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Growing Organic Food in Your Backyard

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    • Grow Tomatoes in a Hoop House
    • Grow Cucumbers in a Hoop House
    • How to Grow Carrots in Winter
    • Winter Sowing Made Better
  • Seed Starting
    • 10 Tips for Better Vegetable Seed Starting
    • Which Seed Starting Mix is Best?
    • Soil Block Makers Vs. Paper Pots
    • DIY Seed Starting Light Stand
    • Soil Temperature for Transplanting Vegetables
    • Get Rid of Gnats on Seedlings
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Featured Article

Seed Starting Mix

Which Seed Starting Mix is Best?

Seed starting mix can make or break your seedlings. I tested the top OMRI-listed products & was surprised by the result. Read this to learn which one performed best.

Backyard Farming

Get Rid of Gnats

Get Rid of Gnats

A few fungus gnats on vegetable seedlings may seem harmless, but the larvae could be eating the roots. Beneficial nematodes, Neem oil and sticky traps work for getting rid of gnats.

Neptune's Harvest

Neptune’s Harvest Fertilizer Product Review

I’ve been using Neptune’s Harvest Liquid Fertilizer for 10+ years. So I can tell you without a doubt, it provides a fast acting boost for your plants. Here’s my review of the product.

Tumbling Compost Bin

Do Rotating Compost Bins Work?

I’ve been using tumbling or rotating compost bins for over 10 years. There are advantages and disadvantages to a tumbler over a compost pile on the ground. This is what I know …

Sterilize Potting Soil

How to Sterilize Potting Soil

Store bought potting soil sellers have sterilized their soil to kill the bugs in it. You probably don’t want bugs crawling out of your plants and around your house. You can make unlimited amounts of sterile potting soil with this recipe and a gas grill.

Seed Starting Mix Recipe

Seed Starting Mix Recipe

A seed starting mix recipe can have a number of ingredients. Each ingredient will affect your mix & your plants. Learn how to get the best seedlings.

Umbrella Trellis

Grow Cucumbers in a Hoop House

Why grow cucumbers in a hoop house? There are two main reasons: First, cucumbers are heat loving plants, and a hoop house lets you plant sooner and grow longer than growing outside. Second …

Seed Starting Light Stand

DIY Seed Starting Light Stand

Here’s an easy, fast way to assemble an indoor seed starting light stand that doesn’t cost much money. This article includes a complete parts list to get you started.

Soil Block Maker

Soil Block Makers Vs. Paper Pots

Two thrifty and eco-friendly ways to hold the soil when starting seeds indoors are soil blocks and paper pots. Read this comparison of the two methods.

Soil Thermometer

Soil Temperature for Transplanting Vegetables

Measure soil temperature with a soil thermometer to decide when to transplant vegetable seedlings. Plant too soon and you could damage your plants.

Seed Starting

10 Tips for Better Vegetable Seed Starting

How to get better seedlings. You many be a seed starting expert, but are you practicing all 10 of these tips? Maybe your just starting out. I’ve have had 10 years of experience. Here’s what I’ve learned.

the importance of hardening off

The Importance of Hardening Off Seedlings

Besides protecting plants from wind or cold, building up cutin is another good reason for hardening off seedlings before transplanting in your garden. To do this you have to get seedlings used to the outdoors slowly.

Reusing Windows in the Garden

Cold Frame Kits

Cold frame kits make it easy to extend the growing season. Here’s a detailed review of the one I bought plus 2 others I considered. There’s also a FAQ section to answer any questions that you have.

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Most Popular on SHF

  1. How to Get Free Seeds from the U.S. Government. It's Easy If You Know How
  2. I Tested the 4 Top Seed Staring Mix Products. This is the best:
  3. A Hoop House is a Tomato Growing Machine.
  4. How to Use Chicken Manure Pellets in the Vegetable Garden
  5. The Importance of Hardening Off Seedlings
  6. I've Used a Rain Barrel Downspout Diverter for 10 years. Here's What I Know.
  7. Grow Millions of Cucumbers in a Hoop House
  8. I Shopped for Hoop House Kits. A Review of the One I Bought.
  9. Do Tumbling Compost Bins Work?
  10. How to Get Rid of Gnats on Seedlings

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Bill Brikiatis

Hello! I’m Bill Brikiatis. I started this website in 2010 to help you get better at growing organic food in your backyard.

I’ve been growing fruits and vegetables for most of my life. Much longer than I want to admit.

That’s not to say that I don’t make mistakes. I make plenty, then I write about them so both you and I get better at growing great things to eat.

You can read more about me and Suburban Hobby Farmer on my about page.

Growing Tomatoes

Growing Tomatoes

Learn Everything I Know About Growing Tomatoes

Extending the Growing Season

  1. A Hoop House is a Tomato Growing Machine
  2. Coldframe Kits Make It Easy to Extend the Growing Season
  3. Grow a Million Cucumbers in a Hoop House
  4. I Shopped for Hoop House Kits. A Review of the Three I Considered
  5. Growing Salad Greens in Winter. Here's How to Do It
  6. Better Tomatoes with Walls O Water
  7. How to Grow Carrots in Winter
  8. Winter Sowing Made Better

Improving Soil

  1. How to Use Chicken Manure Pellets
  2. Three Important Soil Building Techniques
  3. Grasscycling and Composting Grass Clippings
  4. What is "Deep Litter" in a Chicken Coop?
  5. Why Grow Cover Crop and Which Ones?
  6. Mulching Raised Garden Beds
  7. Five Gardening Ideas from Building Soils Naturally
  8. Should You Use Neptune's Harvest Liquid Fertilizer?
  9. How to Use Aquarium Fish Water to Fertilize Plants
  10. Using Chop & Drop to Improve Your Soil
  11. How to Improve Your Soil
  12. What is OMRI? Why Should Organic Gardners Care?

Collecting Water with Rain Barrels & Downspout Diverters

  1. My Automatic Downspout Diverter
  2. Rain Barrel Downspout Diverters
  3. Fixing an Overflowing Rain Barrel
  4. Oatey Mystic Rainwater Collection System / Downspout Diverter

Composting Articles

  1. Do Tumbling Compost Bins Work?
  2. How to Compost Faster
  3. Worm Composting Not So Easy
  4. Worm Composting Not So Easy, Part II
  5. Worm Composting Not So Easy, Part II
  6. Free, 77-page Worm Composting Guide
  7. Grasscycling and Composting Grass Clippings
  8. The Best Worm Food
  9. Making Compost in a Chicken Coop

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