One September I was driving with a friend up to Tehachapi Mountain park when a striking cluster of berries along the side of the road caught my eye. A spark in my memory brought to mind an article by my longtime favorite local columnist that I’d read the same time last year. Wild Elderberries? Could …
Does winter bring dreams of spring planting to your mind? You don’t have to wait for warm weather to begin planting. No, your squash, tomatoes, and peppers won’t survive a winter frost, but there are several beginner fall garden veggies that tolerate the cold and actually prefer cooler weather!
Perhaps you’ve noticed–2020 and 2021 have seen a huge surge of people starting their first garden! Since this site was created for the purpose of sharing newbie tips for starting a garden, I’m excited to offer the best info I can to make it easy and accessible for anyone to learn to grow vegetables. Whether …
Surely I’m not the only one who has wasted my time Google searching something like “natural bug control.” I don’t know about you, but what I usually found were long lists (mostly on sites with very little to back up their information) of just about anything that the writer thought might repel a bug or …
Do all the lists of planting dates you see just leave you more confused about when to start a vegetable garden? Maybe I’ve got a unique perspective writing this post… I don’t know about you, but when I see lists on Pinterest of suggested planting dates–exact, actual dates–I shake my head… because where I come …
When to Start a Vegetable Garden: Planting Dates Read More »
For a gardener, there are few things as exciting as looking ahead to spring and planning a vegetable garden! This garden planning series will guide you in all you need to know to plan your vegetable garden. Especially for a beginner, planning in advance will help you succeed and get the most out of your …
Are Easter baskets or spring baskets a tradition for you? Some parents celebrate Spring Equinox, or the first day of spring (around March 20-22) with a basket of garden goodies to enjoy together. Spring break or Easter week is a great time to do the same. As a kid I used to search for my …
Garden-Themed Easter Basket Ideas for Kids To Celebrate Spring Read More »
Why are high quality vitamins for women important? Because women do a lot! Our minds are always running, and our bodies carry out so many functions especially within the family. Especially during pregnancy, postpartum and breastfeeding, our bodies miraculously create and sustain new life from within their own resources and nutrient stores. We forget how …
Vitamins for kids–are they necessary? I’m definitely a fan of doing what I can to get my kids to eat nutritiously as much as possible (tips on that coming soon!). But, let’s be honest, they often don’t–and if you’ve ever actually counted your own nutrient intake, neither do we! And if you’re a gardening nerd …
Thanks to our local farmer’s market, I totally fell in love with these bruschetta stuffed mushroom caps this year! One of the farm stands had fresh mushrooms, and that became one of my favorite booths to shop at. This page contains affiliate link recommended products to help support this website without annoying ads!
In search of holiday or mother’s day gifts for gardeners or plant lovers? Here you’ll find my favorite garden gift ideas for 2021 from cheap to not-so-cheap!
Cool weather is coming, and many of us are stuck indoors more than usual–so what better time to add some joy to your indoor space with decorative planters and pretty houseplants? Plus, the season of gift giving is not far away–these unique pots for indoor plants turn any houseplant into a lively gift that keeps …
What an exciting thing to see so many newbies jumping into vegetable gardening this spring! If you’re new, I can’t wait for you to literally taste the exciting, rewarding feeling of growing your own food. But, gardening still takes work and practice so you may find it has its challenges! With these solutions in hand, …
Does starting a vegetable garden sound more intriguing lately? Here’s some fast growing vegetables for beginners that will get you the quickest harvest.
Vertical gardens are a great choice for anyone who wants to get as much fresh produce as they can out of a limited amount of space. Tall container gardens like these are also handy for those who prefer container gardening but have physical limitations. A vertical garden setup even saves time watering since you can …
Genius Vertical Gardens: Greenstalk vs. Garden Tower Read More »
Does starting your own seeds seem too intimidating for a beginner gardener? Sure, germinating and caring for seedlings it is a little more challenging than some might think. But it doesn’t have to be complicated either! Read on to find out what you need to sprout or germinate seeds and grow vegetable seedlings successfully—and simply.
The past few years have been crazy ones, but of the positive things I’ve seen come out of them is the booming demand to start a victory garden! But that also means some garden stores have faced high demand, especially stores to buy seeds online, so I wanted to help you out with that. I’ll …
Have you ever wandered among stacked bags of dirt at the garden store, wondering how there could possibly be that many types of dirt? If you’re wondering if you need to use special soil at all, the answer is YES. As an old gardening saying goes, “If you have a dollar and a garden, spend ten …
Demystifying Dirt: Choosing & Preparing Soil for Your Garden Read More »
“It’s so green,” I gushed excitedly, gazing out the airplane window as we flew over the Netherlands on our way to Ireland for the first time. “I didn’t expect it to look almost as green as Ireland….Is it pretty green where you live?” I asked the young German man next to me (it was September, …