Susan Patterson

Hello and welcome to my page. If you enjoy learning about natural health, homesteading and gardening, you have come to the right place. My life journey has taken me to many great places and I consider it a privilege to share information with others to educate, inspire and encourage. As a Certified Health Coach and Master Gardener,  it is my desire to come alongside you as you strive for a balanced life that celebrates all you can be! When I am not coaching others or writing about health you can find me outdoors where I enjoy hiking, biking, organic gardening, homesteading, creating recycled art, photography and being adventurous!

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backyardvitality.com •

5 Tips for Buying Healthy Plants Online

If you are like me, you like shopping from the comfort of your own home in your pajamas. I like to avoid the crowds and sensory overload I often get in stores. However, as easy as it is for me to order household items and even clothes online, shopping for healthy live plants is much different. I have tried and failed with online plant shopping, but I have also had some sweet victories. Here are some tips to help you avoid some of my earlier mistakes. Do your homework on the supplier Doing an a
backyardvitality.com •

Best Lettuce Types to Grow Indoors (plus growing tips)

With spring barely a blip on the calendar, and the fire roaring to chase away the winter chill, you are likely starting to miss fresh produce from your garden and spending time with your hands in the dirt. If you’re tired of the barely edible, pesticide-laden, and sometimes E. Coli-ridden lettuce in the grocery store and miss growing your own food, I have some good news for you. You don’t have to live in the tropics or have a greenhouse to grow lettuce through the winter, with these simple tips,
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Upcycled Vertical Garden Ideas that Make the Most of Small Spaces

Small space gardening is all the rage and rightly so! It is amazing how many types of veggies you can grow in a very little space when you grow them upwards. While many plants are naturally inclined to trail – others need a little coaxing at first, but will happily comply as long as they have great soil, plenty of sunlight, enough water, and a good support system. While you can grow an abundance of food using vertical growing systems, there is so much more to enjoy about vertical growing. Many
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Interesting Truths About Mistletoe You Might Not Know

Oh, the fun you may have had under the mistletoe! The winter season would not be the same without this inspirational kissing decor. Mistletoe is a beautiful evergreen plant with stunning translucent white berries. Often seen as a symbol of renewal due to its all winter evergreen color, many people don’t know much about this rather interesting plant. Here are some fun facts to ponder. How mistletoe got its name – The ancient Anglo-Saxons observed that mistletoe often thrives where birds leave dr
backyardvitality.com •

7 Things To Do With Your Christmas Tree Besides Tossing it Out

With the Christmas season over and the new year bursting forth, it is time to figure out what to do with that now not-so-beautiful Christmas tree that is shedding needles all over your floor. If you have been accustomed to dragging your dead tree to the curb and waiting for the trash pick up, why not try something different this year that is environmentally friendly and creative? Here are some ideas. Instead of tossing your tree in the trash, take it to a local recycling center where your tree
backyardvitality.com •

Growing a Potted Ruffled Palm Tree

The ruffled fan palm or Licuala grandis is a beautiful, unique palm with attractive ruffled leaves that add fashionable flair to any interior or exterior design. These palms can stay in a pot indoors or will survive outdoors all year long if you live in a mild climate. Though the ruffled palm can grow up to 10 tall feet when planted, it will usually only reach about six feet if given a large enough container, which makes it the perfect statement piece for your living room. Keep in mind; this is
backyardvitality.com •

How to Grow Horseradish: The Herb with a Spicy Punch

If you love spicy things, you have to love peppery tasting horseradish ( Amoracia rusticana). This hardy clumping perennial herb dates back over 3000 years and is harvested for its roots that add a zip to a variety of dishes, including roast beef and cocktail sauce. The leaves of the plant are also edible when they are young, but take care not to allow animals to eat them as they are mildly toxic. Because horseradish has long taproots, you must prepare the soil before planting. One of the best
backyardvitality.com •

Tips for Growing a Pinstripe Houseplant

Though not the most common houseplant, calathea ornata or the pinstripe plant is known for its striking leaves and intriguing visual appeal. Often considered finicky, this tropical beauty will flourish with a little love and attention. If you want a foliage plant that looks great all year long and rewards your effort, or if you simply want a bit of a growing challenge, this is the one for you. Follow these tips to level-up your houseplant game and branch out of your comfort zone with the incredi
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Everything You Have Always Wanted to Know About Asparagus Ferns

Asparagus ferns are delicate and beautiful, often seen draping over the edges of hanging baskets or sitting high on a plant stand, assuming a stately position in the home. There is something so intriguing and elegant about the asparagus fern, even though it is considered an invasive species in some places. The asparagus fern is not really a fern at all Perhaps you did not know this, but the asparagus fern is not a genuine member of the fern family. It is, in fact, a member of the Liliaceae fam
backyardvitality.com •

Awesome Alternatives to Conventional Lawns

There is nothing quite like the perfect picture lush green lawn, right? Unfortunately, no matter how lovely lawns are, they are not particularly eco-friendly. The good news is, there are many super cool, attractive alternatives that are totally earth-friendly. Here are some figures from Wildones Natural Landscapers, Ltd. that may have you thinking twice about your traditional lawn. • None 67,000 pounds of synthetic pesticides are used on U.S. lawns each year. • None $25,000,000,000 is spent on
Tropical Health •

5 Delicious Things You Can Do With Raw Goat's Milk (and how to safely source it)

Raw goats milk is often a hot topic of conversation. Fans of milk pasteurization argue that there is no way to ensure the bacterial safety of the product. Proponents of the raw movement, on the other hand, say that it contains more vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, trace elements, enzymes, protein, and fatty acids than cows milk. Unsurprisingly, the latter is correct. Keeping food as close as possible to its natural state is always the healthier option. Of course, it is important to purchase qua
backyardvitality.com •

Why Late Summer and Fall is a Great Time for Landscape Projects

Your mind may not be on landscaping as the late summer/fall pushes in and the first nips of cold air bite at your heels. However, this is actually one of the best times to plan and execute a landscape project that you can fully enjoy next season! There are a couple of reasons why I reserve any major landscape projects for the late summer or fall. The first is that it is cooler and easier to do physical work than in the dead heat of summer. The second reason, and probably the main reason, is tha
backyardvitality.com •

How to Throw the Perfect Succulent Planting Party

Succulents are all the rage these days and with good reason. They are cute, colorful, and full of interesting texture. They are easy to work with and make the perfect live addition to any indoor or outdoor space. Their versatility means that they can be incorporated into any style from rustic to modern and dressed up or dressed down. If you have not had the opportunity to host a succulent party for friends and family, now is a great time. Here are some tips to ensure that your planting party is
backyardvitality.com •

It's Late Summer: What You Should Be Doing in Your Garden

In some places in the country, hints of fall are on the doorstep, while in others, the summer sun continues to beat down hard. No matter where you live, there are certain things that you need to be taking care of in your garden now. Some of these things will ensure that you have a solid fall harvest, and others will ensure that you prepare your beds for the next season to come. Either way, here is a great checklist to help you give your late summer garden the love it deserves. You may notice th
Rural Sprout •

The Secret Tomato Pruning Trick For Huge Harvests

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our Affiliate Disclosure here. Have you ever selected and planted a beautiful young tomato plant only to find it growing erratically and under-producing? Or perhaps your plant buckles over under the weight of too much fruit? What you might be missing in your tomato care regimen is a really good pruning method. That’s right, when and how you prune your tomato plant has a great deal to do with what kind of plant you will grow and the harvest you will
backyardvitality.com •

Delicious Cool Weather Crops You Can Plant This Fall

Though it is sad to think of it, the end of summer is here. As you enjoy the last few weeks of warmth and sunshine, you are probably busy in the garden, getting everything prepared for the winter and harvesting your late summer veggies. But don’t put those tools away quite yet, as long as you have at least 60 days before your first expected frost, there are plenty of veggies you can plant today and enjoy in just a few weeks. Fall gardening is an efficient way to maximize the growing season, and
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Soil Building 101: Start With the Best and Your Plants Will Deliver

“The cause of plant disease is poor nutrition and an unhealthy soil ecosystem. The fate of plants is as inseparably entwined with that of the soil as our fate is entwined with theirs. If we want to eat nutritious food we need to take care of the soil, for we too are part of this web of life.” – Heide Hermary If you have heard it said that your plants are only as good as the soil that they are grown in, you have heard correctly. Even starting your garden with the highest quality plants does not
backyardvitality.com •

These Bug Killers Won't Harm Your Kids or Pets

Pesticides are a bitter pill. Without them, our lawns and gardens could quickly become overrun by pests. When we use them, they pollute the soil and water and even the air we breathe. Children and pets are more susceptible to harm from the toxic chemicals found in conventional pesticides. For one thing, they typically stay closer to the ground, rolling and crawling on the grass most of the time. Their bodies are smaller, which means they get a higher dose per weight. They also tend to sniff the
backyardvitality.com •

Want to Attract More Wildlife - Here is What You Should Do

If you are anything like me, there is nothing more enjoyable to you than sitting on your patio in the warm twilight air, sipping a cup of tea and watching the birds and insects trill around your garden. You don’t have to live in the heart of the country to enjoy this vision, either. Even if you are in an urban area, there are ways that you can, and should, be encouraging wildlife to find sanctuary in your yard. Here are a few tips and tricks to make your garden a natural paradise…no matter where
Tropical Health •

The Good News About Keeping Chickens (#3 Might Surprise You)

It may seem like raising chickens is an activity reserved for those with sprawling outdoor spaces, and fresh country air. However; you can actually start your own coop today, and with just a little effort you will be enjoying fresh eggs, compost, and a multitude of other benefits from your feathered friends. Here are just a few reasons you should start keeping chickens in your backyard. Buying eggs from the grocery store can often feel like you’re gambling with your health and the health of you
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