the Imperfectly Happy home

Backyard Homestead

Chicken Coop Plans and Tips

by 2 Comments

Chicken coop plans and tips for homesteaders and backyard farmers. Maybe you’re dreaming of a backyard chicken coop and looking for free DIY chicken coop plans. Or maybe you are already keeping chickens and you’re finding your chicken coop is not meeting your needs. This is the article for you!

chicken coop plans and tips

Today I’m going to share my best tips for chicken coops, chicken coop tips and maintenance and some free chicken coop plans for you to consider for a DIY project!

Chicken Coop Plans and Tips

What purpose does a chicken coop have?

The purpose of a chicken coop will vary on the goals of the homesteader or backyard farmer. The basic purpose is to keep your hens safe (especially if you don’t or can’t have a rooster). Even in a backyard, chickens can fall prey to a variety of hungry animals. Your chicken area must be predator proof! See Backyard Chicken Predators.

But a chicken coop will also serve to keep your chickens from eating your garden, laying eggs in undesirable places and pooping on everything. A secure chicken coop will also keep nasty rodents from eating your feed and drinking their water. See Keeping Rats and Mice Out of Your Chicken Coop

Not to mention they need a place to sleep at night!

Isn’t Better to Free Range My Chickens?

diy chicken coops for free range chickens

I think it is great to free-range chickens! Better for their health and better for your eggs. BUT you absolutely still need a chicken coop (see reasons above). For me, my hens remain in their coop from sundown until they’ve laid their eggs for the day. Then they are allowed to roam the backyard happily eating bugs, weeds and grass. But I keep my raised beds protected from the hens, otherwise I could not allow them to free range in our mini homestead.

How big should the chicken coop be?

how big should my chicken coop be

Everyone has a different opinion on how big you should build your chicken enclousure. First if you cannot allow your chickens to do any free ranging you want to give them as much space as you can “afford” on your property. I always side on bigger is better.

Here a things to consider when you’re planning your backyard coop:

  • What size chickens will you be raising? Smaller bantam breeds, like a Silkie, will need a minimum of 2 square feet per bird in the coop and 4 square feet of run space. A standard sized chicken, like a Rhode Island Red should have at least 4 square feet in the coop and 8 square feet in the run per bird. Now if you are choosing a larger chicken breed like the Jersey Giant then you’re looking at chicken coop plans for 6 to 8 square feet in the coop and more than 10 square feet in the run.
  • Coop all the time vs some free roam time.
  • Some people plan to only have a coop and no run because chickens are free ranging during daylight hours.
  • How many chickens will you be keeping?
  • How often will you be cleaning? A smaller coop is going to get messier and smell much faster!
  • Do you want to be able to walk in your chicken coop and run? You’ll need to consider height of your enclosure too.

Chicken Coop Plans for Location

chicken coop planning diy location

When it comes to real estate, location is key, right? That is true when planning your chicken area location as well. Of course these tips will vary on how much actual space you have to offer. Here are a few things to consider in your chicken coop plans:

What Does My Chicken Coop Need?

When you are planning your chicken coop you need to consider what the coop itself will need.

  • Nesting Boxes – Your Guide to Chicken Nesting Boxes
  • Protected Food – or you’ll be feeding rodents. I recommend investing in a treadle feeder that can only be opened by weight (chicken’s weigh a lot more than rats).
  • Water dispenser – a hanging waterer may offer you some protection from pests.
  • Plenty of light and ventilation in both the coop and run
  • A perch or roosting bar with room enough for all birds to sleep there at night or multiple perches if necessary.
  • Lighting – hotly debated but if you want more eggs in the winter you may need supplemental lighting.
  • A area for dust baths. Chickens need to take regular dust baths to keep clean and parasite free. You can offer them and area or make sure you have room for the to dig their own.

What is it like to start a backyard chicken coop?

A small backyard chicken coop is a wonderful addition to a home. Fresh eggs, poop to compost and funny little winged dinosaurs to entertain you. But you need to know what you’re getting into. They don’t lay forever – yes you’ll need an “exit plan” for hens when they are done with laying.

Please read:
10 Reason NOT To Be A Backyard Farmer

How to build an inexpensive chicken coop?

You can build your own chicken coop with these free DIY Chicken Coop Plans. A DIY chicken coop sounds like a money saver but before you decide to DIY ask yourself these questions.

  • Are chicken coops really easy to build?
  • Does the person giving you plans actually know how to build a chicken coop?
  • Do I have any building experience or expertise? Nothing will cost you more than trying to build a coop with absolutely no knowledge of basic instruction. So if you don’t have it and can’t find someone to help you for free then is a DIY Chicken Coop Plan really saving you money?
  • Are the materials available to me for a discount or free? Again if the materials make the coop more expensive than the kit, is it worth it? Now the difference may be that the quality of the coop is much better and will last a much longer time; making the more expensive initial investment worth it.
  • Do you have the time to build a chicken coop? I think this one speaks for itself.

Free Chicken Coop Plans for DIY

If you are set on building a DIY chicken coop here are a few plans worth checking out.

Buying a Chicken Coop on Amazon

You really can buy just about anything on Amazon, including some decent chicken coops that you can put together yourself. But be sure to read the reviews, carefully check the dimensions and consider the materials for your area (will they hold up to the elements?). An Amazon chicken coop might be a great starter coop or one to use while you’re building your dream chicken coop.


Growing Tomatoes At Home

by Leave a Comment

Growing tomatoes at home is a great for beginning and veteran gardeners. There are so many ways to successfully grow tomatoes that it may be the perfect first food to grow! I’m going to share everything I know about growing tomatoes to help you get started or to have bigger and better harvests.

Growing Tomatoes At Home

Once you start growing tomatoes at home and taste the rich flavor, you’ll never want a store-bought tomato again. And don’t just limit yourself to the standard red beef steak – there are a rainbow of tomato colors and flavors that await you. Grow them outdoors in bed, in boxes, in pots…you can even grow some tomatoes indoors. You’re going to love your homegrown tomatoes!

How to grow healthy tomatoes.

Growing tomatoes, healthy tomatoes, comes down to a few basics.

  • Seeds
  • Season
  • Soil
  • Light
  • Water
  • Pruning

Tomato Seeds – What You Need to Know

Growing tomatoes takes a good quality seed is the start to a great tomato garden! There are so many tomato varieties to choose from! Some people prefer to grow heirloom tomatoes for their flavor and history others prefer a hybrid (which is NOT GMO necessarily) for their vigor. I recommend trying a few of each to see how well they do in your area and garden.

What is an heirloom tomato?

growing heirloom tomatoes

According to Wikipedia, “An heirloom tomato is an open-pollinated (non-hybrid) heirloom cultivar of tomato. An heirloom tomato is usually a variety that has been around for generations and cultivated for its unique characteristics…heirlooms have history.

I do think it is important to grow heirloom tomatoes but you’ll need to find one that does well in your climate.

What is a hybrid tomato?

Simply put a hybrid tomato is a purposeful cross-pollination of two varieties for tomatoes. The end-goal is to produce a tomato with the best traits of both varieties. This could be bigger fruit, more heat or pest resistant, early maturity and plant size can also be factored it. Hybrids are not genetically modified or GMO and do not need to be feared.

What Do Determinate and Indeterminate Tomato Varieties Mean?

All tomatoes are either determinate or indeterminate.

ace 55 determinate tomato

A determinate tomato will reach a “determined” plant height and will not grow higher. These tomato plants will produce fruit in 1 – 2 months, at the end of their branches. Great for canning and sauces because most of the tomatoes will be ripe and ready to harvest at one time. Check out Ace 55.

mortgage lifter indeterminate tomato

An indeterminate tomato plant will grow to an undetermined size, especially if not pruned. They can grow over 5 feet tall fruit throughout the growing season. These varieties are generally trellised but I have had HUGE tomato plants that I left to their own devices that filled up a 4×4 box (and gave me lots of fruit). Check out The Mortgage Lifter.

Where can I buy tomato seeds online?

I buy most of my tomato seeds from Seeds Now. They are a small, family owned, company that offers quality organic, non-gmo, seeds.

You can see more about seed catalogs here!

Can I grow tomato plants from seeds completely outdoors?

You can if you live in a warmer climate. But even here in Phoenix, I prefer to start my tomatoes indoors and transplant them to my garden.

When is the best time to plant tomatoes? When growing tomatoes in most areas you’re going to want to start your seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your area’s last frost of spring. How long do tomato seeds take to germinate? Tomato seeds will germinate in 7 to 14 days when started indoors. You can transplant them to your garden, raised beds or pots when the soil is warm.

How to plant tomato seeds.

When growing tomatoes from seed you’ll want to plant your tomato seeds in potting soil (see more on soil below). The seeds should be planted about a 1/4 inch deep in seedling pots that are 3 – 4 inches in depth so they have room to grow. Keep the indoor seedlings in a warm, ventilated area, with plenty of light. Be sure to keep the soil moist, but not overly wet which can cause fungus.

Frugal DIY Starter Pots
How to Use Seeds and Transplants in Your Garden

What’s a good soil mixture for tomato seedling transplants?

Let’s talk soil for growing tomatoes! Tomatoes are heavy feeders and the soil you plant them in will effect their flavor. I recommend a rich soil, amended with plenty of compost. Tomatoes do prefer a slightly more acidic soil but if you focus on richness you should have great plants and big harvests.

Other than good organic compost you may want to consider these amendments:

Alfalfa meal
Blood meal
Fish meal
Leaf mold (how to make leaf mold)
Bone Meal
Worm Castings (consider growing your own – Worm Factory Kit )

I’ve had good luck with my DIY Soil Mix.

Where to plant tomatoes.

You’ll plant your tomatoes in a sunny spot where they have access to sunlight for 6 to 8 hours a day. Morning sun is best because too much heat can actually burn your tomatoes (a big consideration in climates like Phoenix).

Plant with growing in mind. I plant mine in 4 x 4 raised beds, 1 plant per bed. If planting directly in the ground give them 48 inches of space.

Watering tomato plants.

When growing tomatoes you want to keep the soil moist but down drown them. Over watering or inconsistent watering can cause the tomatoes to split or develop blossom end rot.

Can tomatoes be grown in a pot?

Yes they can, and very successfully. I love growing tomatoes in fabric pots that will keep your plants for getting root rot.

For determinate tomatoes you’ll want a container that is at least 18 inches in diameter and 24 inches for your indeterminate tomatoes.

Follow the same guidelines for soil, water and sun.

What are tips and hacks to growing tomatoes?

Every gardener has their own tips and hacks for growing tomatoes. Here are a few for you to consider and try in your own garden.

  • Use eggshells – Adding shells to your soil before planting can give your plants a calcium boost while growing. Which can help prevent blossom end rot. More uses for eggshells.
  • Coffee grounds – Mixing some coffee grounds into your soil can help to repel snails and slugs; as well as adding some nitrogen into your soil. More ways to recycle coffee grounds.
  • Epsom Salt – great if soil test shows you soil lacks magnesium. More uses for Epsom salt.
  • Mulching – mulching around your growing tomatoes will help to conserve water, prevent weeds and keep the soil warm.
  • Offer support – Growing tomatoes need the support of stakes, cages or trellises.

How long does it take a tomato plant to grow?

This is a harder question to answer because things like variety, area, etc will effect that. But when growing tomatoes you 2 to 3 months of growth before you’ll be able to harvest anything, shorter for cherry-type varieties.

Common Tomato Pests and Disease 

Tomatoes are a great beginner plant because they are generally easier to grow than many other fruits and vegetables. But they can suffer from blossom end rot, early and late blight and many other diseases. Most of these can be prevented with crop rotation, companion planting, and following good water practices.

Horn worms, aphids and white flies are just a few of the pests that you can face when growing tomatoes.

See: Controlling Aphids Naturally and more on Tomato Pests.

Pinching and Pruning Tomato Plants

I have often let me tomato plants grow naturally without pruning or pinching of any kind. But the school of thought is pinching off the suckers that sprout up in the middle of two branches, can help your plants use nutrients and energy more efficiently. By pruning your tomato plant’s yellowing leaves you give the overall health of your growing tomatoes a boost.

When to harvest tomatoes 

Growing tomatoes means harvesting when the fruit is firm to the touch but has a bit of give to it. Fruit that is ready to be picked should pull way easily from the vine. A tomato will tek up to 8 weeks to ripen on determinate plants and up to 12 weeks on indeterminate plants.

How to store tomatoes

Your homegrown tomatoes should be stored at room temperature, though in warmer climates the refrigerator might be better. If it is too warm the fruit will continue to ripen and rot.

Try making tomato powder out of your extra tomatoes. Or freeze or can your tomatoes for later use.

Apartment Homesteading Easy Ways to Start Today!

by 3 Comments

Apartment homestead – you can really homestead anywhere! If you live in an apartment or a condo you may think homesteading is off the table right now; I disagree. You can be an apartment homesteader! Homesteading is more than owning land or livestock; it is a lifestyle, a choice to live outside of the modern way of thinking and many projects can be done in a small space.

I have lots of projects that you can start working on as an apartment homesteader whether you’re hoping to own land in the future or if an apartment is as much as you ever want. 

 

Easy Ways You Can Be An Apartment Homesteader Now

Vegetable Gardening in an Apartment

There is a lot more to gardening that rows and rows of plants. As an apartment homesteader take advantage of every available bit of space with sunlight. You can use your patio or porch for container gardens. I highly recommend fabric pots for aeration; but if you’re on a budget use whatever you have available (just make sure it has good drainage). Grow herbs in sunny window seals and if you have a sliding glass door then get a plant stand for multiple growing areas. Don’t forget to incorporate hanging gardens like vertical grow bags that can hang on your patio wall and containers that can hang on patio rails.  You might want to consider putting up some bird netting to keep your patio garden protected.

Lastly, if your area has a community garden you can expand your space by renting some there!…

Read More

Gardening with Kids

by 2 Comments

Gardening with kids should be part of our family legacy. Gardening teaches so many wonderful skills, not to mention kids love to eat what they grow! I’d like to share my 10 reasons for gardening with kids and some great ways to get them started.

gardening with kids

Gardening with Kids

I believe a child’s garden should be part of every family’s backyard farm. My youngest daughter has always been in the garden helping; I’ve seen the difference it can make first hand. But for now I’ll share my Top 10 Reasons to get Gardening with Kids. I hope it encourages you to get your children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews out in your vegetable garden very soon!

10 Reasons To Start Gardening with Kids

Gardening with Kids
My daughter, years ago, starting seeds for her garden.
  1. A Child’s Garden Encourages Healthy Eating – when kids grow fruits, vegetables and herbs they eat more of them. They are excited to try produce that, normally they’d have turned up their noses to. Kale is a perfect example, or Swiss Chard; my kids looked sideways at these veggies when I brought them home from the store. But once we had them growing in the garden, that they helped to plant and tend, it was a different story!
  2. Gardening with Kids Teaches Them a Valuable Life Skills – when children garden they learn to provide for themselves. Growing our own food isn’t a skill most modern adults have, much less children. This is something that should be passed on as a legacy of self sufficiency.
  3. A Child’s Garden Teaches Appreciation – When I kid knows first hand the time and work that went into providing the food they are much less likely to waste it. They learn to appreciate the fruits of their labor, so to speak. Many adults find this when gardening for the first time too!
  4. Kids Gardening Means Less Screen Time – In our modern world our children spend a lot of time in front of tvs, computer, tablets and phones. There is nothing like a garden to get the out in nature!
  5. Gardening with Your Kids is Family Time – when parents (or guardians) garden with children you create a special bonding time. This is create face to face time, no distractions. I’ve been able to have some pretty awesome conversations with my kids over soil.
  6. Kids that Garden Will Grow Up And Pass It Down – A child’s garden can become a legacy and a beautiful vintage skill that gets passed down from one generation to another.
  7. Gardening with Kids is Great Exercise – That’s a win-win for both of you! I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that kids these days are not active enough. I’ve seen research that says this generation may be the first to live a shorter life than their parents. I know gardening can’t fix it all but digging, hoeing, building boxes, pulling potatoes…you can get that heart pumping and break a sweat!
  8. A Child’s Garden it Educational – As a homeschool family we look for opportunities to teach outside of the “box”. A garden offers kids a natural learning opportunity. Gardening really is science! From seed growth and photosynthesis to how the soil is alive. Older children and teens might enjoy Gardening for Geeks as a text. For younger children check out this free gardening curriculum. Don’t forget the math of planning a garden and figuring cost of growing vs buying at the store.
  9. Gardening with Kids Teaches Problem Solving – If you are a gardener you know that every beginner has issues. But most of us use our failures as lessons but learning how to fix them; kids will too! They’ll learn from your experience and from doing their own reading and research.
  10. Your Child’s Garden Will Give Them a Sense of Pride – When a kid serves their friends and family a salad full of the vegetables from their garden there is a real sense of accomplishment and pride. There is nothing quite like providing food for the people you love. Not to mention the bonus of sacrificing their time and energy to the benefit of others (giving).
gardening with kids

The Best Vegetables for Children’s Gardens

These vegetables are great when you first start gardening with kids! They are easy to grow, will grow in a variety of spaces and most kids love to eat them.

Radishes 

In my experience, radishes are the easiest vegetable to grow. They’ll grow in boxes and pots too. Radishes are also pretty fast vegetables so they’ll be something to harvest quickly. Because they are a root vegetable you’ll want to start these where you plan to grow them, no transplanting. I know store-bought radishes are not everyone’s cup of tea but there are some amazing varieties that have more mild or sweeter flavors. See Radish Seeds

Carrots

Most kiddos love carrots – a sweet root veggie. No while carrots are pretty easy to grow, they do take some patience because they are slow growing. In my years of gardening I have never found one that grows as fast as the seed packet says it will; but they are worth the wait. I have grown carrots in pots, 6 and 12 inch garden boxes with equal success. And you’ll never have a better tasting carrot than the one you eat right out of the garden! Did you know there are purple carrots? See Carrot Seeds

Tomatoes

Most gardeners will tell you to start with tomatoes as a beginner. They are one of those vegetables (which are actually a fruit) that will grow just about anywhere. Growing tomatoes are good for learning how to prune for growth and you can keep growing the same tomato bush for several seasons. Kids typically like cherry tomatoes but you might be surprised by all the fun smaller varieties that you can grow! We love the Yellow Pear.

Zucchini

The hardest thing about growing zucchini is what to do with it all! With a good harvest we can usually share quite a bit with neighbors, friends and family; because we get tired of it. I recommend starting your zucchinis inside about 4 – 6 weeks before you’re ready to plant them outdoors. We often the Black Beauty variety. See my tips on growing summer squash. 
Be sure to check out these amazing zucchini recipes for your harvest!

Bell Peppers

Bells are a wonderfully sweet pepper that kids usually love to eat. They are truly an easy vegetable to grow too! They typically do well in warmer weather and ours have survived the the long hot Phoenix summers! They also come in a wonderful rainbow of colors, though that does not really change the flavor in my opinion. See Bell Pepper Seeds

family gardening with kids

Tips for Gardening with Kids

  • Make it fun – they are more likely to do it again if you have fun with it.
  • Set goals together – decide what your goals are for your garden. Maybe a salad or salsa garden only to start?
  • Keep it simple – sometimes just starting a simple herb garden is best. Don’t feel like you need a dozen square foot garden boxes!
  • Keep it organic – your children really don’t need exposure to any pesticides!
  • Order some seed catalogs to look at together. See Seed Catalogs You Need!
  • Plant what you eat first – sure I encourage variety and trying new things but the first few veggies should be ones they eat already.

Further Reading for Your Child’s Garden

Here are a few books you may want to consider as you dive into gardening with your kids.



Gardening in January

by 3 Comments

Gardening in January? Well sure! Well, sort of…

Gardening in January doesn’t always mean actual planting, unless you live in Phoenix where it is a great month for planting and harvesting! But you can use January to get you and your garden ready for the spring!

gardening in january

Gardening in January

Right now I know many of you are covered in snow and/or ice right or both. Maybe winter time gardening is the last thing you’re thinking about; but you’d be surprised to know there so much you can do to prepare for the best spring garden ever!

Use my tips for gardening in January to get prepared for the best harvest you’ve ever had. Try them all or focus on 1 or 2 that you can do right away and come back to the rest. I know when I’m unable to be out in my little garden I miss it. I hope these ideas help you to feel more connected to your homestead and garden during the cold months. Happy Gardening my friends!

Wait! Have you considered building a cold frame for ACTUAL winter gardening? A cold frame is a simple bottomless box with windows facing the sky. It is a smaller version of a greenhouse. Cold frames are built about a foot or two from the ground and are set over a group of plants. A transparent window or roof is on its top to allow light to get to the plants. SEE: HOW TO BUILD A COLD FRAME

Gardening Indoors In January

You just might want to try you hand at growing inside the house in January. With the right window light and indoor temps you can actually be gardening in January in your home. SEE: 14 VEGETABLES YOU CAN GROW INDOORS AND HOW TO GROW HERBS ALL YEAR LONG.

Winter Composting

I know many people will say winter is NOT the time to start a compost. But there are some great ways to keep or start composting in January. Consider starting your own vermicomposting “farm”. There are lots of great DIY tutorials for creating a vermicompost but you can also buy a ready-made kit reasonably. Not ready for worms in the house? How about a kitchen composting system? SEE: KITCHEN COMPOSTING TIPS

Get Your Garden Soil Ready

January gardening can simply be making sure that your soil is ready for planting. This is a great time to test your soil! With your beds or fields getting a planting / growing break, this is a great time to see how the soil is doing. Knowledge is power, and knowing your soil’s pH will help you decide how to amend your soil accordingly.

You can purchase your own Soil pH Meter.  Preparedness Mama also has a great article on testing your soil without a kit, that you’ll want to check out.

SEE:

Awesome Soil Amendments for Your Garden
Improving Soil Without  Compost Pile
The Best DIY Soil Mix
How to Use Orange Peels for a Better Garden

Are Your Tools Spring Ready?

Gardening requires that our tools are ship shape and ready to go for spring. What better to evaluate your gardening tools than January? Do you need clippers? Or do the clippers need sharpening? Are new shovels or hoes in order? And wait…do your beds need any repair?

Many of the big box stores will have sales on gardening supplies because they need to get the stuff moving in the winter. Also check out yard sales and Craigslist for awesome winter deals.

SEE: GARDEN TOOLS EVERY BACKYARD FARMER NEEDS

January Gardening – Planting the Mind

LOL – ok that sounds a little crazy but all I mean is that you can use this time to educate yourself. There is always something to learn about backyard gardening! Here are a few of my favorite gardening books to check out!

The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible
The All New Square Foot Gardening
The Vegetable Gardener’s Container Bible
Gardening for Geeks

Get Your Gardening Calendar Ready

Maybe this is your first garden or you just need to refresh your memory for your zone.

Plan out your planting calendar now so you are ahead of the game in the spring. Be sure you know your planting zone!

Map Out Some New Space

January gardening should definitely include re-evaluating your space. Do you have it organized? Do you need to make some adjustments for light? SEE: MAXIMIZING YOUR GARDEN SPACE

Order Your Seeds

Now that you’ve planned, educated, mapped out your garden in January – you are ready to order seeds! I highly recommend Seeds Now – Non-GMO Seeds.

SEE: SEED CATALOGS YOU NEED TO KNOW!

Start Some Seeds Indoors This January

Get your spring veggies off to an early start. Many vegetables will do great with transplanting from indoor starters to your boxes and beds. Just make sure that you don’t do this with root veggies as they don’t take well to transplanting.

SEE: FRUGAL DIY SEED POTS (CHEAP & FREE)

Do you feel ready to dip into a little gardening in January? I hope my ideas and tips give you some ways you can start. I love my garden in every season and the month of January is no exception. You can do so much to be spring-ready right now! Please let me know if you have any questions by leaving a comment below. And feel free to share your tips and ideas for January gardening.

Be sure to see How to Have An Amazing Backyard Garden for even more information!