Gardening Tips and Tricks

Tips for growing your garden in the northern climate from Calgary Alberta. Check out my list of favourite seed companies in Canada, the best fertilizer for your vegetable garden and my free printable companion planting chart Learn how to figure out what garden zone you are in, find out the best time to plant your garden in Alberta along with so many more useful gardening tips!

Natural Weed Killer

This natural weed killer recipe uses vinegar, Epsom salts and dish soap. See the results on my weeds sprayed with natural weed killer.

What is the Best Soil for a Raised Vegetable Garden?

The best soil for vegetable garden in raised bed is a mix of 1/3 topsoil, 1/3 compost and 1/3 peat moss (or coconut fiber).

Winter Sowing in Zones 3 & 4

Find out how to winter sow seeds in milk jugs or other containers. Included is a winter sowing seed list.

No Dig Gardening - How to Make a No Dig Garden Bed

What is no dig gardening anyway? The no dig garden method involves creating a garden on top of the existing ground, without digging to...

Growing Flowers In Your Vegetable Garden - Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums act as a ground cover keeping weeds at bay. Pollinators, hummingbirds and ladybugs all love this bright, beautiful flower.

When to Start Seeds Indoors - With Free Printable Seeding Guide

Free printable guide with ideal dates for when to start seeds indoors in Alberta and other zone 3 garden climates.

How Often Should I Water My Garden?

How often you should water your vegetable garden, containers and raised beds in the summer depends on the weather, soil and mulch. Most gar

How to Prepare Garden Soil For Planting

Garden soil is the foundation for a successful garden. Tips for how to prepare vegetable garden soil for planting each spring as well as a

How to Grow Plants From Seeds - A Step by Step Guide

Find your step by step guide with all you need to know about how to grow plants from seed indoors.

When to Uncover Strawberries

To figure out when to uncover strawberries in the spring, pull the straw or mulch to the side and check for new growth.

What Seeds to Start Indoors and What to Direct Sow

Here is a list of what seeds to start indoors and what to direct sow outdoors in growing zones 2 - 4 of Canada or other similar cool garden

Alberta Planting Calendar

Knowing when to plant your vegetable garden in zone 3 is important to the success of your garden. Find your Alberta planting calendar here.

11 Easy Vegetables to Grow in Canada

These 11 easy vegetables to grow in Canada are perfect vegetables for beginner gardeners to grow in containers or in their gardens.

6 Things to Consider When Planning a Vegetable Garden From Scratch

How to build and plan a vegetable garden from scratch including the best soil for vegetable gardens, raised beds vs. in ground gardens, the

What Are Plant Zones Anyway?

What plant zones are and how to tell what hardiness zone you are in depends on your coldest temperature throughout the year.

About Krista Green

Krista lives on a 4 acre homestead in the foothills of Calgary, Alberta, along with her husband and 3 children. Vegetable gardening and self-sufficiency have been a passion of Krista's for a number of years. Krista's aspires to share her gardening knowledge with others, to help them navigate growing vegetables in the often challenging zone 3 gardening climate.

Krista helped in the family vegetable garden growing up in Vernon BC and then later near Calgary Alberta. At the age of 16, she started a job at a greenhouse in the Calgary area. She continued working there (some years only part time) for the next 10 years. As an adult, Krista has always grown a vegetable garden in whatever space was available. Some years that meant a garden bed in the local community garden.

Growing healthy, organic, fresh food for her family has always been important to Krista, and through this website she hopes to help each of you who strive to do the same.