edenmakersblog.com

A blog is a website whose primary content is a stream of dated entries ("posts") shown newest-first, usually with an author byline and a way to browse older material by category, tag, or archive. It differs from a static site mainly in how content is organized and updated: a static site presents fixed pages you edit in place, while a blog is built around an accumulating timeline of posts. You'd choose a blog when you expect to publish repeatedly over time; you'd choose static pages when the content changes rarely and each page stands alone.

Blog vs. static site vs. wiki

The lines blur in practice. A project site can host a blog as one section, and a blog can contain static pages (About, Contact) alongside the post stream. The distinguishing feature is the post timeline, not the software.

The typical structure of a blog

• Posts — the individual dated entries. Each usually has its own URL, title, date, author, and body.
• Reverse-chronological index — the home page or a "blog" page listing posts newest-first.
• Categories — broad, usually pre-defined groupings (e.g., "Releases," "Tutorials").
• Tags — finer, often free-form labels that can cut across categories.
• Archives — views by month, year, or author for reaching older posts.
• Feeds — an RSS or Atom file that lets readers and other tools subscribe to new posts.
• Comments — optional; some blogs enable them, many disable them to avoid spam and moderation work.

Categories and tags both help readers and search engines, but they only work if you apply them consistently. A common failure is creating a new tag for every post, which produces dozens of one-item tag pages that help no one.

Hosted or self-hosted?

The main decision is who runs the software and the server.

• Hosted platforms (e.g., WordPress.com, Blogger, Medium-style services) handle hosting, updates, and often the domain for you. You trade control and sometimes portability for less maintenance.
• Self-hosted means you install and run the software yourself on a server or static host. You get full control over themes, plugins, and data, but you own backups, updates, and security.

A middle path is a static site generator such as Jekyll, which builds plain HTML files from templates and Markdown posts. These are fast and cheap to host, but they have no built-in comment system or admin interface, so publishing means running a build step. The OpenBVE project homepage, for example, is a project site that publishes dated release notes in a blog-like stream — the August 10, 2026 entry lists OpenBVE v1.14.0.3 changes such as a fix for builds failing to launch on non-Windows platforms and new quality options for viewers. That is the blog pattern applied to software releases: dated, newest-first, each entry a discrete update.

Basic steps to start a blog

1. Decide hosted vs. self-hosted based on how much control and maintenance you want.
2. Choose a platform that matches that choice — a hosted service, a self-hosted CMS, or a static generator.
3. Pick a domain — either a subdomain on the platform or your own registered name. Your own domain makes it easier to move later.
4. Select a theme that is responsive, so it works on phones as well as desktops.
5. Configure the basics — site title, author, time zone, and permalink structure.
6. Write and publish your first post, then verify it appears on the index and at its own URL.
7. Set up a feed so readers can subscribe, and check that it validates.

Ongoing tasks

Publishing is the visible part; the rest is upkeep.

• Comments — if enabled, expect spam. Most platforms offer moderation queues and spam filters; many bloggers simply turn comments off.
• Feeds — keep the feed working and decide whether to publish full text or excerpts.
• SEO basics — descriptive titles, clean URLs, sensible headings, and internal links between related posts. Avoid duplicating the same content across multiple URLs.
• Backups — especially self-hosted. A blog is a database plus files; back up both.
• Updates — self-hosted software needs security patches. Skipping them is the most common way small blogs get compromised.

How to tell it's working

After the first few posts, check that: the index lists posts newest-first, each post has a stable URL, categories and tags resolve to real pages, the feed validates, and the layout holds up on a narrow screen. If any of those fail, fix them before publishing more — structural problems get harder to correct as the archive grows.

Container gardening on a balcony means growing plants in pots rather than in the ground, and it works if you match three things to your space: container size and drainage, a potting mix made for containers, and plants suited to the light and wind your balcony actually gets. Start with one or two pots, confirm they drain freely, and pick plants labeled for containers or shade/sun conditions like yours. The steps below follow that order because most balcony failures trace back to a pot that holds too little soil, a mix that stays soggy, or a plant placed in more sun or wind than it can handle.

Step 1: Read your balcony before you buy anything

Spend a day noting conditions, because these decide everything else.

• Light: Track how many hours of direct sun each spot gets. A spot with 6+ hours suits sun-loving flowers and vegetables; a shaded corner suits foliage plants and shade-tolerant flowers.
• Wind: Upper floors and open corners dry pots out fast and can snap tall stems. Note whether the spot is sheltered.
• Space and weight: Measure the floor area and check what your balcony can hold. Large pots filled with wet soil are heavy.
• Water access: Know how far you'll carry water, since containers need more frequent watering than garden beds.

Balcony Container Gardening organizes its guidance around exactly these constraints — its sections cover container plants, watering, tools, and balcony design, and it lists "Plants for Shade" and "Best Container Vegetables" as starting points for matching plants to conditions.

Step 2: Choose containers by function, not looks

A container has to hold enough soil, drain freely, and fit your space.

If you want to cover an unattractive floor or add structure, the site's "Balcony Garden Design" section addresses that separately from plant care — treat design and growing as two decisions.

Step 3: Use a container potting mix, not garden soil

Garden soil compacts in pots and drains poorly. Use a potting mix (also sold as potting compost) formulated for containers, which stays loose and holds moisture without staying waterlogged.

• Fertilizer: Container plants exhaust their soil's nutrients faster than garden plants. A slow-release fertilizer mixed in at planting reduces how often you need to feed. Follow the label rate.
• Repotting: Roots circling the bottom of the pot or drying out within a day are signs it's time to move up a size. Do this in the growing season, not in the plant's dormant period.

Step 4: Pick plants that match your light and wind

Choose by the conditions from Step 1, not by what looks best in a shop.

• Sunny, exposed balcony: sun-loving flowers and fruiting vegetables; check the site's "Best Container Vegetables" and "Best Container Flowers" lists for candidates.
• Shaded balcony: foliage plants and shade-tolerant flowers — see "Plants for Shade."
• Windy balcony: shorter, sturdier plants, or provide a screen.
• Pollinators and birds: if attracting wildlife is a goal, the site's "Butterfly Gardens" and "Balcony Birds" sections cover that.

The site's plant fact sheets are the reference layer here: each one covers how to grow and care for a specific plant, so look up a plant before committing to it. Its most-viewed fact sheets include Calla Lily, Coleus, English Ivy, Morning Glory, Pothos, Dianthus, and Cucumber — a mix of flowers, foliage, and edibles that reflects how varied balcony planting can be.

Step 5: Water by checking the soil, not by schedule

Overwatering and underwatering are the two most common container failures, and both are avoidable.

1. Test before watering: Push a finger into the top inch or two of mix. Water only when it feels dry at that depth.
2. Water until it runs out the bottom: This confirms the whole root zone got wet. Empty the saucer afterward so roots don't sit in water.
3. Adjust for conditions: Sunny, windy, and small pots need more frequent watering; shaded, sheltered, and large pots need less.
4. Watch for signals: Wilting in midday heat can be temporary; wilting that persists into evening usually means the soil is genuinely dry.

The site's "Know how to best water plants" guidance sits alongside its tools section — a watering can you can actually carry to the balcony matters more than a fancy one.

Common balcony problems and what they usually mean

• Yellow leaves: often overwatering or exhausted nutrients — check drainage and feeding first.
• Root rot (soft, dark roots, sour smell): waterlogged mix, blocked drainage, or a saucer left full.
• Pests: the site's "Eradicate common insect pests" section covers the usual balcony offenders; catch them early before they spread to neighboring pots.
• Sudden wilting after strong sun or wind: exposure, not disease — move the pot or add shelter.
• No flowers or fruit: usually too little light for that plant, or a nutrient imbalance.

A realistic first setup

Start with two pots: one in your sunniest spot and one in your shadiest, each with drainage and a saucer, filled with potting mix plus slow-release fertilizer. Plant one sun-suited and one shade-suited option from the site's lists, then water by the finger test for a few weeks. That gives you a working comparison of your balcony's two extremes before you scale up — and the plant fact sheets let you look up each choice's specific care needs as you go.

A no-lawn yard replaces conventional turf grass with low-maintenance, water-wise alternatives such as groundcovers, gravel, edible beds, or permeable paving. It suits homeowners who want to cut water use and mowing time, especially in dry climates like Los Angeles, where landscape designer Shirley Bovshow's Eden Makers Blog is based. Before removing turf, confirm your yard's sun exposure, drainage, and how you actually use the space—those three factors decide which replacement works.

What a No-Lawn Yard Actually Is

A no-lawn yard is not a bare or paved-over yard. It is a designed landscape where turf is replaced by surfaces and plantings that serve the same functions—walkable areas, visual softness, outdoor living space—with less mowing, watering, and fertilizing. Common replacements include:

• Groundcovers (low, spreading plants that knit together and suppress weeds)
• Gravel or decomposed granite for paths and sitting areas
• Edible beds for vegetables, herbs, and small fruit
• Permeable paving that lets water soak in rather than run off
• Mixed plantings of shrubs, perennials, and ornamental grasses

The concept fits best where turf struggles: hot, dry, shaded, or oddly shaped areas that are hard to mow and expensive to keep green.

Match the Replacement to the Site

The most common failure is choosing a surface or plant before checking conditions. Assess these first:

For example, a shaded side yard that never grew good grass may be better suited to mulch and shade-tolerant groundcovers than to a vegetable bed.

Steps to Replace a Lawn

1. Map the space. Sketch the yard, note sun and drainage patterns, and mark where you walk, sit, and play.
2. Choose the replacement per zone. Use paving for high-traffic paths, groundcover for visual softness, and beds for growing food.
3. Remove or smother the turf. Options include digging it out, solarizing with clear plastic, or sheet-mulching with cardboard and mulch. Each takes different time and effort.
4. Fix the base before planting or paving. Grade for drainage, amend soil for beds, and compact and level the base for gravel or pavers.
5. Install irrigation suited to the new planting. Drip lines deliver water to roots and waste less than sprinklers.
6. Plant or surface, then mulch. Space plants for their mature size and mulch bare soil to hold moisture and block weeds.
7. Verify after a few weeks. Check for pooling water, wilting plants, and weeds—these signal drainage or spacing problems to correct early.

Common Pitfalls

• Ignoring drainage. Replacing lawn with gravel or paving without planning where water goes can create puddles or push runoff onto neighbors.
• Choosing plants that need more water than expected. Some "low-water" groundcovers still need regular irrigation to establish.
• Underestimating upkeep. Groundcovers and beds need weeding and trimming, especially in the first year.
• Skipping the use plan. A beautiful planting that blocks the path you actually walk will get trampled.

Where to Learn More

Bovshow's Eden Makers Blog covers garden makeovers, edible landscaping, container gardening, and small garden design, with posts such as "Design a Garden with a View!" that show how to reveal and use a site's existing features. Those case studies are useful for seeing how a designer evaluates a yard before replacing turf.

Start by choosing the sunniest spot you can reach with a hose, then decide between in-ground beds, raised beds, or containers based on your space and how much control you want over soil. From there, fill with a compost-rich mix, pick easy crops suited to the season (leafy greens and herbs first, tomatoes once it's warm), and water deeply but less often. Most beginner failures come down to too little sun, poor drainage, or watering too shallowly—fix those three and you're most of the way there.

Step 1: Pick the Right Spot

Food crops need light to produce anything worth harvesting. Leafy greens and herbs tolerate partial sun; fruiting crops like tomatoes, peppers, and squash need a full day of direct sun.

• Track the sun before you commit. Watch your candidate spot at mid-morning, midday, and late afternoon. A spot that's bright but shaded during the middle of the day will underperform for fruiting crops.
• Stay close to water. A bed you have to drag a hose 30 meters to will get watered less often than it should. Proximity to an outdoor tap matters more than most beginners expect.
• Check what's already there. Shirley Bovshow's garden design work often begins by uncovering what a site already offers—in one project she found an expansive valley view that had been hidden for over 20 years. The same principle applies to food gardens: before you build, look at what light, drainage, and existing plants you're working with.

In-ground vs. raised bed vs. container

Step 2: Prepare Soil and Containers

Plants get water, air, and nutrients through their roots, so the growing medium is the foundation.

• Mix, don't just dig. Combine your existing soil with compost to improve structure and fertility. For containers, use a potting mix rather than garden soil, which compacts in pots.
• Drainage first. Every container needs drainage holes. A pot without them turns into a swamp and roots rot. Set pots slightly off the ground so water can escape.
• Size containers for the crop. Herbs and lettuce do fine in shallow pots; tomatoes and peppers need substantially more root volume. Undersized pots mean constant watering and stunted plants.

Step 3: Choose Easy Crops for the Season

Match the crop to the season rather than forcing a favorite. Cool weather favors greens; warmth favors fruiting crops.

• Cool season: lettuce, spinach, kale, radishes, peas, cilantro, parsley.
• Warm season: tomatoes, peppers, basil, beans, squash.
• Start with transplants for tomatoes and peppers if you're new—they're more forgiving than seed. Direct-sow fast crops like radishes and lettuce.

If you want to try seed starting, Bovshow's step-by-step wildflower-from-seed guide follows the same logic you'd use for vegetables: prepare the surface, sow at the right depth and spacing, keep moisture consistent, and thin seedlings so they aren't competing.

Step 4: Plant, Space, and Water

• Follow spacing on the seed packet or tag. Crowded plants compete for light and air, which invites disease. It feels wasteful to leave gaps—it isn't.
• Water deeply, then let the top inch dry. Shallow daily sprinkling encourages weak, surface roots. Water at the base in the morning when possible.
• Feed lightly and regularly. Compost at planting plus a periodic liquid feed during the growing season is enough for most beginners. More fertilizer isn't better; excess pushes leafy growth at the expense of fruit.

Step 5: Troubleshoot the Common Failures

A Realistic First Season

Pick two or three crops, not ten. A container of herbs, a pot of lettuce, and one tomato plant will teach you more about light, water, and timing than a packed bed you can't keep up with. Expand once you know how your site behaves through a full season.

For design context—how to lay out a productive garden so it also looks intentional—Bovshow's edible landscaping and small-garden design work is a useful reference point, particularly her emphasis on working with a site's existing features rather than fighting them.

A garden makeover is a planned redesign of an existing outdoor space, and you can do one yourself by working in a fixed order: assess what is already there, set a clear goal and layout, choose a theme, then sequence the work from clearing through planting. The approach suits yards that feel dated, overgrown, or poorly matched to how you actually use them. It is less about buying new plants first and more about deciding what the space should do before spending anything.

Start by reading the existing space

Before changing anything, record what the yard already gives you. This step decides most later choices, so do it on paper or with photos.

• Light: Track sun and shade across the day, not just at noon. A spot that looks sunny in the morning may be shaded by a fence or tree by afternoon.
• Soil and drainage: Dig a small test hole and check how quickly water drains. Note whether soil is compacted clay, sandy, or improved from earlier planting beds.
• Existing plants: Decide which plants stay, which move, and which go. Mature trees and shrubs are expensive to replace, so treat them as assets until proven otherwise.
• Views: Look for anything worth revealing or hiding. Landscape designer Shirley Bovshow describes discovering "an expansive view of the valley from my clients yard that must have been hidden for over 20 years" — a reminder that a makeover sometimes means opening up a sightline rather than adding features.

Set a goal and layout before buying anything

A makeover fails most often when planting starts before the plan exists. Define the goal in one sentence: a place to eat outdoors, a low-maintenance front yard, a food-producing garden, or a safe play area. Then sketch the layout.

• Mark paths and circulation first — how people move through the space.
• Place the largest elements next: trees, sheds, seating, and hardscape.
• Leave planting beds for last, because plants fill the gaps left by structure.

This order keeps you from buying plants that later block a path or crowd a doorway.

Choose a design direction

The theme should follow from your goal and your site conditions. Common directions include:

Pick one direction and let it guide plant and material choices. Mixing several themes without a plan usually produces a crowded result.

Sequence the work

Do the makeover in stages so each step supports the next:

1. Clear: Remove unwanted plants, debris, and failing hardscape. Keep anything you plan to reuse.
2. Fix soil and drainage: Improve beds and correct drainage problems before planting. This is the hardest step to redo later.
3. Install hardscape: Paths, edging, seating, and structures go in before plants.
4. Plant: Start with trees and shrubs, then perennials and groundcovers, then annuals and containers.
5. Finish: Mulch, lighting, and small details complete the space.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcrowding: Planting at mature size rather than nursery-pot size prevents years of thinning.
• Ignoring maintenance: A design you cannot keep up with will decline. Match plant choices to the time you realistically have.
• Skipping the budget: Set a total figure and split it across clearing, soil, hardscape, and plants before shopping.
• Buying plants first: Plants bought before the layout is set often end up in the wrong place or unused.

Checking your plan before you start

A simple test: can you explain, in one sentence, what the finished space will do and roughly what it will cost? If either answer is unclear, return to the goal and budget steps. For small spaces such as balconies, the same sequence applies but container choice, soil mix, and watering routine become the deciding factors.