Garden & DIY
Saving Seeds From Tomatoes and Beans for Next Year
September 4, 2026Two ways to save seeds before frost: a slightly smelly jar for tomatoes and a lazy one for beans. Plus the mistake that cost me a whole variety.
Cheap Ways to Add Curb Appeal in One Weekend
July 19, 2026A faded door, crooked house numbers and overgrown bushes: what we fixed on our 1970s ranch in two days for $87, and what we'd skip.
The Five Easiest Vegetables for a First Garden
May 24, 2026After three summers of trial and plenty of error in heavy clay, these are the five crops I'd hand to any nervous first-time gardener.
Starting a Vegetable Garden for Under $50
April 6, 2026Our first garden cost $47, including seeds, soil, and a thrift-store trowel. The full receipt and what I'd do the same way again.
Building Raised Garden Beds From Reclaimed Lumber
March 17, 2026Mike and I built three raised beds from a torn-down deck and some old fence boards for $42 total. What we used, what we avoided, and how.
Painting Our Kitchen Cabinets Ourselves: Cost and Lessons
October 23, 2025Dark 1970s cabinets, three weekends, and $236 in supplies. What painting them ourselves really took, and the mistake that cost us a week.
Backyard Composting Without the Smell
October 13, 2025Our first compost pile smelled like a swamp and drew every raccoon in town. What we changed, and why October is the best time to start.
Growing Herbs on the Kitchen Windowsill
July 14, 2025What actually grows on our sunny sink window, what died no matter what, and how I root grocery-store basil to skip $2.49 clamshells.