Hello everybody! I'm a graduate student at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, currently embarking on an exciting journey for my capstone research project. My focus? The pros and cons of indoor and outdoor gardening in URBAN locations, and I could really use your wisdom and experiences! Topics include hydroponics, urban farming, indoor VS outdoor gardening, and grocery store independence.

ALL QUESTIONS ARE IN THIS GOOGLE FORM (https://forms.gle/Lb24G2MBE4rN8ZCRA) SO FEEL FREE TO TYPE YOUR INSIGHTS THERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for considering sharing your story! Your input can greatly influence the direction and outcomes of home gardening practices.

As homesteader especially as urban peps what the most troubling thing you face? Lets discuss and if some one has a solution they will contribute..

I'll start

If I want to go 100% organic what are the best homemade nutritions (fertilizer) and pesticides I can make easy?

How do I stop stray cats from digging up my plants?

I’m planting from seed, start them indoors, and plant outside when it grows couple leaves so they are still very small.

Should I wait until plants are bigger?

What deterrents should I use?

If I need to fence in plants with chicken wire, how high do I need to make it? Do I need to cover the top? How long does the chicken wire need to stay up? (Personally I just don’t like how it looks so I’d rather not use it

Hello! I am interested in learning how to can fruits and veggies I’m growing. Does anyone have any tips? Thank you in advance ❤️

Hi everyone! I have not grown strawberries in my current area yet and was curious if anyone has any tips or tricks to help them thrive. I live in eastern Oregon and it gets dry and hot in the summers and very cold in winter. I was hoping to plant them with my toddler to help encourage outdoor play, responsibility, and a love for plants. As well as a sweet treat. Thanks in advance! ☺️🍓

We are looking at buying a new construction house with a couple of acres in an area that largely used to be cotton farming. We don’t have a specific house in mind yet, so there’s no specific soil to test, but one of our goals in moving out of the city is to have a large garden, fruit trees, chickens, etc. I’m concerned about the impact of fertilizers & herbicides used in cotton farming. I’ve heard there is a risk of heavy metals like arsenic in the soil after cotton farming. Does anyone have any resources or experience in raising food on land formerly used for growing cotton?

I live in a one bedroom apartment and want to start keeping some livestock. I've heard about people keeping everything from chickens to geese to little goats indoors, but I want to make sure my animals will be happy, partially because these will basically be pets with jobs (I do not intend to raise meat, except maybe fish). What "productive" animals would be happy in my home? I'm ok with something a bit unorthodox (I've been considering worms), but maybe I've overlooked something good and could use a pointer in the right direction

As spring approaches I’m thinking about what to plant in my window boxes. I live in a 3rd floor rented apartment with 2 window boxes already installed and full of weeds. What should I plant for a little garden? I’m thinking of planting herbs in one and veggies or greens in another. (I live in zone 7b)

I bought a house with maybe a 100m2 of plantable ground. The largest is the back garden about 60m2

So my question is from the experts how to design a high yield garden that I can still enjoy for the occasional garden party

My house/garden face southeast and I broke the garden up into a 3 by 3 grid. the mid right side of the garden gets the most sun. The left side is shady as my neighbours house and the fence tend to cast shadows most of the day. The fence there is also in need of some repair and as it’s a party line I can’t really do anything without the neighbours permission which he won’t give (absentee landlord)

Im not really interested in growing crops like potatoes or carrots as those staples are high quality and low cost in the stores. I’m really into pickle and fermenting foods so cabbage radish etc and lots of flavour.

I’ve got some great seeds to start indoors this winter but come spring I’ve no beds to put them in

I’m paralysed where to put a shed my bins a 6 seater round table we own the raised beds

Any suggestions on plants and garden design would be really appreciated thanks especially on how to keep the crow mafia at bay

Hello, all! I desperately want to start urban homesteading. We are planning on building a home, and will probably be in it by spring 2025. Right now, I’m in a rental house with a decent yard, out of which I run a small preschool. We aren’t allowed any animals or to dig up the grass. I have several garden beds on stilts that I plan on using and have asked my husband for a composter for Christmas (what can I say? I’m a romantic!). What’s some things I can do right now to get started?!