-independence. Every little bit you grow is something you don’t have to purchase from the grocery store. This includes:

1. Small-scale/container gardening

2. Using raised beds

3. Just planting directly in the soil (like for fruit trees)

How can you grow vegetables, herbs, and fruits in a greenhouse?

Climate change is exacerbating extremes in weather conditions. The future of food production is in more controlled settings, such as:

1. Greenhouses

2. Hoop houses

How can you manage pests and plant diseases?

Insects

Mammals

Fungi/ molds

Which fertilizers should I use, and how much?

For maximizing vegetable production, how and when you use fertilizer, and which type you use, are important.

3 ways to improve your composting

There are many instructions for composting out there, and the method that’s best for you depends on how much and what you’re composting. Regardless, here are three ways you can improve the performance of your compost:

1. Introduce earthworms
2. Use a soil thermometer
3. Use a compost accelerant

3 ways to manage your water use

Climate change is also increasing frequency and intensity of drought and flood events, making water management even more crucial for long-term sustainability. This includes:

1. Harvesting rainwater
2. Mindfully using water
3. Reusing greywater

Why does it matter which growing zone you’re in?

The growing zone and thus weather conditions you live in determine what you can easily and most productively grow.