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Mushrooms, Anyone?

Posted by Diane Young on 3/1/2017
Mushrooms, Anyone?

Chinese and Japanese gardeners have been growing mushrooms for more than 1,000 years. There are about 14,000 species of mushrooms, but only about 250 are edible. If you’re looking for a side-hustle moneymaker, fresh gourmet mushrooms are definitely a high-value crop. Read on for a quick guide to mushrooms, including a rundown on the easiest species to grow at home: white buttons, oysters, portabellos and wine caps.

Indoor Gardening 101

Posted by E. Vinje on 11/16/2016

When winter sets in and you're dreaming of fresh greens, consider gardening indoors.

Eat and Live: Grow Your Own Culinary Herbs Indoors

Posted by Sierra Angel on 10/24/2016
Growing herbs indoors is a great addition to a household food cycle. Growing herbs can save money, improve the quality of your recipes, and you have the added benefit of using heirloom seeds which can have largely superior flavor when compared to modern commercial crop genetics. I live in an area with a very short growing season and harsh weather, so growing anything outdoors is very challenging and short lived.

Drooping Leaves in Soil Gardens

Posted by Gordon Redman on 7/1/2016
Are your plant's leaves are drooping? This could be why!

Plants Can Have Too Much Food?!

Posted by Gordon Redman on 5/31/2016
For those of you who put fertilizer in your water, it is important that you take care not to over fertilize your plants. Blackjack Soil Company's Liquid Humic Acid and Golden Extract will help keep your plants healthy and keep them from being over-fed. Also, the 10-20 percent run-off rule is going to help you greatly.

What can I do if my pot's soil dried out?

Posted by Gordon Redman on 5/2/2016
Check to see if the soil has pulled away from the inside of the pot. If so, fill in the crack with soil.

Proper Watering of Plants

Posted by Gordon Redman on 4/1/2016
Believe it or not, watering is the hardest thing for gardeners to do. I know that most gardeners, at one time or another, have had a preconceived idea that all you have to do is throw a little water in the plant’s general direction and your done. This misconception can ruin the harvest or keep the blue ribbon from being awarded. Take the watering tips and general rules in this section seriously. Professional greenhouse growers use these rules and tips religiously.

Flushing Potted Plants

Posted by Gordon Redman on 2/29/2016
If you haven’t been following the recommended watering techniques outlined above, you should flush/leach your plant's soil every month with water and the proper amount Blackjack Soil’s Liquid Humic Acid.

Shrinking a Stretching Plant

Posted by Gordon Redman on 2/1/2016
Most plants stretch because they are not getting enough light. Move the plant closer to the light source, increase the light output of the light source or increase the number of light sources.

Lighting an Indoor Garden

Posted by Gordon Redman on 1/1/2016
Most plants will grow despite what I say here and I'm sure that at least one of my views will be news to you. In which, you may not agree with me because of what you may have heard, read or experienced. What can I say? My views here represent many years of helping gardeners be better growers. I'm not going to tell you that they are better gardeners than you, but most of them are successful growers time after time. To me, consistency in great harvests is the most important thing for gardeners. It gives them breathing room to try different techniques because their not fighting failure. When you're not fighting failure you inherently have the time, money and fortitude to try different techniques. I like time, money and fortitude; it’s that combination that made me a better gardener. It is my wish that your continued success will give you command of time, money and fortitude. So here we go. I will expound on some of my basic lighting views that I assure you will not hurt your plants, and I think will give gardeners who are new to indoor growing a good head start. For others, it may be time to think fresh.