"Learn About..." is a recurring post where we'll look at lesser known herbs, greens, etc., and discuss their origin, health benefits, and everything in between!

Sharp, spicy, bright, and gorgeous, mizuna, or Brassica rapa nipposinica, is a cook's dream. It holds a distinct flavor profile, and is one of the most interesting greens around.

Continue reading “Learn About... Mizuna” »

One of the biggest hurdles of everyday life is food prep. With school, or kids, or work, by the end of the day, food prep is one of the last thing you want to be thinking about.

With a little bit of discipline, though, having a solid lunch can really make a difference for your workday.

In addition to ensuring that you're getting all the nutrients you need to stay healthy, you'll also feel better after fuelling yourself with the proper food.

Here are some tips and recipes to help you beat that mid-day hump and 3 o'clock wall! Continue reading “How to Pack a Fresher, Healthier Lunch” »

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and if we're all being honest to ourselves, sometimes, Valentine's Day plans get put on the back-burner.

If you're a bit behind with the planning, don't worry, as we've got some healthy alternatives to the nightmare that is going out for dinner on Valentine's Day.

Featuring fresh herbs and vegetables, these dishes will leave you and your date feeling good. Here are some healthy meals to make for this Valentine's Day. Continue reading “Healthy Meals to Make For Valentine's Day” »

Spring is such an exciting time; it's an excuse to start fresh. Why not make good use of this time and start to expertly prepare your garden for spring?

Here are a few tips for getting the best jump start on spring gardening. Continue reading “How to Prepare Your Garden For Spring Planting” »

"Learn About..." is a recurring post where we'll look at lesser known herbs, greens, etc., and discuss their origin, health benefits, and everything in between!

Triticum Aestivum, better known as wheatgrass, is an incredible plant. Everyone knows it's good for you, but do you know exactly what nutrients you get?

Despite its name, wheatgrass actually has no wheat in it—yes, good news for those who are allergic to gluten. It's prepared from the cotyledons (a part of the embryo within the seed of any plant) of the common wheat plant, and often pressed to create juice. Continue reading “Learn About... Wheatgrass” »

You can buy holiday gifts and cards ahead of time, you can keep your eyes on the prize and plan ahead for the big holiday dinner. But one thing you must do this winter is prepare your garden for the incoming cold.

Why is it so important to prepare your plants?

The roots of your plants have the ability to become well established during the winter—in cold, moist weather. Continue reading “How to Prepare Your Perennial Plants for Winter” »

Time and again, we've talked about how microgreens, vegetables, herbs, and flowers grown in an Urban Cultivator blow store-bought produce right out of the water, but how do they really compare?

So, we decided to conduct an experiment to show you.

We went to a local supermarket chain that specializes in natural and organic foods and picked up some produce to check out the competition. There wasn't a whole lot available in terms of selection, so we purchased arugula microgreens, pea shoot microgreens, and a box of mixed micros.

The three small boxes cost just under $20.

Here's what we found when we put store-bought microgreens next to with those purchased at a grocery store. Continue reading “How Do Urban Cultivator-Grown Microgreens Compare to Store-Bought Microgreens?” »

There's nothing like the feeling of growing your own food. Seeing the labor of your hard work literally bear fruit (or vegetables, or leaves, or…) is incredibly satisfying, not to mention delicious.

Not only are you providing for your family nutritious, pesticide-free greens, but you're also reducing your carbon footprint by eliminating the unnecessary environmentally-damaging steps of mass food production and delivery.

One of the most challenging hurdles of growing your own is right at the beginning—when you're starting from seedlings. At their most delicate stage, your plants are incredibly vulnerable to rotting and soil-borne diseases.

Luckily, with the right knowledge, you can successfully grow delicious vegetables and herbs. Here's our guide to starting seedlings indoors. Continue reading “How to Start Seedlings Indoors” »

Weather in many places can be incredibly finicky, so the best thing for some is to garden indoors instead. While it may seem daunting to bring everything inside, indoor gardening is really as simple as gardening outdoors, with the added benefit of being able to spruce it up with stylish designs.

Not sure where to start? Here are some tips and ideas for the perfect indoor garden. Continue reading “6 Ideas For the Perfect Indoor Garden” »

Image via Green Yatra

Is there anything quite like a big, juicy, ripe tomato? One of the most versatile fruits on the planet, it's not only incredibly tasty, but also really, really good for you. They're rich in vitamins A and C and folic acid, and also containing a wide array of nutrients and antioxidants, including alpha-lipoic acid, lycopene, choline, folic acid, beta-carotene, and lutein.

Grow tomatoes in your garden, and you'll have the best—and most culinarily exciting—summer ever.

So how do you ensure that your tomatoes grow to become the largest, most flavourful tomatoes? The secret is in pruning. Continue reading “Prune Your Tomato Plants For Optimal Growth” »