According to a handful of studies I looked at before writing this, somewhere between 80% and 90% of New Years resolutions are abandoned shortly after making them. This is often due to goals being too ambitious, too vague, too much of a departure from our current lifestyles and interests, depriving us of something we really enjoy, or too focused on achieving a particular goal rather than improving our lives by increasing or reducing behaviors.

Life is difficult enough without us being hard on ourselves or setting ourselves up for failure by establishing unrealistic goals. So, this year, maybe we should all consider focusing more on progress than perfection, setting intentions instead of rigid goals, and sticking with resolutions that we can keep and that will improve our lives, health, or community involvement at least a little.

One of the key components in making resolutions you can keep is making them measurable and being specific. For example, instead of a vague goal like “I am going to walk more,” try something you can easily quantify like, “I am going to walk three additional miles each week.”

Secondly, your goals are going to be easier to achieve if they help you live in line with your values. As I mentioned in last year’s New Year column, one thing that many of us gained in the pandemic is clarity regarding our priorities. We now have a better understanding of what is important to us and deserves our energy. If your resolutions help you live in line with these values, they will be easier and more satisfying to accomplish.

Something else that will help you keep your resolutions this year is building on goals you are already achieving. An example would be expanding the water-saving efforts you have already fully incorporated into your life to gently push yourself to up your water-conservation game even more. This might include adding another rain barrel to your gutter system, expanding your drip system, or reducing your family’s meat consumption.

Whatever you choose for your resolutions this year, remember to be kind to yourself, grateful for the loved ones in your life, and committed to making time for self-care.

Here’s to the new year! May it bring you peace, joy, love, and prosperity however you define each of those.

Your front porch is the space where you shrug off the outside world before entering your sanctuary, where you send your family off with well wishes for the day, and where you welcome guests to your home. How this space looks influences the first impression your neighbors and guests have of your home and lets them know what they can expect to find inside.
 
Most folks want their homes to be welcoming and inviting. If this is your goal, your front porch is the ideal place to start. Here are five ways you can freshen the look of your front porch to start the new year off right.
 
1. Paint Your Front Door
 
Painting your front door is an easy, affordable way to instantly increase your home’s curb appeal and add a fun pop of color to liven up your home’s façade. You might simply choose your favorite color for your front door, or you might want to do a little research to find the perfect color based on current trends, historic trends, or feng shui principles. For example, in Early American tradition, a red door was a symbol of hospitality to welcome people into your home. If inspired by feng shui principles, a red door would represent the element of fire and might be chosen for good luck and protection.
 
2. Wash the Windows
 
If you are looking for an even more affordable way to freshen the look of your front porch, wash the windows. It is amazing what a difference clean windows can make.
 
3. Clear the Clutter
 
If your porch has become a catch-all for work boots, sporting equipment, dog leashes, or toys, you can easily improve the look of your front entry by clearing the clutter. If you do not have anywhere else to conveniently store these oft-used items, create some simple storage solutions to keep them organized. Even muddy work boots look more organized if they are sitting on a boot tray by the front door.
 
4. Replace Your Porch Light
 
If you have not replaced your porch light in the last decade, this small home improvement project is a quick way to update the look of your home. This task is best completed by a professional, so hire a local electrician for this one.
 
5. Add Seating
 
Even a small porch likely has room for some type of seating. A small bistro set, a bench, or even a stool provides a spot to take off your shoes, set packages, or enjoy your morning coffee. Having some type of seating on your porch also creates a more welcoming space to invite neighbors and guests into your home.

One of the many benefits of living in Southern California is that we can enjoy fresh produce from our backyard gardens any time of the year. There is a wide variety of foods that can be grown even in the coldest months, but winter is a particularly good time for growing lettuces and leafy greens for use in salads, juicing, and side dishes.

Some varieties, such as kale, taste better when grown in cooler weather, while others are simply too fragile to thrive in Ojai’s summer heat and must be grown in winter.

Here are 10 tips for growing your own winter greens to get you started with this healthy hobby.

1. Raised garden beds are a great option that allow you to better control your soil content. While kale likes nutrient-rich soil that is not high in nitrogen, many winter greens thrive with a bit of nitrogen added to the soil, so amend your soil according to the greens you are growing.

2. Many leafy greens like their soil moist, which is another reason it is best to grow them during the rainy season to reduce the need for supplemental irrigation.

3. Avoid wasting water by growing your greens in shallow containers with plenty of soil for their shallow root systems but no excess soil to soak up water.  

4. Consider starting your seeds indoors if you are planting early when the weather is still pretty warm or planting late and the temperature is already regularly dipping below 50 degrees.

5. Succession planting is the key to enjoying an ongoing harvest throughout winter and spring. Plant a few seeds of each variety each week to significantly extend your harvest.

6. You can also extend your harvest by taking only what you intend to use right away and harvesting leaves at the outer edges of the plant.

7. Growing winter greens from seeds is pretty easy; however, if your thumb is not all that green, you may achieve better results by starting your garden from seedlings from one of our local nurseries.

8. Another way to help ensure success is to choose easier-to-grow greens, such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard, or rocket lettuce. Most greens are easy to grow, but these are even easier, so they might be better options for beginner gardeners.

9. If you do not have room for a vegetable garden, grow your greens in containers on your patio, a vertical garden, or in small pots on a windowsill.

10. Add a layer of mulch around the base of your plants to help retain moisture and protect the roots.

11. Consider a simple hydroponics system for growing leafy greens indoors. I grow leafy greens both in soil and hydroponically and would recommend either one for gardeners with any level of experience. Using a hydroponic system allows you to grow greens indoors all year – not just in winter – so that is a bonus. You can purchase an indoor hydroponics system that is complete with grow lights and a pump, but it is also possible to start with a much simpler and more affordable, do-it-yourself option, such as using the Kratky method, which you can easily learn with a quick Internet search.

Fall is my favorite time of year. While we may not enjoy the beautiful displays of entire forests of leaves changing color, it is nice to finally ditch sundresses and sandals for cozy sweaters and boots. It is also nice to be able to spend time working in the garden now that the temperature has dropped enough to actually enjoy outdoor activities. Here is some fall garden inspiration to help you get as excited as I am about getting back out in the garden.  

Plant an herb garden.

Fall is a great time to plant an herb garden for you and your family to enjoy. Since our climate allows for year-round growing, you can plant just about any herb you would like, but you will have the best luck starting herbs that prefer cooler weather, such as mint, sage, rosemary, lavender, parsley, or thyme. Any of these can be used both as culinary herbs and as ornamental plants, so consider planting an edible border or incorporating culinary herbs into your flowerbeds. Remember that mint is a thug, so it is best to manage its growth by planting it in a container.

Plant leafy greens.

Sweater weather is on its way, which means it is time to start planting our leafy greens. Varieties of kale, lettuce, and spinach do well throughout fall and winter, so these are good choices for your fall garden. To extend your harvest period, practice succession planting by sowing seeds every two weeks. This will allow you to enjoy fresh greens from your garden well into late spring. If you have limited space, skip the lettuces, and opt for kale or spinach, which offer greater nutritional value and more versatility in the kitchen.

Plant fall vegetables.

While it is generally best to start your fall garden a bit earlier in the year, there is still time to plant cool season vegetables, like beets, broccoli, cabbage, radishes, peas, carrots, cauliflower, onions, garlic, and celery. Like with your leafy greens, you can extend the harvest period by practicing succession planting. With foods like radishes or beets, determining how many you and your family will eat each week will help you decide how many seeds to sow for each round of succession planting.

Consider container gardening.

If you have limited space for gardening or want to expand your garden beyond your raised beds, there are many food plants that grow well in containers. I like using fabric containers to expand my garden area so that I can fold them up and store them when not in use. I particularly like tall, fabric containers for growing potatoes and sweet potatoes, since this makes them easier to move around and easier to dump out at harvest time.

Home maintenance tip: It is time to start using our heaters, which means it is time to change our HVAC filters. The coming months will also likely bring some rain, as well as the Santa Ana winds, so it is a good time to clean your gutters to reduce the risk of water damage or gutter debris catching fire. If you need a professional to perform these tasks, remember to support our local economy by hiring local contractors.

Living in California means treating the entire year as one big fire season. Weed abatement and tree trimming should be regular activities and choosing fire-resistant plants for landscaping should just be the norm at this point. However, as we now that we are well into the official fire season, it is a good reminder to take a look at our defensible spaces and ways to harden our homes against potential wildfires.
 
As the drought worsens and increases the risk for wildfires to spread quickly, reducing the potential for wildfires and limiting the spread of fires as much as possible is even more important. If we reduce the spread of fire, we reduce the amount of water needed to fight that fire.
 
While there is no way to make your home completely fireproof or to create an impenetrable firebreak around your property, there are things we can all do to reduce the risk of losing our homes to fire. Here are six home-hardening options to get you started.
 
1. Follow weed abatement and Fire Hazard Reduction Program (FHRP) guidelines.
 
Okay, you don’t have much choice here. If you are one of the many property owners in Ojai or Oak View who get an annual notice from the fire department reminding you to abate fire hazards on your property and you don’t do it, they will send a contractor to complete the work, and then send you the bill with an added administration fee. This means the abatement is going to happen one way or another, but you can avoid the additional fees and make sure your home is safer from wildfires as soon as possible by taking care of this yourself and maintaining your defensible space throughout the year.
 
2. Clean your gutters and your roof.
 
We have all heard about homes that are lost due to windblown embers igniting the roof. The thing folks often do not think about is that it does not always matter what kind of roof you have. Fire-resistant roofing materials, such as tile, composition, cement shingle, or metal, are an important part of keeping your home safer from fires, but simply having a roof made from these materials is not enough. If your roof is littered with dry, flammable debris or your gutters are filled with dead leaves, these materials can ignite and increase the risk of losing your home to wildfire. Keep your roof and gutters clear of debris to reduce this risk.
 
3. Store firewood away from structures and vegetation.
 
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), you should stack your firewood at least 30 feet from structures. Additionally, CAL FIRE recommends maintaining a 10-foot, vegetation-free area around your firewood storage.
 
4. Choose drought-tolerant, fire-resistant plants.
 
Water conservation efforts can make it more difficult to keep vegetation green and reduce flammability, so it might be time to consider replacing water-loving plants with native, drought-tolerant plants that thrive with little water.
 
There are no plants that are truly fireproof, but there are many that are fire resistant. As part of the FHRP, the Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) provides their Plant Reference Guide to assist homeowners in choosing plants. The guide provides information on common ornamentals used in landscaping, including plants that should be avoided. The guide also includes information on each variety’s drought tolerance, which can help you find the best options for saving water and creating a beautiful yard that is fire resistant.
 
You will also want to refer to VCFD Standard 515 – Defensible Space and Fuel Modification Zones for spacing and maintenance requirements, as well as Guideline 410 – Prohibited Plant List to find out which plants and trees are prohibited in new required defensible spaces and fuel modification zones. The publication also encourages homeowners to remove these plants and trees from existing defensible spaces. You might be surprised at some of the trees on this list that are commonly found near structures here, such as olive and pepper trees, so this list is worth a look.
 
These publications can be found on the Ventura County Fire Department website at VCFD.org.
 
5. Choose fire-resistant patio furniture, cushions, and covers.
 
Whenever possible, choose patio furniture and textiles that are fire resistant. Unfortunately, this means avoiding some popular options, such as wood or wicker furniture and doormats and outdoor rugs made from natural fibers. Instead, choose options that are less flammable, such as rubber or metal doormats, metal furniture, and flame-retardant fabrics for cushions, awnings, and umbrellas.
 
6. Look for places where flammable materials may collect.
 
Flammable materials, such as leaves, twigs, and sometimes even trash, can accumulate under bushes, in shrubs, under decks, around the base of trees, or in corners. Find these spots in your yard and make sure to clear debris from these areas regularly.

Weeds are an issue for nearly every homeowner, but conventional options of ridding your yard of these unwanted plants are not exactly appealing. Pulling them might get you outside in the fresh air and help you burn a few extra calories, but who wants to spend hours pulling weeds in Ojai’s heat? Using chemical-laden herbicides might save time, but they are also not that appealing, particularly if you have children or animals who play in your yard.
 
You will probably never be able to completely avoid pulling the occasional weed, but there are several all-natural weed control methods that can help you kill the weeds you have and limit future weed growth.
 
You can always purchase organic herbicides online or at some garden centers. This is definitely a step in the right direction; however, if you would like to save money and go greener, you can also use some all-natural products you probably already have in your pantry.
 
If weeds are an issue in your yard, try one of these five inexpensive, simple, natural weed killers:
 
1. Vinegar – It’s no secret that vinegar can be used for just about anything, and killing weeds is one of its many talents. Spraying weeds with distilled white vinegar is an effective, chemical-free way to kill them, but it generally requires multiple applications – and at least a few days for them to die.
 
2. Salt – Mixing a little salt into the soil is very effective for wiping out your weeds; however, it cannot be used in areas where you plan on planting desirable plants. Use this one with caution and only in areas like driveway cracks and gravel areas where you do not plan on growing anything. Also, keep an eye on the runoff to make sure it does not make its way to your flower beds.
 
3. Boiling Water – If you can avoid burning yourself or your desirable plants as you pour it on your weeds, boiling water is a simple, inexpensive weed killer.
 
4.  Cornmeal – Cornmeal prevents seed germination, which makes it a perfect choice for all-natural weed control. Because it prevents all seed germination without discrimination, it is best to use this method around mature plants. Using organic cornmeal in your garden also attracts worms, which is great for your soil.
 
5. Non-Living Ground Covers – Natural ground covers, such as gravel, bark, wood chips or mulch increase the visual appeal of your yard while also limiting weed growth. If you use landscaping fabric under your ground cover, you can limit weed growth even more.
 
When using natural weed control methods, it is important to remember that these effective, inexpensive, healthier options do not discriminate between weeds and desirable plants. This means you will need to use these chemical-free weed killers with caution around plants you want to keep and in areas where you plan to plant.

If you haven’t already, it is time to get your vegetable garden going. You can plant seeds directly in the ground now that we are not worried about freezes, so you don’t even have to start your seeds indoors. Just get out there in the sunshine and fresh air and get some food plants planted.
 
Of course, there is the issue of water and how we really do need to be conserving it everywhere we can. Since we are not in an area where we can rely on April showers to bring those May flowers, this means best practices for gardening here include water-saving measures. Fortunately, small changes in how we plan and irrigate our gardens can make a big difference.
 
Let’s go over some options that will allow us to save water while enjoying the benefits of growing our own food.
 
1. Replace your lawn.
I know this sounds like it has nothing to do with your vegetable garden, but if you remove or reduce your natural grass lawn, you will save so much water that it will offset your water usage elsewhere on your property.
 
Water usage studies on community gardens in Denver showed that traditional bluegrass lawns used up to 18 gallons of water per square foot per year, whereas, the community gardens used just 11 gallons. (denverwater.org)
 
California Farm & Garden found that an edible garden in the same space as a lawn reduced water usage by up to 75%. (cafarmandgarden.com)
 
2. Choose lower-water food plants.
There are lots of food plants that are drought-resistant and thrive with less irrigation, including black-eyed peas, summer squashes, tomatoes, sunflowers, pole beans, fava beans, eggplants, peppers, mustard greens, Swiss chard, pomegranates, and grapes. Also, most herbs, as well as some legumes and grains, require less water than other choices.
 
3. Install ollas.
Sometimes it amazes me that we continue to jump on the latest, high-tech trends when our ancestors have been using elegant, effective solutions for centuries. Ollas are a great example of this and show how looking to the past just might help save our future. These low-tech, low-cost irrigation systems are used around the world in dry climates to help gardeners successfully grow bountiful crops in areas where wasting water is not an option. 
 
Ollas are large, porous, non-glazed pots that are buried among your fruit and vegetable plants with their necks above the soil. Once in place, these water-conserving pots are filled with water about once per week. Plant roots grow towards this water source, and water seeps into the soil only as needed, making this an incredibly efficient irrigation system. Delivering the water directly to the roots beneath the surface also helps you avoid runoff, evaporation, soil compaction and weed growth.
 
4. Install a drip system – or upgrade the one you have.
If you are currently watering your garden by hand, you can save time and water by installing a drip system. This is a far more efficient way to deliver water directly to the roots of your plants. If you already have a drip system, check for leaks, make sure your emitters are working and watering the right spots, and install a smart controller that automatically adjusts your irrigation system according to weather conditions.
 
Using an automated drip system also allows you to more easily adjust timers to save water by irrigating your garden in the early morning or late evening and allows you to water your plants more when they are young, and then reduce water once they are established. Keep in mind that it is best to water food plants in the morning. This helps fortify them to get through hot days while avoiding the diseases and pests that sometimes come with evening watering.
 
5. Add mulch.
A layer of mulch around your food plants will help retain soil moisture and keep soil temperatures cooler. It has the added benefit of limiting weed growth and breaking down over time to add nutrients to the soil.
 
If you pull back on water too much, your plants may wilt, bolt, produce little or no fruit, or die, so be sure to keep an eye on them and adjust the watering schedule accordingly.

Spring is coming, which means it is time to prepare our gardens for this season’s planting. As we flip through seed catalogs, order potting soil for curbside pickup, and put together our garden plan, it can be easy to forget that our gardening tools could use a little prep as well.
 
Since we can grow food and flowers throughout the year here, you probably have been using your garden tools all winter, so they might be dirty, dull, and bit worse for wear. Garden tools that are kept in good repair are safer to use, last longer, and function better, which is better for the environment, your plants, and your wallet.
 
Here are some simple ways you can make sure you get the most out of your gardening tools.

1. Keep Your Tools Clean.

Keeping your tools free of dirt and debris can help prevent rust and helps to ensure that they are ready to go next time you need them. Metal and plastic tools can be cleaned with soap, water, a rag, and a scrub brush. If you are concerned about spreading disease or pest eggs, you can also use vinegar, antibacterial wipes, or an antibacterial soap, and follow that with wiping them down with linseed oil or vegetable oil.

1. Remove Rust.

If your tools are a bit rusty, you can remove the rust with sandpaper or a wire brush. Follow this with a coat of oil or store them in a bucket of sand mixed with oil to prevent further rusting. You have probably read somewhere that mixing sand and motor oil in a bucket for garden tool cleaning and storage is a good idea. It is not. While it is effective in cleaning your tools and keeping them from rusting, it also means introducing motor oil to your garden when you use the tools, so let’s stick to linseed oil or vegetable oil.

1. Oil Wood Handles.

Wood handles on shovels, hoes, rakes, and hand tools do not always age well and can dry out and crack. You can avoid this by oiling them a few times a year. Be sure to use oil that is safe for skin contact and for your plants, such as linseed oil. Apply the linseed oil to the handles, let it sit for about 20 minutes, and then wipe off any excess oil. If your handles are beginning to feel rough or like you might get splinters from them, sand them with sandpaper before oiling them. Make this one of the tasks you complete each time the season changes to make it easier to remember.

1. Sharpen Shovels, Hoes, and Hand Tools.

Regularly sharpening your gardening tools makes them safer and easier to use. If you are comfortable sharpening them yourself, you can do so with a mill file or flat file that you can purchase for less than $20 at a home improvement store or hardware store. If making sharp edges even sharper does not sound fun (or safe) to you, you can always have them professionally sharpened.

1. Store Tools Properly.

Store your tools in the above-mentioned bucket of sand and oil, hanging on a wall, or handle down in a yard tool organizer. Avoid storing tools with the metal end touching the ground, since that can dull the blades and encourage rust.

Winter is a great time to update and upgrade outdoor living areas. With shorter days and colder weather, you likely are not entertaining on your patio quite as much right now, which gives you the opportunity to spruce it up a bit between gatherings.
 
If you have tried to have any type of home improvement completed over the last couple of years, you know how busy contractors are right now and how difficult it is to get on their schedules. If you have something that requires a contractor, call them now to get your job in their queue. Then, while you are waiting your turn, consider some of these upgrades that you can do yourself in the meantime.
 
1. Spread no-water ground covers.
You can quickly increase the visual appeal of your outdoor living areas by covering bare earth with a no-water ground cover like bark, wood chips, or gravel. Spread it around plants, in walkways, and in any spot that needs a little sprucing up. This option is easy to do and easy to maintain, since all you really need to do moving forward is refresh it whenever it starts to look a little sparse.
 
2. Hang string lights.
String lights are inexpensive, easy to hang, and a great way to add soft lighting to outdoor living areas. Add a festive flair to your patio or yard with a few strands of string lights that you can likely hang yourself.
 
3. Add a fresh coat of paint to patio furniture.
If your metal, wicker, synthetic wicker, plastic, or other painted patio furniture is looking a little worse for the wear, head to one of our local hardware stores to pick up some spray paint in fun colors. Watch a couple of videos online to make sure you know what you are doing, and then update the look of your furniture with a fresh coat of paint.
 
4. Add a fire pit.
Fire pits are not necessarily easy to install or inexpensive, but there are certainly options that fit both of these categories. You can pick up a portable fire pit for less than $100, bring it home, and have it set up and ready to go all within a couple of hours.
 
5. Put together a bar cart.
Look around the house for a two-tier table or rolling cart that could be transformed into a portable bar. Stock it with your favorite beverages, outdoor drinkware, and some bar snacks to have a handy bar cart ready to go for impromptu social gatherings.
 
6. Add a rug.
Adding an outdoor rug to your patio décor is a quick and easy way to instantly add color and texture to your outdoor living area. If you are not sure you want to deal with caring for textiles, you can also paint a rug design on your patio.
 
7. Add a shade sail.
Shade sails provide protection from the sun and make your outdoor living areas more comfortable and more functional. As an added benefit, they also happen to be great for blocking the view of your patio if neighboring properties sit higher than yours or if second-story windows overlook your yard.
 
8. Hang a hammock.
Hammocks provide the perfect spot to curl up with a good book or take an afternoon nap. They are easy to hang between two strong trees or sturdy posts, or you can purchase a hammock stand that allows you to place your hammock anywhere you’d like.
 
Things to remember this month:

• If you haven’t already, clean your gutters to prepare for any rain we might receive and to reduce fire risk.
• If you haven’t changed your furnace filters since heater season began, change them now to keep your system functioning as efficiently as possible and to keep your home – and the air in your home – cleaner.
• If you need to call in a professional to help with a home improvement project, choose local contractors and keep your money in the local economy.
  

Over the last few months, I have written about tips for starting a vegetable garden and the basics of growing peppers. This time, I thought it might be nice to expand on this a bit and talk about five other vegetables anyone can grow. So, if you have been wanting to start a garden but are intimidated by the idea of actually having to keep things alive, or if you did start a garden and have not yet had much success, this one is for you.
 
Starting with just a few easy-to-grow options allows you to build your gardening skills and confidence. It allows you to focus on really learning how to grow these few vegetables first before you expand your garden and increase the variety of food plants you grow.
 
So, let’s get started with the first five vegetables you should plant in your garden.
 
1. Bell Peppers – Most peppers are easy to grow, but to help ensure your success even more, start with bell peppers and start with seedlings from a local nursery. You can start peppers from seeds, but bell pepper seedlings are inexpensive and easy to find, so get a jumpstart on your garden with starter plants instead. Pick a sunny spot, plant them about 18 inches apart, place cages to help support them as they grow, and water frequently until established. Once established, you can back off to watering once per week in most conditions. The plant tag will let you know when they will be about ready to harvest. For a more detailed guide to growing peppers, check out my column in the May issue, which is available online.
 
2. Radishes – Radishes are, hands down, the easiest vegetable to grow. They are great for beginner gardeners or for teaching kids about growing food, since some varieties go from seed to harvest in just three weeks. Plant your seeds one-half inch deep in rows that are about four inches apart. Once you begin to see growth, thin them to about two inches apart in each row. Water once or twice a week, and simply pull them up when it is time to harvest.
 
Radishes are also great for practicing succession planting for a longer harvest.
 
3. Kale or Chard – Kale and chard are equally easy to grow, so choose whichever you like best and think you will use most. Either of these options can be grown from seed or from starter plants from a nursery. Plant your seeds or plants about one foot apart, water frequently until established, and then water once or twice a week depending on how hot and dry it is. Once the plants are producing well, you can start harvesting the outer leaves to use in soups and salads and to encourage the plant to continue producing leaves for later harvests.
 
4. Carrots – Carrots are just as easy to grow as radishes; they just take longer to go from seed to harvest. Plant seeds a few inches apart in rows about four inches apart – or, to make it even easier, lightly scatter the seeds in the area where you want your carrots to grow, and then thin them out to about three inches apart once they start growing. Water frequently at first, and then once or twice per week once they are growing well. The seed packet will tell you about how many days it will be from the time you plant them until it is time to harvest. When it is time to harvest, gently pull them out of the ground.
 
This is another crop that is ideal for succession planting, so consider planting one row per week over several weeks to enjoy fresh carrots from your garden longer.
 
5. Green Onions – Green onions are easy to grow in containers, in raised garden beds, or in the ground. You can even grow them from the scraps of old green onions in a jar of water in your kitchen. If starting form seeds, plant the seeds about one-half inch deep and about one-inch apart. If you are starting from onion sets from a nursery, plant them about two inches apart. When planted in the ground or raised beds, you will usually need to water them once or twice per week. When it is particularly hot or dry, you will need to water them more often. You will also need to water them more often if you grow them in containers. They will be ready to harvest when the greens are about eight inches tall.