1/21/2025- Digging in and getting dirty
If you would have told me that I would have a garden in my future, I would have called you crazy. I had a black thumb my whole life and I would kill every plant that came into my house, including cactuses. However, my family and I felt a need to give it a try because of how things were going in the world. In 2023, my husband bought a couple of raised beds and we gave it a shot. It turns out I am actually pretty good at it. In my first garden, I grew radishes, bell peppers, green beans, snap peas, San Marzano tomatoes, black seeded simpson lettuce, carrots, brussel sprouts, squash, and various herbs and flowers for pest deterrents. Plus, my husband plants a few rows of sweet corn every year. I find peace and purpose in my garden and there is nothing more rewarding than feeding your family with food that you grew yourself. I am not a professional gardener and I still have lots to learn but I look forward to sharing and learning along with you.
2/4/2025- “These are a few of my favorite things….. for gardening!”
Gardening season is quickly approaching so I wanted to share what my favorite tools are to get the job done! Enjoy!
- MELOTOUGH Bucket Tool Organizer– This organizer is fantastic! It has lots of pockets all the way around. I put it on a 5 gallon bucket so I have even more storage in the middle where I usually keep my large scissors, fertilizer, and spray bottle. It is available in other colors.
- Fiskars Harvest Basket (black and orange basket)- I use this the most. Since there is a colander on one side, I can wash everything with the hose outside before bringing it in. I usually just put this over my sink and put all of my scraps to take back out when I’m done processing my veggies.
- Fiskars Garden Shears, Fiskars 23 inch Hedge Shears, Fiskars 5″ Herb Garden Scissors– I love all of these and use them often. I also have a tendency to leave them in random places in the garden and they have held up with sitting in the elements often.
- Seed Spacing Ruler– Yes, I am that person. I know it isn’t necessary but for anyone that knows me personally, knows that I like things to be done neatly and precisely.
- Yaheetech Outdoor Potting Bench– This bench has a good amount of storage with one cupboard that has a couple shelves, a couple of open shelves, and some hooks to hang my tools on the top. I did end up staining it before putting it together to give it more protection since it sits outside all the time. It has held up really well so far.
- Roo Gardening Apron– I use this for harvesting as well. It has a pouch that you fold the bottom up because it is open. Then you can fill it up and when you are done you drop the straps of the pouch down and the veggies come out of the bottom. I mainly use this for green beans but the pouch is big enough to carry several onions, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini and much, much more!
- Peach Tree Garden Cart– I don’t use this that often but when I do it is very handy. I typically use this to harvest my green beans because they are along the edge in my raised beds. I can just scoot along the side and be at the perfect height.
- Melon Hammock Cradles– These ended up being so valuable. I decided to grow my pumpkins on an arched cattle panel/trellis and used them to support the weight of the pumpkins while they grew. I simply put them around the pumpkin while they were still small and used the provided hook to attach it to the trellis. My pumpkins did end up having a unique design from the rope but it kept them from breaking off the vine.
- Photo Sleeves for 3 Ring Binder– I have a 3 ring binder that keeps all of my garden information/planning sheets. I keep all of my seed packets in these photo sleeves to keep them organized and easily found.
- Garden Stakes 3 feet– I have used these stakes for the last 2 years and have never had one break. They are very sturdy and work well for my pepper plants.
- Velcro Garden Tie– These are great to use with the stakes or on a trellis. I like them because they are gentle on the plant but are durable enough to be used over and over again. You can cut it to any size you need and are very easy to use.
2/22/2025- Planning this Year’s Garden
Last night I started the planning process for my garden. I gathered all of my materials, seeds, notebook, The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook, Companion Planting Chart, Spring Indoor Seed Starting Schedule, my computer, and a pencil. Then I look at what I grew last year and add it to my list this year. Next, I go on the MIgardener website and look at the current catalog to see if there is anything that I want to add this year and put it on my list and in my cart online. After that, I write down next to each plant what time I should be starting seeds indoors or outdoors and how many seeds I should start. I typically start my first round of seeds in the beginning of March. When I started seeds last year, I did not do a lot of research into how to do it well, which showed in my results because the majority of my starter plants were wimpy. This year, I bought some good potting mix (Pro-Mix Potting Mix), some fertilizer (Trifecta+), some seed starting tray kits, grow lights, and a small 4 shelf greenhouse (I have not used the seed starting trays, grow lights, or greenhouse yet but when I do I will share my thoughts). I am ready to hit this head on and hopefully have greater success this year.
So, how do I choose what I want to plant? The biggest factor is what my family will want to eat. When I say family, I am talking about my husband, 2 kids, father-in-law, and brother-in-law. My kids are pretty picky but the guys will eat anything and they are always willing to try new things. The next thing that helps me choose is whether or not the plant is a companion plant and how it can help my garden. For example, I plant marigolds all around my garden because it is a pest deterrent. I am always looking for plants that will help control and deter pests.
Once I have finalized what I’m going to plant then I draw a rough sketch of where I plan on putting it in my garden. This is where the Companion Planting Chart comes in to play. I really focus on the “foe” column because I want to avoid planting something next to something else that doesn’t grow well together. Then I look to see if there are any plants that work really well together. For example, I learned this year that bush beans and potatoes are good companions because bush beans help deter the Colorado potato beetle and potatoes help deter the Mexican bean beetles. I also try not to plant something in the same spot that I did last year. I usually wear down my eraser during this step but I eventually get it done.
I am by no means an expert, not even close, but I do a lot of research and am willing to try things at least once. I have learned from last year and I am making changes this year. One big change is the use of various products (neem oil, beneficial nematodes, etc.) to help manage crop damage from squash bugs, the squash vine borer, Japanese beetles, and Colorado potato beetles. I will be sure to update throughout the summer on how the battle is going.
New things I am adding to my garden this year:
- cilantro (pest deterrent and companion plant for potatoes)
- pepperoncini (for my Mississippi pot roast)
- cannellini beans (for my white chicken chili and Italian stew)
- red romaine lettuce (nothing better than a fresh salad in the summer)
- watermelon (a family request)
If you have any advice please add it to the comments and share your wisdom. Thanks for reading!