An Oregon Cottage’s Top 11 Garden & DIY Projects of 2016: Timeless Inspiration for Your Home and Garden
Welcome back to An Oregon Cottage (AOC), where we celebrate simple, purposeful living through gardening, DIY, and delicious homemade food. As we look back at a fantastic year, we’re thrilled to share the most beloved garden and DIY projects that captured your attention in 2016. These aren’t just old favorites; many of them continue to be evergreen resources, proving that good ideas never go out of style. From transforming your garden with smart growing techniques to crafting unique home decor and mastering food preservation, this curated list represents the best of what AOC offered, according to our community and Google’s analytics.
Each year, we dive into the data to see which posts resonated most with our readers. This year-end “best of” series highlights articles that offer practical solutions and inspire creativity. Interestingly, many of our top-performing garden and DIY articles from 2016 are also perennial favorites, maintaining their popularity year after year. For instance, our tutorial on how to freeze green beans without blanching has consistently been one of our most visited pages. It demonstrates a common need for efficient and simple food preservation methods, especially during peak harvest seasons.
It’s fascinating to recall that I almost didn’t publish that green bean article, fearing it wasn’t the “traditional” way to preserve them! Yet, its overwhelming success underscores a crucial lesson: sometimes, the simplest, most accessible methods are exactly what people are looking for. This experience has truly shaped how we approach sharing practical advice on AOC.
You might notice a bit of overlap between our garden and recipe lists, particularly with preservation methods. While canning recipes found their home in our top recipes list, I deliberately included freezing techniques here. My rationale is that freezing, much like direct gardening, is an integral step in extending your garden’s bounty, bringing fresh-from-the-earth goodness into your kitchen year-round. It’s all part of a holistic approach to making the most of your harvest and embracing a self-sufficient lifestyle. We hope you appreciate the comprehensive nature of these lists, designed to help you live more beautifully and productively.
An Oregon Cottage’s 11 Top Garden and DIY Projects from 2016
Get ready to explore a treasure trove of inspiration! From clever gardening hacks to transformative DIY home projects, these are the posts that captivated our community throughout 2016 and beyond. Each one offers valuable insights and actionable steps to enhance your home and garden.
11. How to Dry Plums
Drying plums is an ancient and effective method for preserving this delicious fruit, transforming them into sweet, chewy prunes. This tutorial guides you through the simple process of drying plums at home, allowing you to enjoy their rich flavor long after the harvest season has ended. It’s a wonderful way to utilize a surplus of plums from your garden or a local orchard, creating a healthy snack or ingredient for baking without needing a lot of specialized equipment. Learn the best techniques for preparation and drying to achieve perfectly preserved plums every time.
10. How to Freeze Snap Peas Without Blanching
Following the success of our green bean freezing method, this popular guide shows you how to preserve the crisp sweetness of snap peas without the extra step of blanching. This time-saving technique is perfect for busy gardeners who want to enjoy their harvest throughout the year with minimal fuss. By skipping the blanching, you retain more of the peas’ vibrant color and fresh texture, making them ideal for quick weeknight meals or adding to stir-fries and salads. Discover the simple steps to prepare and freeze your snap peas efficiently.
9. How to Make a Dresser into a Vanity
Transforming an old dresser into a stylish and functional bathroom vanity is a fantastic way to add character and save money on your bathroom renovation. This DIY project showcases the potential of upcycling, turning a forgotten piece of furniture into a custom statement piece. The tutorial covers everything from selecting the right dresser to cutting for plumbing and waterproofing, ensuring a durable and beautiful result. Give your bathroom a unique, personalized touch with this creative and eco-friendly renovation idea, demonstrating that thrift store finds can become true treasures.
8. Five Reasons to Grow Cucumbers on a Trellis (and Taking Up Less Space Isn’t One of Them)
While many gardeners assume trellising cucumbers is purely about saving space, this insightful article reveals five compelling reasons beyond that common misconception. Growing cucumbers vertically on a trellis can lead to healthier plants, cleaner fruit, easier harvesting, improved air circulation, and even increased yields. Discover how this simple gardening technique can significantly enhance your cucumber patch, preventing diseases and pests while producing an abundance of perfect cucumbers. It’s a game-changer for anyone looking to optimize their garden productivity and maintain healthier plants.
7. How (& Why) to Make the Best Flaxseed Pillows
Learn how to craft the ultimate flaxseed heat pillows, perfect for soothing aches, warming beds, or simply providing a comforting warmth. This tutorial explains not only the practical “how-to” but also delves into “why” flaxseed is superior to other fillings, offering moist, long-lasting heat therapy. These DIY pillows make wonderful personalized gifts and are incredibly simple to customize with your choice of fabric and essential oils. Embrace the cozy comfort and therapeutic benefits of handmade flaxseed pillows for yourself and your loved ones.
6. The Ultimate Rhubarb Guide: Grow, Harvest, Cook, and Preserve
For anyone who loves the tart sweetness of rhubarb, this comprehensive guide is an indispensable resource. It covers everything you need to know about this versatile plant, from successfully growing it in your garden to the best methods for harvesting. Beyond cultivation, the guide provides an array of delicious recipes for cooking with rhubarb and practical techniques for preserving your harvest, ensuring you can enjoy its unique flavor all year. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or new to rhubarb, this ultimate guide will help you make the most of this fantastic seasonal ingredient.
5. How to Make a French Styled Bench from Old Chairs
Unleash your inner craftsman with this clever tutorial that demonstrates how to transform two discarded chairs into a charming French-style bench. This project is a fantastic example of creative upcycling, breathing new life into forgotten furniture pieces. The guide walks you through the steps of dismantling, joining, and finishing, resulting in a unique and elegant seating option for your entryway, dining room, or garden. It’s a rewarding DIY that adds a touch of rustic sophistication to any space, proving that old furniture can indeed be gold.
4. DIY Tufted French Mattress Cushion
Elevate your seating with a handmade tufted French mattress cushion, known for its distinctive pleated edges and luxurious comfort. This detailed tutorial provides all the instructions you need to create a custom cushion that adds a touch of timeless elegance to benches, window seats, or even floor seating. Learn the art of tufting and achieving that characteristic French mattress edge, allowing you to personalize your home decor with high-quality, handcrafted textiles. This project is perfect for those who enjoy sewing and want to create unique, comfortable accents for their living spaces.
3. How to Freeze Corn Three Ways: Blanched, Unblanched & Whole
Corn is a summer staple, and this guide ensures you can enjoy its sweet flavor all year long. This comprehensive post teaches you three distinct methods for freezing corn: traditional blanching, a quick unblanched approach, and freezing whole cobs. Each method caters to different preferences and cooking styles, providing flexibility for preserving your harvest. Whether you prefer the convenience of kernels or the rustic charm of corn on the cob, this tutorial has you covered, making freezer meal prep a breeze and reducing food waste.
2. The Easy Way to Freeze Green Beans Without Blanching
Consistently one of our most popular posts, this revolutionary guide offers a simplified method for freezing green beans that eliminates the need for blanching. This technique saves significant time and effort during the busy harvest season, allowing you to quickly preserve the fresh taste and crisp texture of your garden-fresh green beans. It’s perfect for those who want efficient food preservation without compromising quality. Discover why thousands of readers turn to this tutorial every year for hassle-free preservation that truly works.
And the #1 garden/DIY project is:
What takes the top spot in our list of An Oregon Cottage’s most popular garden and DIY projects from 2016? It’s a project that combines sustainability, practicality, and effective pest control for your precious garden. We’re thrilled to unveil the number one choice that resonated deeply with our community, showcasing a shared interest in natural, homemade solutions.
1. Homemade Garlic Mint Garden Insect Spray – that Really Works!
This homemade solution for garden pests stands out as our most cherished and effective DIY project. Gardeners are always seeking natural ways to protect their plants without harsh chemicals, and this garlic mint spray delivers exceptional results. The tutorial provides a simple, natural recipe that genuinely deters common garden invaders, helping you maintain a healthy, thriving garden organically. Its popularity reflects a growing desire for eco-friendly gardening solutions that are both easy to make and highly effective. Learn how to mix up this powerful, natural pest deterrent and keep your garden flourishing!
Did your favorite make the list? If not, what is it – let me know in the comments!
Thank you for being a part of the An Oregon Cottage community. Your engagement and enthusiasm for these projects inspire us to continue creating valuable content. We hope this look back at 2016’s top garden and DIY projects provides fresh ideas and encourages you to embark on new adventures in your home and garden. Don’t forget to share your own top projects or any thoughts in the comments section below – we love hearing from you!