Just Grow Something | Evidence-Based Home Gardening

No yard? No tiller? No problem. If you've got a patio, a porch, a balcony, or even a sunny driveway, you can grow a real, productive vegetable garden in containers. Today on Just Grow Something, we walk through the essentials of container gardening from the ground up: how to evaluate whether a crop is a good candidate for a pot, how to pick the right container size based on root system and mature plant size, what kind of soil to use (and what NOT to use), how to feed your plants organically, and the special considerations that make container growing a little different than growing in the ground — things like light, drainage, airflow, watering, and trellising. Whether you're a total beginner or someone adding containers to an existing garden, you'll walk away knowing how to get your best start. Let’s dig in! SHOW NOTES & RESOURCES Resources • Just Grow Something Garden Planning Workbook — https://justgrowsomething.com/shop • Plan Like a Pro Course — https://justgrowsomething.thinkific.com • Days to Maturity reference chart — https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/maturity • The Cantry, Belton MO: https://thecantrypantry.com/?page_id=357 • Fabric Grow Bags: https://amzn.to/4vHDHSO • Fish Emulsion: https://amzn.to/4sM7nvg • Kelp Concentrate: https://amzn.to/4u0dcq7 Quick-Reference: Container Size by Crop Small containers (2 gallons, 4–6 in. deep): • Lettuce, spinach, arugula, salad greens, radishes, scallions, basil, cilantro, thyme, mint Medium containers (3–5 gallons, 10–12 in. deep): • Bush beans, Swiss chard, beets, short carrots, dwarf tomatoes, dwarf peppers, compact eggplant, kale, cabbage, larger herbs Large containers (8–15+ gallons, 12–16+ in. deep): • Standard tomatoes (determinate), peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, summer squash, broccoli, large herbs like rosemary Extra-large containers (15–25+ gallons, 18–24 in. deep): • Indeterminate tomatoes, winter squash, large sweet peppers, long-season superhot peppers, bush melons Quick-Reference: Light Requirements • Fruiting vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, squash): 6–8+ hours direct sun • Root vegetables (carrots, beets, radishes): at least 6 hours • Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, chard, kale) and most herbs: at least 4 hours Simple Organic Feeding Schedule • At planting: Mix a balanced granular organic fertilizer (e.g., 4-6-4) into potting mix per label rate. • Every 2 weeks during the growing season: Water with diluted fish emulsion or fish-and-kelp blend (follow label; skip the first 2–3 weeks after transplanting). • When fruiting plants start to flower: Switch to a lower-nitrogen, higher-phosphorous and potassium feed (e.g., 3-4-6 tomato & vegetable formula). University Extension References  https://extension.umd.edu/resource/types-containers-growing-vegetables University of Maryland Extension — Types of Containers for Growing Vegetables https://extension.umd.edu/resource/maintaining-container-grown-vegetables University of Maryland Extension — Maintaining Container Grown Vegetables https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/growing-vegetables-containers/ University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension — Growing Vegetables in Containers (XHT1278) https://extension.psu.edu/container-vegetable-gardening-four-keys-to-success Penn State Extension — Container Vegetable Gardening: Four Keys to Success https://extension.psu.edu/growing-vegetables-and-flowers-in-containers Penn State Extension — Growing Vegetables and Flowers in Containers https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/container-gardening-grow-vegetables-even-without-yard-space Oregon State University Extension — Container Gardening: Grow Vegetables Even Without Yard Space Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Feed my coffee habit: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Get 10% off and FREE shipping on my favorite raised planters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Empty beds mean missed harvests. But with the right plan, they're completely avoidable. Today on Just Grow Something I'm walking you through succession planting and relay planting, the strategies that keep your garden productive not just across space, but across time. Whether you're dealing with a four-month growing season or gardening in year-round heat, there's a succession approach that works for your climate. I break down the three types of succession crops, explain how to build a planting calendar that eliminates gaps, and get into relay planting, where you plant your next crop into your current one before it's even finished so there's never a moment of wasted ground. I've also included a full dos and don'ts list, because a few key mistakes can turn a great succession plan into a depleted bed and a missed season. In this episode: The four types of succession planting and when to use each one Rapid, mid-range, and long-season crops and how to succession plant each category Why cucumbers, zucchini, and squash practically require succession planting (and exactly how I do it) Relay planting: how it works, why it's different from interplanting, and some of my favorite pairs Succession strategies by climate: short season, mid-range, and long hot season A full dos and don'ts list, including the disease rotation mistake most gardeners don't see coming This episode pairs with last week's episode on interplanting — together, they give you a complete system for filling every bed, every season. Episode References Episode 43: Succession Planting, Relay Planting, and Interplanting Episode 204: Top Crops to Plant in Succession Throughout the Summer Episode 295 (previous): Interplanting Done Right — High, Low, Fast, Slow Resources Days to Maturity reference chart — justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/maturity Just Grow Something Garden Planning Workbook — justgrowsomething.com/shop Plan Like a Pro Course — justgrowsomething.thinkific.com Succession Crop Quick Reference Rapid Succession (plant every 2–3 weeks): Lettuce, spinach, arugula, radishes, cilantro, green onions, baby bok choy Mid-Range Succession (plant every 3–4 weeks): Bush beans, cucumbers, summer squash/zucchini, determinate tomatoes, sweet corn Split Succession (spring + fall, something else in between): Carrots, beets, broccoli, snap beans (in hot climates), cucumbers & squash (in hot climates) Great Relay Planting Pairs: Spring lettuce → tomatoes → fall lettuce Garlic/onions → peppers Bok choy → summer squash Carrots → sweet corn → carrots Peas → beans or cucumbers Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Feed my coffee habit: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Get 10% off and FREE shipping on my favorite raised planters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if you could get more food from the exact same garden space, without expanding a single bed? That's the promise of interplanting, and today on Just Grow Something I break down exactly how to do it right. Building on the "high, low, fast, slow" mantra I use in my own garden and teach in my Plan Like a Pro course, I walk you through the framework that makes interplanting work and the common mistakes that turn it into overcrowding. I cover what to consider before you ever put two plants together (mature size, water needs, nutrient timing, and allelopathy), then get practical with six beginner-friendly pairings that are low-risk and high-reward, plus advanced combinations and experiments for experienced gardeners ready to push further. I've also put together a clear list of dos and don'ts to keep on hand when you're planning your beds. In this episode: What interplanting, intercropping, and companion planting actually mean The "high, low, fast, slow" framework and how to apply it to any bed What to know about your plants before pairing them (and what can go wrong if you don't) Six beginner pairings: tomatoes + basil, lettuce + tomatoes, radishes + carrots, peas + spinach, garlic + peppers, cucumbers + lettuce Advanced ideas: trap cropping, stacked seasonal beds, the Three Sisters and beyond A full dos and don'ts list for interplanting success Let's dig in! Episode References Episode 180: Interplanting to Maximize Your Harvest: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/interplanting-to-maximize-your-harvest-ep-180 Episode 247: Smarter Planting for Bigger Harvests – Interplanting Strategies: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/smarter-planting-for-bigger-harvests-interplanting-strategies-ep-247 254 – Spring Interplanting Strategies: What Worked, What Flopped, and Why: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/spring-interplanting-strategies-what-worked-what-flopped-and-why-ep-254 Resources "Gardening with the Moon Around the World" by Vergers du Monde: https://amzn.to/4cuSmcj Companion Planting Chart download: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/companion Days to Maturity reference chart: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/maturity Just Grow Something Garden Planning Workbook: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop/p/just-grow-something-garden-planning-workbook Plan Like a Pro Course: https://justgrowsomething.thinkific.com Quick-Reference: Beginner Pairings Tomatoes + Basil — HIGH/SLOW + LOW/MED Lettuce + Tomatoes — LOW/FAST + HIGH/SLOW Radishes + Carrots — FAST + SLOW Peas + Spinach — HIGH/FAST + LOW/SLOW Garlic/Onions + Peppers — timing/space efficiency Cucumbers on trellis + Lettuce beneath — HIGH/SLOW + LOW/FAST Next week: succession planting — the strategy that keeps your beds productive across time, not just space. Get 10% off and FREE shipping on my favorite raised planters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593 Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Feed my coffee habit: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Get my greenhouse selection guide to help you choose which protected growing structure is right for you: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/greenhouse A protected growing structure isn’t “set it and forget it” but a microclimate you manage. In this final episode of our greenhouse mini-series, you’ll get a practical operating manual for cold frames, low tunnels, caterpillar tunnels, high tunnels, and home greenhouses. We’ll cover ventilation, heating and cooling strategies, watering and irrigation basics, container vs raised-bed vs in-ground considerations, pollination management, and an evidence-based approach to pest and disease control. We’ll also tackle a topic many gardeners miss until something goes wrong: soil health under cover, including salt buildup, nutrient imbalances, and why protected soils often need a different fertility strategy than open-field beds. Let’s dig in! Resources: The thermometer/hygrometer I use to monitor my greenhouse and other garden structures: https://amzn.to/4th56Ja NRCS (USDA) — Controlling the High Tunnel Environment: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/Controlling-High-Tunnel-Environment.pdf Oklahoma State University Extension — The Hobby Greenhouse: https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/the-hobby-greenhouse-2 Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Feed my coffee habit: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Get my free guide to choosing which protected gardening structure you should choose - https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/greenhouse Protected growing structures like greenhouses can be game-changers - earlier harvests, fewer rain-splashed diseases, better crop quality, and more reliable timing. But they also create a new microclimate with new rules: overheating, humidity spikes, irrigation demands, shifting pest pressure, and sometimes pollination problems. Today on Just Grow Something, we break down what problems protected culture solves, what it tends to make harder, and how to predict those tradeoffs before you invest. You’ll learn the core principals of tunnels and greenhouses, like temperature, humidity, airflow, and water, plus what changes when you grow in containers, raised beds, or in-ground under cover. Let’s dig in! Resources: High Tunnels and Other Season Extension Techniques - SARE: https://www.sare.org/resources/high-tunnels-and-other-season-extension-techniques/ NRCS (USDA) — Controlling the High Tunnel Environment: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/Controlling-High-Tunnel-Environment.pdf   Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Feed my coffee habit: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Download my Protected Growing Quick Guide to help you make the decision on what type of structure would work best in your garden: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/greenhouse Thinking about a greenhouse but not sure if you really need one? There are some beautiful and expensive options out there, but greenhouses aren’t the only option for extending the season your garden. Today on Just Grow Something, we map out the full spectrum of protected growing structures for home gardeners: from cold frames and covered shelving to low tunnels, caterpillar tunnels, hoop houses/high tunnels, and home greenhouses. You’ll learn what each option is best for, how to match a structure to your goals, space, budget, and maintenance tolerance, and which “hidden factors” make or break success, like site selection, orientation, wind exposure, and snow load. By the end, you’ll have a clear decision framework so you can choose a protected structure that fits your garden and your life, not just your Pinterest board. Resources: Cornell High Tunnels: Structures - https://blogs.cornell.edu/hightunnels/structures/ Penn State Extension: Season Extenders - https://extension.psu.edu/season-extenders-and-growing-fall-vegetables Oklahoma State University Extension: The Hobby Greenhouse: https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/the-hobby-greenhouse-2.html   Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Feed my coffee habit: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hardening off is the difference between sturdy transplants that take off fast and seedlings that stall, scorch, or collapse after planting. Today on Just Grow Something, you’ll learn what to do indoors before hardening off, a simple step-by-step hardening-off schedule (including temperature guidelines, shade vs. sun, wind protection, and watering adjustments), and what to watch for when you transplant. We’ll also cover the “mystery variable” of purchased seedlings and how to treat garden-center starts if you’re not sure they’ve been acclimated. Then, in the second half, we’ll talk about how the process changes when you’re using a greenhouse, cold frame, or high tunnel and why protected structures can help without eliminating the need to transition plants carefully. Let’s dig in! Resources: University of Maryland Extension — Hardening Off Vegetable Seedlings for the Home Garden: https://extension.umd.edu/resource/hardening-vegetable-seedlings-home-garden/ NC State Extension Gardener Handbook — Season Extenders and Greenhouses: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/appendix-e-season-extenders-and-greenhouses Iowa State University Extension — All about Cold Frames: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/yard-and-garden-all-about-cold-frames   Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Timing your seed starting shouldn't be hard. There are plenty of calendars to follow, right? Until following a calendar means you start too early, run out of space, and end up babysitting leggy, root-bound seedlings for weeks. Or you start too late and miss the planting window you planned for. So, today on Just Grow Something, we're connecting the dots between frost dates, planting calendars, and harvest windows to build a seed-starting schedule that fits your garden and your climate. You’ll learn which crops are best started indoors vs direct sown, which plant families need a long “grow-on” period, how to avoid common timing traps, and a step-by-step way to pick seed-starting dates based on your planned transplant date or your desired harvest window. Let's dig in! If you need some additional help with starting your seeds indoors, it’s not too late in the season to take my Seed to Sprout course. In about 90 minutes you’ll know everything you need to know about getting your seeds started in the proper containers, with the right balance of lighting, water, and air flow, and how to get them transitioned to the garden with very little shock or damage. https://www.justgrowsomething.com/indoor-seed-starting   University of Missouri Extension — Starting Plants Indoors From Seeds: https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6570 Illinois Extension (Good Growing) — When should I start my seeds?: https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2023-02-10-when-should-i-start-my-seeds   Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you want an easier garden season, February is the time to set the foundation. Two steps do most of the heavy lifting: getting a soil test and prepping beds without damaging soil structure. Done well, these tasks reduce fertilizer guesswork and improve root growth. You can do a lot right now that sets you up for success without rushing into two classic mistakes: 1. throwing amendments at the garden without knowing what the soil actually needs, and 2. working soil while it’s still too wet, which can damage structure for the long haul. So, today on Just Grow Something, I’m walking you through what a soil test can (and can’t) tell you, exactly how to collect a sample that’s representative of your whole garden, the key parts of a soil report that matter most for vegetables, and bed prep steps you can do now that improve soil instead of compacting it. Let’s dig in! Resources: My Seed to Sprout course is waiting for you here: https://justgrowsomething.com/indoor-seed-starting My free Seed Starting eBook is here: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/seedbook Soil amendment episodes and articles: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/search/amendments How to calculate how much fertilizer to add to the garden: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/blog/how-much-fertilizer-to-add-to-your-garden References: How temperature affects the rate of nitrification: https://livetoplant.com/how-temperature-influences-the-rate-of-nitrification/ Guide to Collecting Soil Samples - Oregon State University: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/ec-628-guide-collecting-soil-samples-farms-gardens Soil Compaction from Wet Soils - Purdue University Extension: https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/yardandgarden/resist-the-urge-to-work-wet-soil/ Add Organic Matter to Improve Most Garden Soils - Oregon State University: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/add-organic-matter-improve-most-garden-soils Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today is a clinic episode, a Seedling Troubleshooting Clinic to be exact, because if you’re starting seeds indoors, something is eventually going to look weird. A tray that was perfect yesterday is suddenly leaning. Something looks fuzzy on the soil surface. Or a seedling that seemed fine just flops over. The good news is most seedling problems come from a small handful of causes, causes that we can actually control - light, temperature, water, airflow, or sanitation. And once you know what you’re looking at, you can usually fix it quickly or at least stop it from spreading to the rest of your tray. So, I’m going to give you a simple diagnostic checklist and then we’ll walk through the most common seedling symptoms and what to do about each one. Let's dig in! Get my FREE seed starting ebook: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/seedbook Take my comprehensive course for indoor seed starting, Seed to Sprout: https://justgrowsomething.com/indoor-seed-starting Just Grow Something episodes, videos and blog posts on seed starting: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/search/seed%20starting References and resources: University of Illinois Extension: Troubleshooting seed starting problems: https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2022-02-25-whats-wrong-my-seedlings-troubleshooting-seed-starting-problems University of Minnesota Extension: How to prevent seedling damping off: https://extension.umn.edu/solve-problem/how-prevent-seedling-damping Utah State University Extension: Seedling culture, airflow, temps: https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/starting-vegetable-seeds-indoors-seeding-culture-and-transplanting.pdf Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Onions and shallots are closely related, they can be used in similar ways, and they look similar at the store, but they behave differently in both the kitchen and the garden. So, today on Just Grow Something we’re doing a side-by-side comparison of these alliums. We’ll cover how they differ in taste and cooking uses, how they differ in growth habit, how to grow each one, and finally, how to adapt for hot climates and short-season climates, because those two extremes can make or break your allium crop. Let’s dig in. References and Resources: Plan Like a Pro Gardening Planning Course: https://justgrowsomething.thinkific.com/courses/plan-like-a-pro Growing Onions - Ep. 233: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/ep-133-growing-onions How to Harvest, Cure, and Store Garlic and Onions - Ep. 256: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/how-to-harvest-cure-and-store-garlic-and-onions-ep-256 University of Minnesota Extension — Growing onions in home gardens: https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-onions UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions — Onions and shallots: https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/onions-and-shallots/ Oregon State University Extension — Plant onions early for bigger summer bulbs: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/plant-onions-early-bigger-summer-bulbs Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’ve ever planted a big patch of arugula at the same time you planted the rest of the spring garden, only to watch it shoot up a flower stalk a few weeks later, you’ve already met this week’s topic: heat-sensitive crops. Heat-sensitive doesn’t always mean a plant can’t survive warm weather. It usually means warm temperatures and lengthening days change the plant’s priorities. Instead of producing the leaves, heads, or tubers we want to harvest, the plant pivots toward flowering and seed production or it keeps growing, but quality drops. So, today on Just Grow Something we’re talking about the five crops you should plant earlier than you think to avoid this change. And I’m also including an herb that can bolt as fast as you blink. Let’s dig in. References and Resources: Ep. 133 - Growing Onions: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/ep-133-growing-onions Soil Temperature Maps: https://www.greencastonline.com/tools/soil-temperature Plan Like a Pro Garden Planning Course: https://justgrowsomething.thinkific.com/courses/plan-like-a-pro Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

My Plan Like A Pro Course is Open for Registration: ⁠⁠https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/pro⁠⁠ If you’ve ever gone into a Facebook gardening group and asked, “When am I supposed to plant this?” and then gotten ten different answers, you are not alone. And if you’ve ever started seeds too early, ended up with giant leggy plants taking over your house, and then still got hit with a late cold snap? Also not alone. Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to make garden timing feel simple, flexible, and predictable. I’m going to show you how to build a planting calendar using frost dates as your starting point, then layering in: • cool-season versus warm-season timing, • how many weeks to start seeds indoors, • a buffer for weather variability, • and how to plan your fall garden by counting backward from your first frost. This is one of those “once you understand it, you can reuse it forever” skills. Let's dig in. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’ve ever planned a garden that looked amazing on paper and then halfway through summer you thought, “I do not have the time for this,” this episode is for you. Because a garden can be beautiful, productive, and fun and still be too much if the plan doesn’t match your real life. Today on Just Grow Something we’re building a low-maintenance garden plan. Not by choosing “easy plants,” but by designing your garden around the things that actually determine how much work it takes: location, layout, watering, weed control, and disease pressure and how that fits into the rest of your actual life. Low-maintenance does not mean low-yield. It means fewer chores that pile up, fewer “emergency problems,” and a garden that still functions when your life gets busy. As we go, I’ll give you simple action steps you can do in January to set this up. Because the easiest gardening season is the one you design on purpose. Let's dig in. References and Resources: My Plan Like A Pro Course is Open for Registration: ⁠https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/pro⁠ University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension. “Beginning Vegetable Garden Basics: Site Selection and Soil Preparation.” https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/beginning-vegetable-garden-basics-site-selection-and-soil-preparation Colorado State University Extension. “Drip Irrigation for Home Gardens.” https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/drip-irrigation-for-home-gardens/ University of Minnesota Extension. “Mulching 101: the secret to a healthy and happy garden.” https://extension.umn.edu/news/mulching-101-secret-healthy-and-happy-garden Oregon State University Extension Service. “Sheet mulching and lasagna composting with cardboard.” https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/em-9559-sheet-mulching-lasagna-composting-cardboard Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’ve ever had that one magical week where the garden is giving you exactly what you want - some lettuce, a few carrots, a handful of beans, a couple tomatoes - and then two weeks later you’re drowning in zucchini while everything else is kind of between harvests ... Today we’re fixing that. Because the goal for a lot of home gardeners isn’t “the biggest harvest possible on one weekend.” The goal is steady, usable harvests week after week so you’re actually eating from the garden regularly, without a sudden produce avalanche. So today on Just Grow Something, I’m going to teach you a planning method that revolves around harvest windows. Instead of only asking, “When do I plant this?” we’re going to ask: “When do I want to be harvesting this, and do I want it over and over again?” I’ll walk you through a simple framework and give you a few practical “rules of thumb” for how often certain crops can be re-planted or staggered to keep the harvest going. Let's dig in! References and Resources: My Plan Like A Pro Course is Open for Registration: ⁠https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/pro⁠ University of Missouri Extension — “Harvest all season long with succession sowing” : https://extension.missouri.edu/news/harvest-all-season-long-with-succession-sowing University of Minnesota Extension — “Climate resilience resources for vegetable growers in Minnesota” (includes a “when to plant for continuous harvest” interval table): https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/climate-resilience-resources-vegetable-growers-minnesota#strategy-3%3A-reduce-risks-from-warmer-and-drier-conditions-3571512 NC State Extension — Extension Gardener Handbook, Chapter 16 “Vegetable Gardening” (Succession planting: varieties with different maturity, repeat plantings, and filling in after harvest): https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/16-vegetable-gardening Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’ve ever stared at a seed catalog in January and thought, “I want all of it,” and then somehow ended up with a garden that felt chaotic by mid-summer, today’s episode is for you. Because most “garden planning” advice starts with the fun part—varieties, colors, wish lists—and then we wonder why the plan falls apart when real life shows up. So today on Just Grow Something, we’re going to flip the order. I’m going to give you four questions that can lead you to an actual usable plan. These questions help you decide what to grow, where it goes, when it happens, and how to keep the plan realistic for the space and time you actually have. And the best part is you can use these four questions whether you garden in a single planter, a few raised beds, or a bigger in-ground plot. Let's dig in! References and Resources: My Plan Like A Pro Course is Open for Registration: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/pro How to Plan Your Raised Bed Garden, Ep. 269: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/how-to-plan-a-raised-bed-garden-ep-269 Seven Steps to Planning Your Entire Garden Year - Ep. 234: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/7-steps-to-planning-your-entire-garden-year-ep-234 Virginia Cooperative Extension (2025). “Planning the Vegetable Garden.” VCE Publications: https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-312/426-312.html Washington State University Extension (2015). “Crop Rotation in Home Gardens” (PDF): https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2070/2015/08/Crop-Rotation-in-Home-Gardens.pdf Penn State Extension (2023). “Keeping a Garden Journal.”: https://extension.psu.edu/keeping-a-garden-journal/ Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We’ve reached the end of another gardening year. Maybe your garden was spectacular. Maybe it was just so-so. Maybe it was an absolute disaster in certain beds and you’re still a little salty about the squash vine borers. However it went, this is a powerful moment in the gardening calendar. Today we’re going to slow down and talk about taking time to reflect on the past season, reset your expectations, and reimagine what you want from your garden next year. Extension programs and planning guides consistently recommend end-of-season evaluation, note-taking, and mapping as key pieces of long-term garden success. Research on goal-setting shows that specific, challenging, and meaningful goals help people follow through and actually change their behavior. So, in this final episode of the year, we’re going to weave those two ideas together: 1. Why the end of the year is the best time to reflect on your garden 2. What goal-setting research can teach us about making better garden goals 3. Turning reflection into 3–5 clear, realistic goals for next year 4. A healthier mindset for handling “failures” and unexpected seasons By the end, you’ll have a framework to close the book on this year’s garden and open a new one with intention. Let’s dig in. References and Resources: Iowa State University Extension – Yard and Garden. “Garden Journaling.”: https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/garden-journaling Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. “Building a Practically Useful Theory of Goal Setting and Task Motivation.” American Psychologist, 2002: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12237980/ Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Seed catalog season is fun, but it can also be overwhelming. If you’ve ever ordered way more seed than you can possibly plant, chosen a variety that just did not perform in your climate, or gotten confused by all the codes, abbreviations, and marketing language this episode is for you. Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to talk about how to read a seed catalog. We’ll cover: 1. Why seed catalogs are tools, not just wish books 2. The key pieces of information in a catalog listing (and what they actually mean) 3. Days to maturity, and why that number is not as simple as it looks ... and more By the end, you’ll be able to flip through a catalog and quickly decide, “Yes, this variety makes sense for my garden” or “Nope, that’s just clever marketing” and make a wish list that can actually be fulfilled. Let’s dig in. Resources: 1. Washington State University Extension. Tips to Making Strategic Vegetable Seed Selections (EM057E), 2025: https://wpcdn.web.wsu.edu/wp-extension/uploads/sites/2073/2025/01/Vegetable-Seed-Selection.pdf 2. Oregon State University Extension. “How to Read Seed Packets Before You Buy.”: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/how-read-seed-packets-you-buy Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Winter sowing is a seed-starting method that sounds a little bit wild the first time you hear it but makes sense if you think about it from a horticultural standpoint. Basically you are sowing seeds in recycled containers like milk jugs and placing them outside in the winter as a very hands-off way of starting your spring garden. If you’ve ever: • Run out of space under grow lights • Been frustrated by leggy indoor seedlings • Or just felt like you don’t have the time or money or inclination for a full seed-starting setup …winter sowing might be your new favorite technique. Let's dig in! References and Resources: University of Missouri Extension. Winter Sowing Seeds (YM105), 2021. https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/ym105 Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension. “Winter Seed Sowing Handout.” 2023. https://ocean.njaes.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Winter-Seed-Sowing-Handout-Final.pdf Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When the garden beds are frozen, the days are short, and you’re staring at bags of store-bought salad mix, it can feel like fresh homegrown food is a long way off. But it doesn’t have to be. Today on Just Grow Something we’re talking about growing herbs and leafy greens indoors in winter—on a windowsill, under a simple grow light, or with one of those countertop indoor garden systems If you’ve ever thought: • “I’d love fresh basil in January.” • “My house is too dark to grow anything.” • Or, “Are those indoor garden gadgets actually worth it?” This episode is for you. Let's dig in. References and Resources: How Do We Measure Light: https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/houseplants/light-for-houseplants/ University of Minnesota Extension. “Growing Herbs Inside is Easy and Healthy.” 2022. https://extension.umn.edu/news/growing-herbs-inside-easy-and-healthy Penn State Extension. “A Step-By-Step Guide for Growing Microgreens at Home.” 2023. https://extension.psu.edu/a-step-by-step-guide-for-growing-microgreens-at-home Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Prepare for seed season with practical tips on reviewing your garden's performance, taking seed inventory, and ordering smarter for a more successful growing year. Today on Just Grow Something we walk through the essential steps to get ready for seed season: how to reflect on what worked (and didn't) in your garden, take a proper seed inventory, and create a more intentional seed order when the flood of catalogs leads to plant-filled daydreams. Whether you're planning next year's layout or just trying to avoid overbuying, this episode gives you the tools to start strong. Let's dig in! References and Resources: Downloadable chart for what each plant yields on average: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/yield Ordering seeds from garden catalogs | Over the Garden Fence | Illinois Extension | UIUC: https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/over-garden-fence/2021-01-04-ordering-seeds-garden-catalogs Seed Storage Protocols : USDA ARS: https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/fort-collins-co/center-for-agricultural-resources-research/paagrpru/docs/seed-program/seed-storage-protocols/ Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today we’re talking about one of my least favorite but probably most important fall garden rituals: the great garden clean-up. This is the part of the year where we get to close one chapter of the garden season and start quietly writing the next chapter. Now that most of the chaos of the garden is done, it's time to be putting things in order, protecting the soil, and setting yourself up for success next spring. So, today on Just Grow Something we’re talking about: • What to remove and what to leave in your garden beds • How to handle diseased or pest-infested plant material • Best practices for soil testing, amending, and protecting your beds over winter • And a few tips for the gardeners who have really just had it for now and don’t want to completely clear everything out in this moment. Because I feel you. Let’s dig in! Resources: How to Amend the Soil in Fall for a Better Garden in Spring - Ep. 222: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/how-to-amend-the-soil-in-fall-for-a-better-garden-in-spring-ep-222 Getting Started with Cover Crops - Ep. 166: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/getting-started-with-cover-crops-ep-166 Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The frost has settled, most of the garden has gone to sleep, and now we’re turning our attention to what’s left — the fruits (and roots) of our labor. I’m talking about how to store and preserve that late-season harvest, so all your hard work continues to pay off well into winter. Today on Just Grow Something We’ll look at how long certain crops can remain in the garden, essentially in storage mode before you truly have to bring them inside, best practices for storing roots and late fall greens, and preservation options that retain nutrition and flavor. Let’s dig in! Resources: Preparing to Preserve: Basic Canning Supplies for Beginners - Ep. 211: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/preparing-to-preserve-basic-canning-supplies-for-beginners-ep-211 Ep. 109 - Preserving, Part One: Freezing: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/ep-109-preserving-part-one-freezing Ep. 110 - Preserving Basics, Part Two: Water-Bath Canning: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/ep-110-preserving-basics-part-two-water-bath-canning Ep. 111 - Preserving Basics, Part Three: Pressure Canning: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/ep-111-preserving-basics-part-three-pressure-canning Ep. 113 – Dehydrating, Cold Storage, and Fermenting: More Ways to Store Your Harvest: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/ep-113-dehydrating-cold-storage-and-fermenting-more-ways-to-store-your-harvest Getting Started in Fermenting - Ep. 160: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/getting-started-in-fermenting-ep-160 National Center for Home Food Preservation: https://nchfp.uga.edu/ Get my weekly newsletter: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/news Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If your forecast is flirting with frost and you still have all those lovely greens and root veggies out there, don’t panic, prepare. Today on Just Grow Something we’re talking row cover and low tunnels: what to buy, how to set up fast, how to vent so you don’t cook your greens, and exactly which fabrics and plastics can squeeze out one more month of salads, herbs, and even late summer crops like beans or peas. We’ll talk about using fabric covers versus when to use plastic, floating row covers versus building a low tunnel, venting, anchoring, avoiding disease and more. By the end you’ll even have an emergency plan in place if you get a sudden frost warning you weren’t quite prepared for. Let’s dig in! Resources: Landscape fabric staples: https://amzn.to/47ogCKW Frost Cloth: https://amzn.to/47zA5a7 Plastic row covers: https://amzn.to/3WCpSF2 Get my weekly newsletter here: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/news Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Whether you live in a climate that allows for a veery long growing season or you’re like me and need to cram as much growing into a shorter season as possible, cloning is a shortcut to making the most of our best plants. In some cases it even makes sense to overwinter some of those plants so next season starts off weeks ahead of schedule. So, today on Just Grow Something, we’re talking about the importance of cloning plants as a strategic shortcut to enhance gardening productivity. I’ll explain the key differences between cloning and seed saving, and the various methods of cloning, including water propagation and the use of rooting hormones, and the layering method. We’ll also talk about how to overwinter plants effectively and which ones are worth the effort, troubleshooting common issues, and the best practices for maintaining plant health during the winter months. Let’s dig in! Key Takeaways: Cloning allows gardeners to replicate successful plants for the next season. Seed saving can lead to genetic reshuffling, while cloning preserves the exact traits of a plant. Water propagation is an easy method for cloning many herbaceous plants. Rooting hormones can significantly improve the success rate of cloning woody plants. Layering is a method that allows plants to root while still attached to the parent plant. Overwintering can help maintain productive plants for early spring planting. Different plants require different care when overwintering, including light and temperature adjustments Resources: Download my free cloning guide at https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/clone Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Now is the time to be getting our garlic, shallots and even onions planted in some places. If you can give me one good hour in the garden this month, you can set yourself up for big flavor next summer. Today on Just Grow Something were going to walk through planting garlic and shallots and some tips on where it’s okay to even plant onion sets for a summer harvest. We’ll talk about when to plant for your location, how to prep the bed, which onions and shallots make sense to plant now, troubleshooting and I'll answer your most frequently asked questions about planting these crops. Let’s dig in. References and Resources Newsletter sign up: JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com/news Episode 40: Garlic - https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/ep-40-growing-garlic Episode 133: Growing Onions - https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/ep-133-growing-onions Episode 220 Planting Onions in Fall for a Summer Harvest - https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/planting-onions-in-fall-for-a-summer-harvest-ep-220 Episode 221 Tips for Planting Garlic by Climate Type - https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/garlic-planting-tips-by-climate-ep-221 YouTube Video for Fall Planted Onions - https://youtu.be/qVv6AgPCvdI Sprout Mountain Farm fall planting onions - https://www.sproutmountainfarms.com/category/untreated-onion-sets Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fallen leaves in the garden will blanket the soil, slow weeds, and shelter a whole mini-wildlife community. Many native butterflies, moths, beetles, and even some queen bumble bees ride out winter tucked into leaf litter and hollow stems. When we keep some of that litter in place, we’re giving next spring’s pollinators a head start. That's the idea behind the National Wildlife Federation "Leave the Leaves" campaign. . Each October they put out a campaign to raise awareness around the incredibly valuable habitat for wildlife and nutrients for plants that comes in the form of our yard waste. But what if this season brought a heavy pest infestation to your garden and you don’t want to give those pests a place to shelter? That’s where a targeted cleanup comes in clutch. So, today on Just Grow Something we’re talking about how to leave the leaves strategically. I’ll give you pointers on how to keep the fallen leaf layer in your garden to benefit the bevy of butterflies, beetles, and bumblebees without giving sanctuary to the squash bugs and the scales. Let’s dig in! Resources: Sign up for my newsletter here: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/news Leave the Leaves Month info: https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Join-the-Movement/Seasonal-Initiatives/Leave-the-Leaves-Month Full transcript and show notes can be found here: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/leave-the-leaves-strategically-ep-271 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As I record this, tonight will be a full moon. In fact, it’s the Harvest Supermoon here in the northern hemisphere. And it’s very possible that your online gardening group is absolutely abuzz with advice that tomatoes grow better if you plant them in the days leading up to the full moon and your beets grow more voluptuous if you plant them after the full moon. But does gardening by the moon actually change anything in your garden? I have been asked about gardening by the moon’s phases so many times, so today on Just Grow Something we’re digging into the science—why we think the lunar cycle can affect our garden, what’s been tested, and what hasn’t. And at the end you can decide whether you want to modify your planting calendar next season to include the phases of the moon. Let’s dig in! Planter Box Direct special is still happening! Use code JUSTGROW20 to save 20% and get free shipping at PlanterBoxDirect.com now through October 15th. Missed the deadline? You can still use JUSTGROW10 to save!! References and transcript for this episode can be found at https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/planting-by-the-moon-ep-270 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For this final episode in our Raised Bed series, we’re talking about how to plan your raised bed garden. If you’ve never grown in a raised bed, there are some nuances to the planning and planting aspect, no matter what material you built the bed from. And if you’re already gardening in raised beds, but it turned into a jungle by July and a desert by August, this episode is also for you! So, today on Just Grow Something we’re mapping out a season-long plan. Learn how to plan a high-yield raised-bed vegetable garden - choose smart spacing for airflow and disease prevention, interplant and succession-plant for nonstop harvests, use mulch to save water and block weeds, and more!So, grab a pencil, a piece of graph paper and a coffee, my gardening friend, we are building a raised-bed garden plan. Let’s dig in! Don't forget you can save 20% and get FREE shipping on your new raised bed from PlanterBoxDirect.com when you use code JUSTGROW20 now through October 15th! Resources: Ep. 265: How Big Should a Raised Bed Be? Square-foot Chart free download: https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/757286/166825529232590223/share For full show notes and transcript, visit https://justgrowsomething.com/episode/how-to-plan-a-raised-bed-garden-ep-269 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

All this month we've been talking about creating new raised beds, what materials to use, and how to fill them. So, I thought it would be fitting to have on an expert on the subject. Scott Wilson, otherwise known as Gardener Scott on YouTube, has been building and growing in raised beds for two decades and has taught others to do the same as both a Master Gardener and a garden educator. His new book, Gardener Scott's Guide to Raised Bed Gardening, is a step-by-step guide to planning, building and maintaining raised beds. So, today on Just Grow Something, Scott shares his extensive knowledge with us including creating your own soil mix, compost, cost-effective and creative ways to create new raised beds and more. Let's dig in! Get your new raised garden bed from PlanterBoxDirect.com using code JUSTGROW20 and save 20% and get free shipping, now through October 15th! Get Scott's Book here: https://amzn.to/3Kgxw4T Follow Scott on YouTube: Gardener Scott Get the full show notes and transcript at https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/raised-bed-gardening-with-gardener-scott-ep-268 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week we tackle one of the biggest questions in raisedbed gardening – how to fill it! It can be daunting, staring at this gaping box, trying to figure out how you’re going to fill 18” or even 36” of depth without going broke. So, today on Just Grow Something, we’re digging into the dirt – literally – on how to fill your new raised bed. We’ll cover the different materials you can use to get your garden bed off to it’s best start for your plant’s sake, but also for your wallet’s sake. And, we’ll talk about the materials you don’t want to use, even if it’s just to fill space in the bottom of a very deep bed, and the alternatives. By the end you’ll have a pretty good idea of where to start and where you’ll end up so your raised bed materials can settle in over the winter and become the beautiful loamy soil you’ll want to plant into in the spring. Let’s dig in!Save 20% and get free shipping on your new raised bed from PlanterBoxDirect.com by using code JUSTGROW20, now until October 15th! For full show notes and transcript head to https:/justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/layer-by-layer-how-to-fill-a-new-raised-bed-ep-267 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thinking about building raised garden beds but not sure what materials to use? Today on Just Grow Something we dig into all the options for raised bed construction, from wood, stone, and galvanized steel to creative choices like reclaimed materials, fabric grow bags, and more. We’ll talk about the pros and cons of each, including cost, durability, aesthetics, and safety concerns like chemical leaching or microplastics. You’ll also learn when (and if) you need a bottom layer to block weeds, stop burrowing critters, or protect your soil. Whether you’re a new gardener or looking to upgrade your existing setup, this episode gives you the science-backed insights you need to choose the right raised bed materials for your garden. Let’s dig in! Perfect for: raised bed gardening, beginner gardeners,vegetable gardening, sustainable gardening, DIY garden beds, pressure-treated wood safety, and backyard food growing. Save 20% and get Free Shipping on your new planter from PlanterBoxDirect.com! Use code JUSTGROW20 now through October 15th, 2025! References: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/soil-compost/pressure-treated-wood-raised-bed-construction-willamette-valley https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/raised-bed-gardens Full show notes can be found at https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/materials-to-use-for-building-a-new-raised-garden-bed-ep-266 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you are considering adding your first raised bed or yourfiftieth to your garden for next season, now is the time to be doing it. A new raised planter is going to have to be filled and that material is going to have to break down a bit before it can be planted in order to make the nutrients available to your plants. This is NOT something we want to put together at the last minute in the spring just before we start planting. For the entire month of September, I am taking you step-by-step through starting a new raised bed, from deciding the dimensions and layout, what materials to use to build it, what to fill it with and how, all the way to successfully planting those beds with your first crop in the spring.So, today on Just Grow Something, we’re starting with the basics: how to decide what size and depth your raised bed should be and how it can fit into the overall layout and design of your garden. You just might find they are so versatile, you will eliminate your in-ground beds in favor of an entire yard of raised beds, whimsical planters, and neat little walkways. Let’s dig in! NEW! For a limited time, save 20% AND get FREE shipping on my favorite planters from PlanterBoxDirect.com. Just use code JUSTGROW20 before October 15th, 2025! For full show notes, visit https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/how-big-should-a-raised-bed-be-ep-265 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's late August, the time of year when the garden can be just as likely to flourish as it is to fizzle out. I know all too well the rollercoaster of emotions we gardeners feel at this point in the season: you're hot, tired, maybe a little bit over it, and those early-season mistakes are showing their faces. But don’t give up! Today on Just Grow Something we dig into the common issues that crop up during these steamy late-summer days, like overwatering, overcrowding, plant pairings gone wrong, and, of course, the power of keeping a garden journal. You’ll get practical advice on fixing, tweaking, and even letting go of certain garden habits so you can set yourself up for a better harvest now and an even more successful season next year. Let’s dig in!Now's the time to save 20% and order your new rose from HeirloomRoses.com! Use code JUSTGROW to save! For complete show notes, visit https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/what-to-fix-tweak-or-stop-doing-in-your-garden-late-summer-ep-264 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week we’re on a blooming adventure into the world of roses. Okay, that was cheesy, but if you’ve ever struggled with roses or thought they were too fussy for your garden, this episode is for you. Joined by Robin Jennings from Heirloom Roses, I explore the super interesting history of thisfamily-owned company, from its humble beginnings as a backyard hobby to becoming the only U.S. nursery licensed to propagate the renowned David Austin roses. We talk about why growing roses on their own roots makessuch a difference in their hardiness, health, and longevity, and how modern breeders are creating varieties that thrive in a wide range of climates. Robin shares practical advice on choosing the perfect rose for your garden and demystifiesrose care, pruning, and fertilizing so you can be as successful as I have been this year. Whether you’re new to roses or a seasoned grower, thisepisode is packed with inspiration, practical know-how, and all the encouragement you need to start (or expand) your own rose collection. Let’s dig in! Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant at Heirloom Roses with code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.com Find the full show notes at https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/from-hobby-to-heirloom-growing-healthier-roses-for-every-garden-with-heirloom-roses Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Is your summer tomato crop struggling with strange spots, brown mushy bottoms, or mysteriously vanishing leaves? You’re not alone! Mid-season brings a whole host of challenges for tomato gardeners, but with a little know-how, you can keep your plants thriving through to fall. Today on Just Grow Something, I dig deep into the four biggest summer tomato problems: blossom end rot, tomato hornworms, nutrient imbalances, and common leaf diseases like Septoria and early blight. Learn how fluctuating moisture leads to blossom end rot (hint: it’s not just about calcium!), practical mulching and watering tips for every growing setup, including containers, raised beds, and in-ground gardens, and why choosing the right fertilizer at the right time can make all the difference. I share a trick for spotting hornworms at night, how often to feed tomatoes in pots vs. beds, the signs and treatment of tomato leaf diseases, and the most effective organic control methods (from copper sprays to simple sanitation practices). I also share how to manage disease outbreaks, when to prune, and why fall tomato harvests are totally worth the effort. Whether you’re a first-time tomato grower or a seasoned gardener facing a tough summer, this episode is packed with easy, practical solutions to keep your plants producing. Let’s dig in! Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant at Heirloom Roses with code JUSTGROW at https://heirloomroses.com Full show notes available at https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/summer-tomato-problems-ep-262 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Have you noticed a white, powdery coating on your cucumbers or yellow-spotted leaves on your tomatoes? Mid-summer fungal diseases like powdery mildew, blight, and leaf spots can devastate your garden if left unchecked. Today on Just Grow Something, I break down commonsummer fungal diseases and why they appear in wet, humid conditions, organic treatment methods, including milk sprays and baking soda, store-bought organic fungicides like copper and sulfur sprays, prevention strategies, and how to rotate treatments to prevent fungal resistance. Whether you’re dealing with relentless rain or high humidity, this episode arms you with practical, organic solutions to protect your garden and maximize harvests. Let’s dig in! Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant at Heirloom Roses with code JUSTGROW at https://heirloomroses.com Find full show notes at https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/how-to-tackle-mid-summer-fungal-diseases-ep- 261 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this eye-opening episode, I unpack the shocking truth about nutrient loss in modern fruits and vegetables. A 2023 review found that today’s produce contains significantly fewer vitamins and minerals than in decades past. Some nutrients have dropped by up to 80% since the 1950s! We explore how industrial agriculture, depleted soils, and synthetic fertilizers have impacted our food and, more importantly, how we as home gardeners can grow more nutrient-rich produce by focusing on soil health. Soil nerds, unite! I talk about the essential role of soil microbes and organic matter in our soil in creating nutritious food (and how synthetic fertilizers can’t compete), how composting, mulching, and no-till gardening can restore soil health, and give you actionable tips for increasing nutrient density in your own garden. If you care about what goes into your food and on your family’s plate, this is a must-listen. Let’s dig in! Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant at Heirloom Roses with code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.com Referenced episodes: Ep. 18 - Garden Talk Tuesday: Plant Nutrients and Why You Need to Know Them Focal Point Friday: Plant Nutrient Basics Compost Episodes Find the full show notes at https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/is-homegrown-produce-more-nutritious-how-your-soil-makes-the-difference-ep-260 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week I share how to take your fall garden from conceptto cultivation. Learn when to plant, what to grow, and how to extend your harvest well into winter. Discover why fall gardening is more than just practical - it's backed by science and perfect for nutrient-dense, flavorful produce with fewer pests! What You’ll Learn: The science behind why fall gardens are nutritionally and logistically smartBest timing strategies based on frost dates and daylight reductionFall-friendly crops and succession planting strategiesTips for season extension using row covers and container gardeningHow to improve soil health and prep beds for fall success Let’s dig in! Save20% on your new own-root rose plant at Heirloom Roses with code JUSTGROW at https://heirloomroses.comReady to plan your fall garden? Join the free Fall GardenChallenge now: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/fall Resources: Fall Garden Seed Starting Secrets - Ep. 257: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/fall-garden-seed-starting-secrets-ep-257 Find your frost dates: https://www.almanac.com/gardening/frostdates Find the full show notes at https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/how-to-extend-your-gardening-season-with-successful-fall-crops-ep- 259 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week we dig into the strategy of mid-to-late summersuccession planting—how to make the most of garden space left vacant by spring crop failures or early harvests. I share five heat-loving, fast-maturing crops you can direct sow now to squeeze in one last summer harvest before fall. Learn how to keep your beds productive, beat pest cycles, and maximize soil health, all without needing indoor seed starts. What You’ll Learn: Why filling summer garden gaps mattersKey traits of good late-summer cropsMy top five heat-loving, fast-growing picksLet’s dig in! Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant at Heirloom Roseswith code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.com For full show notes visit https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episodes/5-quick-crops-to-fill-summer-garden-gaps-ep-258 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fall might still feel far off, but if you want a successful fall harvest, now is the time to start those seeds indoors. Today on Just Grow Something, I walk you through the step-by-step timing strategy for indoor seed starting specifically for fall gardening. Learn how to: Calculate back from your first fall frost date to find yoursowing and transplanting windowsAdjust days to maturity using the “fall buffer” methodChoose the best crops to start indoors based on your zone and daylight hoursUtilize strategies for short-season gardeners and season extendersFrom understanding the Persephone period to selectingshort-season varieties, this episode equips you with the tools to master indoor seed starting for the fall garden. Let’s dig in! Fall Buffer Chart: Planting Window Before Frost: Days to Maturity Adjustment > 11 weeks: +10% buffer 8–10 week: +20% buffer 5–7 weeks: +40% buffer 3–4 week: +70% buffer   Links: Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant at Heirloom Roses with code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.com Seed to Sprout Course: https://www.justgrowsomething.com/indoor-seed-starting Resources: Plant Growth Factors: Temperature Sowing Planting Calculation | UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Fall Vegetable Gardening | UGA Cooperative Extension Find the full show notes at https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/fall-garden-seed-starting-secrets-ep-257 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Your summer garlic and onion harvest are ready, now what? You spent a lot of time and energy getting this crop to maturity, let’s not waste that effort by allowing them to go soft before we get to use them. Today on Just Grow Something, I give expert tips for harvesting, curing, and storing garlic and onions to keep them fresh through next spring. Learn how to recognize when your crops are ready, the best techniques for drying and storing, and how to avoid spoilage. Plus, I share alternative preservation methods like freezing and dehydrating. Whether you're new to gardening or a seasoned grower, this episode will help you get the most from your harvest. What You’ll Learn: When and how to harvest garlic and onionsIdeal curing conditions and durationHow to store for short- and long-term freshnessAlternative storage techniques (oil, freezing, dehydration)The best types for long-term storage Let’s dig in! Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant at Heirloom Roses with code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.com References and Resources: Garlic episodes: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/search/garlic Onion episodes: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/search/onion Loveland Acres Farm: lovelandacresfarm.org Get 10% off and FREE shipping on my favoriteraised planters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593 Find the show notes at: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/how-to-harvest-cure-and-store-garlic-and-onions-ep-256 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week we dive deep into the world of garden weeds and how some seemingly harmless plants can actually be Trojan horses harboring pests and diseases. Learn how to identify five major plant families by their flowers, leaves, and growth habits — and why removing these weeds early can protect your precious crops. Today on Just Grow Something You'll Learn: The role of alternate hosts in pest and disease cyclesHow to identify Brassicaceae, Solanaceae, Asteraceae, Polygonaceae, and Amaranthaceae weedsWhy flower structure is the key to early identificationTips for weed removal and garden protection This episode is ad-free in support of Loveland Acres Farm. Please consider donating at lovelandacresfarm.org to support Scarlett's vital community work. Visit our sponsor HeirloomRoses.com and save 20% on your order using code JUSTGROW. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From experimenting with peas shading lettuces to using mint as a living mulch for kale and cucumbers, this week on Just Grow Something I share the successes, tweaks, and surprises of my spring growing season. If you’re looking to maximize yield, minimize weeds, and experiment with companion planting, this episode is packed with all the things. And these can all be repeated for fall! Let's dig in! What We Cover: How to use “high, low, fast, slow” principles in garden planningThe pros and cons of using mint as a living mulchPairings that worked: Beets & kale, Collards and mintWhat didn't work, maybe?: Kohlrabi & beetsHow my vegetable persona is... okra?! References and Resources: Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant at Heirloom Roses with code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.comGet 10% off and FREE shipping on my favorite raisedplanters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593 Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Summer gardening should be about sunshine and fresh veggies, not swatting and scratching. So, this week on Just Grow Something we dig into the science and strategy behind controlling two of the most irritating garden pests that go after the gardeners, not our plants: ticks and mosquitoes. Learn which ones are in your region, understand the risks they carry, and implement practical, research-backed solutions to protect yourself and your family while in the garden. From landscape tweaks to personal protection hacks and a game-changing DIY mosquito trap, this episode has everything you need to enjoy your garden bite-free. We cover: Common tick species by region and associated diseasesMosquito types and their disease vectorsNatural vs. chemical repellent optionsLandscaping tips to deter pestsHow to build a “Bucket of Doom” mosquito trapLet's dig in! References and Resources: Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant atHeirloomRoses.com with code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.com https://homegrownnationalpark.org/mosquito-bucket-challenge/ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alpha-gal-syndrome/in-depth/tick-species/art-20546861?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://extension.psu.edu/using-insect-and-tick-repellents-safely https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/summer_safety_part_3_mosquitoes_and_ticks https://cals.cornell.edu/integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/whats-bugging-you/ticks/managing-ticks-landscape https://hawxpestcontrol.com/how-to-treat-standing-water-to-prevent-mosquitoes-in-your-yard https://extension.sdstate.edu/how-avoid-being-dinner-preventing-tick-and-mosquito-bites https://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/PicaridinGen.html https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-deet-bad-for-you-and-your-kids https://ticksafety.com/about-ticks/seed-ticks-tick-bombs/ Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this short and snippy episode, we dig into a classic gardening technique known as the Chelsea Chop. Named after the iconic RHS Chelsea Flower Show, this late spring/early summer pruning method can help home gardeners promote bushier growth, delay blooms for season-long color, and support pollinators with flowering perennials in the garden. If you’re looking to add more beauty to your veggie garden and boost the productivity of your perennials, this episode is your green-thumb guide to giving those flowers a haircut. Today on Just Grow Something we're talking: What the Chelsea Chop is and why it's doneIdeal plants for the technique (Echinacea, Rudbeckia, Sedum, Phlox, and more)Different pruning strategies and how to choose the right oneThe timing of the chop based on your climate and plant maturityBenefits for both aesthetics and garden health (more airflow, fewer pests!) The Chelsea Chop is more than just a cut—it's a strategic move to shape your garden and support pollinators. Let's dig in! References and Resources: Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant atHeirloomRoses.com with code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.com RHS Chelsea Chop: https://www.rhs.org.uk/pruning/chelsea-chop BBC Gardener's World, How to Do the Chelsea Chop: https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/how-to-do-the-chelsea-chop/ Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomethingAmazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There’s a persistent myth floating around on social media that gardening is too expensive to be worth the effort when it comes to saving money on groceries. But what if I told you that with the right strategies, your backyard (or balcony!) garden could not only feed your family but actually save you money? Today on Just Grow Something, we’re busting the myth thatgrowing your own food can’t compete with grocery store prices. We’ll explore how your location, soil type, and choices in the garden can make a huge difference in your return on investment. From essential tools and inputs to skip-the-splurge items and savvy seed saving, we’re diving deep into the real numbers and practical tips that make gardening not just a hobby—but a financially smart one. Let’s dig in! In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why some crops offer more bang for your buck than othersWhat you really need to spend money on in your garden—and what you don’tHow to track your gardening costs and harvest value to measure your savingsBudget-friendly strategies like starting from seed, making your own compost, and using free or recycled materialsHow to choose crops and garden methods based on your climate and soil type for maximum return References and Resources: Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant atHeirloomRoses.com with code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.com   Get 10% off and FREE shipping on my favorite raisedplanters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593 USDA Inflation Tracking – Retail Produce Prices: https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/fruit-and-vegetable-prices   Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the 250th episode of the Just Grow Something podcast! 🎉 Whether you've been listening since the beginning or just found the show, thank you for being part of this growing community. In this special milestone episode, we're digging into listener-submitted questions on a variety of timely gardening topics. In this episode: When seedlings are ready to transplant (what to look for beyond just "true leaves") How to properly plant using the Three Sisters method and why timing is key What to do with sprouted or soft seed potatoes and how to plant them successfully How to manage Colorado potato beetles while supporting beneficial insects like ladybugs When and how to use insect netting effectively in your garden (and how to keep it from blowing away!) Winter sowing tips for celeriac and strategies when you can’t start seeds indoors Organic pest control tips for pill bugs, armyworms, grubs, and more The role of beneficial nematodes in controlling Japanese beetles and other soil pests These are all real questions from you, my gardening friends, submitted via email, social media, and our Facebook community. If one person is wondering, chances are others are too! Let's dig in! References and Resources: Save 20% on your new David Austin rose plant atHeirloomRoses.com with code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.com How to Prepare Seedlings for Transplant into the Garden - Ep. 243: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/how-to-prepare-seedlings-for-transplant-into-the-garden-ep-243 Ep. 131 - The Basics of Winter Sowing: Seed Starting Outdoors: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/ep-131-the-basics-of-winter-sowing-seed-starting-outdoors My favorite insect netting: https://amzn.to/3Fems6k And the fabric staples: https://amzn.to/45jjzLT Arbico Organics Neemaseek: https://www.arbico-organics.com/product/nemaseek-beneficial-nematodes-hb-heterorhabditis-bacteriophora/beneficial-nematodes Milky Spore: https://www.arbico-organics.com/product/milky-spore-granular-bacillus-popillae/organic-lawn-care Pyganic: https://amzn.to/4dsx9in Spinosad: https://amzn.to/4mpkdhc Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Just Grow Something is a participant in the AmazonServices LLC Associates Program. Anytime you click on one of those links and proceed to make a purchase, we may receive a small percentage of the purchase price in the form of a commission directly from Amazon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are all bugs in your garden bad news? Not at all! In fact,some insects are your best allies when it comes to pest control and plant health. Today on Just Grow Something, we’re talking about howto tell the difference between beneficial insects and destructive garden pests—even if you’re not an entomologist. Learn how to identify common bugs based on their behavior, body features, and habitat, and discoverwhich insects you want to attract to your garden and which ones to manage quickly. Whether you’re a new gardener confused about who’s chewing on your cabbage, or a seasoned grower wanting to attract more natural predators to your space, this episode has practical tips for observing, identifying, andunderstanding the insects in your garden. In This Episode, You'll Learn: The role of beneficial insects in natural pest control and pollinationHow to visually identify insects based on body shape, wing type, behavior, and feeding habitsExamples of common garden pests like aphids, squash bugs, and hornwormsIdentification tips for good bugs like ladybugs, parasitic wasps, lacewings, and hoverfliesWhy local resources like university Extension services and conservation departments are your best tool for regional pest and beneficial IDHow to build a garden that attracts and supports beneficial insectsWhy not all creepy crawlies need to be squished—some are silently helping your garden thrive!Let's dig in! References and Resources: Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant at HeirloomRoses.com with code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.com Get 10% off and FREE shipping on my favorite raised planters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593BugGuide.net – Community-supported insect ID tool Episode 24 - Aphids! https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/ep-24-garden-talk-tuesday-aphids Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s been a while since we’ve done a full crop specific episode and I think this is the perfect time of year to talk tomatoes. We are getting about 500 tomato plants in the ground over the next week so they are on my mind! So, today on Just Grow Something we’ll walk through the full tomato-growing process—from choosing varieties and starting seeds indoors to troubleshooting common problems and harvesting for peak flavor. You’ll learn how to choose the right variety for your space, when and how to plant for success, how to deal with pests before they ruin your harvest, and what to do when things don’t go quite as planned (looking at you, blossom-end rot). Let's dig in! References and Resources: Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant or find your next favorite perennial at HeirloomRoses.com with code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.com http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/l/lycopersicon-esculentum=tomato.php https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10050865/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12424325/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168945212001483 Just Grow Something: ⁠https://justgrowsomething.com⁠ Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: ⁠https://justgrowsomething.com/shop⁠ Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/⁠ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething⁠ Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething⁠ Amazon storefront: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I promised this week we’d go into the actual techniques of interplanting. One of the main methods I use in my own garden, in helping my clients in their gardens, and what I teach in my Plan Like a Pro course is “high, low, fast, slow.” This little mantra is a great way to combine the plants in your garden to make the most use of all of your space without impeding on the growth of any of the plants. When done successfully, not only are you taking advantage of mixing the species up to help with pest pressure, but you’re also providing better diversity in the garden in terms of your soil and getting more out of the same garden space. When done incorrectly, though, we can choke out our plants, cause disease issues, invite pests in because we have weak plants and, ultimately reduce our yield. Today on Just Grow Something, I’m taking you through how to judiciously combine plant families in your garden beds so you can make the most of the space you have while also benefitting your plants and the soil they’re in. I will give you specific examples of how this is working out in my gardens right now so maybe you can be inspired to do the same in your own garden. Let’s dig in! EPISODE REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:  Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant or find yournext favorite perennial at Heirloom Roses.com with code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.com Just Grow Something Garden Planning Workbook: https://www.justgrowsomething.com/shop/p/just-grow-something-garden-planning-workbook Plan Like a Pro Course: https://justgrowsomething.thinkific.com/courses/plan-like-a-pro Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomethingAmazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’ve been gardening for any amount of time, you’ve likely come across companion planting charts—maybe you’ve seen advice like “plant basil with tomatoes” or “marigolds repel all pests.” But how much of this is actually true? Companion planting can mean a lot of things, depending on what our goal is. We can either be going for pest repelling properties, keeping weeds down, soil health benefits, or just enhancing flavors or saving space. Today on Just Grow Something, we’re sorting fact from fiction. Some companion planting practices do have solid science behind them. But many claims are more anecdotal than evidence-based—and in some cases, well-intended pairings might even backfire. I’m looking at you marigolds. Let's dig in! References and Resources: Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant at HeirloomRoses.com with code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.com Companion Planting: Fact or Fiction?: https://growappalachia.berea.edu/2019/04/01/companion-planting-fact-or-fiction/ Companion Planting & Botanical Pesticides: Concepts & Resources: https://attra.ncat.org/publication/companion-planting-resources/#4 Companion Planting | West Virginia University: https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/gardening/garden-management/companion-planting Phytoremediation episode: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/focal-point-friday-are-sunflowers-good-or-bad-for-the-garden IPM episode: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/integrated-pest-management-in-the-home-garden-ep-228 How to Find and Support the Show: Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today, we’re diving into a topic that sneaks up on every gardener at some point—pests. Whether they’re crawling, flying, or trotting in on four legs, pests can quickly turn a thriving garden into a frustrated gardener’s nightmare.But here’s the good news: you don’t have to reach for synthetic pesticides to protect your plants. Today on Just Grow Something we’re talking all about preparing your garden before the pests show up—using methods that keep your crops safe while still protecting pollinators and beneficial insects. We’ll cover physical barriers, companion planting, organic sprays, soil health, and even a few tips for keeping the bunnies and deer at bay.Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant at Heirloom Roses.com with code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.com The influence of host and non‐host companion plants on the behaviour of pest insects in field crops Pest management tools: insect netting: https://amzn.to/3XXMxN3 hardware cloth: https://amzn.to/4idDfUo gopher baskets: https://amzn.to/3YwFiM6 insecticidal soap: https://amzn.to/3Gl50wU neem oil: https://amzn.to/4jczBeS bt: https://amzn.to/44oJ5Pq Spinosad: https://amzn.to/4cxt1Nh DE: https://amzn.to/3RgXGEU First Saturday Lime: https://amzn.to/4j4iWtP Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

One thing I am often asked by beginning gardeners is, “what is the easiest thing for me to grow?” Some of us just dive right in to gardening headfirst, attempting to grow whatever our favorite veggies are, regardless of how easy or difficult it is. Or without even considering that one might be more difficult than others. That was me and ignorance is definitely bliss until you are unsuccessful, and then it’s just frustrating.So, today on Just Grow Something I’m going to cover some of the easiest things for a brand-new gardener to grow, whether it’s in garden beds, raised planters or pots. We’ll take about which growing zones they are appropriate for, what type of light requirements they have, and any specific requirements they prefer like temperature or how they germinate. Just because they’re easy doesn’t mean they won’t appreciate a little attention to their preferences and that will only make them easier for you to get them to maturity. This is a great episode to share with a new gardening friend! Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant at Heirloom Roses.com with code JUSTGROW https://heirloomroses.com Episode 240: Spring Planted Bulbs and Garden Perennials Ep. 79 - Planning a Children's Garden Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I will never forget the first time I successfully started my own transplants from seed indoors and they actually looked healthy and strong. I was so excited to get those tomato plants out into my garden and lovingly transferred them from their little pots out into the garden, got them all watered in, and was so excited about the money I had just saved by doing it myself instead of going to the garden center. Three days later those plants were flopped over flat on the ground, looking like they had seen a hard frost over night even though I knew they hadn’t. Those plants took weeks to bounce back and started producing way later than they should have. That very next year I did it again, only this time it was cabbage and the plants got completely sun bleached and they never bounced back at all. They dropped most of their leaves and just didn’t grow. In both cases, I had failed to give the plants adequate time to acclimate to their surroundings, moving them way too quickly from the indoor seed-starting setup with its perfect lighting, perfect temperatures, and protection from the elements right out into the full sun, gusting winds and wild temperature swings typical for our gardens here in the spring.That process of acclimating our plants to the outside world is called hardening off and nobody had every told me anything about this. It seems obvious if we think about it in terms of anything else in our world. If we live somewhere warm and travel someplace cold, our bodies need to time to acclimate to our new surroundings or need adequate protection to help with the transition. If we need it, our little plants need it, too. So, today on Just Grow Something we’re walking step-by-step through how to transition your plants into the garden, whether you started them yourself or you bought them somewhere else. Will it always end in disaster if you don’t do this, no, not always. But the number of times it has ended in disaster for me has me checking myself every time I think I don’t have the patience to wait a week before putting my plant babies in the ground. Let’s dig in. References and Resources: Save 20% on your new own-root rose plant at HeirloomRoses.com with code JUSTGROW Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Save 20% on the already discounted subscription price of both the Magic Mind Mental Performance and Sleep shots at https://magicmind.com/GROWMAR and use code GROWMAR at checkout. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American produces about 4.9 pounds (2.2 kg) of garbage per day. That’s almost 1800 lbs. per year, or 816kg. And over 56% of this garbage is food, yard waste, paper or paperboard. That means over 1,000 lbs. of the municipal waste produced in the U.S. could be composted, per person. Much of our annual garden cleanup involves yard waste and now would be the perfect time to start a compost pile combining that yard waste with scraps from our kitchen and paper from our offices and cardboard from all those packages we have delivered to our doors. Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to talk about starting a compost pile or re-starting it if you’ve made an attempt before and maybe weren’t as successful as you’d hoped. Composting can be done in lots of ways in lots of spaces, so we’re going to cover the basics of what you need to know regardless of where and how you accomplish it, give you a few options for composting systems, large and small, and the do’s and don’ts of what goes into our composting systems and what we should avoid. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Simple Compost Solutions for Every Garden Space - Ep. 218 Indoor and Small-Space Composting: 5 Effective Methods University of Florida Extension: Composting Guide Composting Dairy Products Turning Compost by Temperature Composting to Kill Weed Seeds EPA: Composting at Home Get 10% and FREE shipping on my favorite raised planters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593 Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Many traditional "old-wives' tales" and "farmer's wisdom" about planting and gardening are actually based on phenology, the study of seasonal changes in plants and animals in relation to climate and weather. Many traditional planting rules are based on biological indicators—when certain plants leaf out or bloom, or when specific animals become active. These signals reflect cumulative temperature trends and help predict when conditions are right for planting, pruning, or harvesting. Today on Just Grow Something we’ll do a breakdown of common gardening wisdoms across different regions, why they work, and how they can help gardeners time their planting based on natural cues. We’ll even check out some of these wisdoms from a few regions outside the U.S., namely Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K., to see how they compare. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Get 10% and FREE shipping on my favorite raised plantersat Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593 Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Save 20% on your Magic Mind subscription! https://magicmind.com/GROWSOMETHING20 with code GROWSOMETHING20 One of my goals this year for the garden is to focus a little bit more on the aesthetics of the garden, rather than just the functionality of it. I really feel like I can get more enjoyment from the gardens if I enjoy how they look and enjoy spending time in them not for just planting and weeding and harvesting, but just for the sheer joy of it. One of the ways I think I can do this is by adding flowers. I am pretty adept and growing annuals from seed but this year I’m adding bulbs to the list. Spring is also a really good time to be adding perennials to the edible areas of the garden, vegetables and fruits. Today on Just Grow Something we’re talking about perennial fruit and vegetable plants best planted in spring and flowering bulbs planted in spring for summer blooms. We'll cover proper planting methods, timing, and first-year care to set you up for success. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Seed to Sprout seed-starting course: https://www.justgrowsomething.com/indoor-seed-starting Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

At the beginning of the year, I asked you think about why you garden. Whether it’s a hobby, our family’s main source of food, or anything in between, I maintain that understanding why you garden is really important to planning the garden and defining a budget. But, what about the garden being more than just a source of food, exercise, or a connection to nature. What if it were something more? That’s the question that Bailey Van Tassel has asked and answered. Bailey is the founder of the Kitchen Garden Society and author of the recently released book, Kitchen Garden Living. She has taken an approach to gardening that is not just seasonal in nature but all-encompassing in its seasonality, growing not just food but friendships, gifts, and time with family. Today on Just Grow Something, I sit down with Bailey and chat all things kitchen garden, flavor gaps, winter bulk, and moving a garden from one climate to another. We also get into her book and her unique way of determining exactly what gets prioritized in her garden beds using playing cards and the game of Poker. Let’s dig in. References and Resources: Kitchen Garden Living book: https://amzn.to/3Xosxme Bailey Van Tassel: https://www.baileyvantassel.com/ Great Grow Along - FREE Virtual Garden Festival Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/great-grow-along-free-virtual-garden-festival-tickets-1249534915569 Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Last chance for the special Magic Mind offer for themonth of February where you can save 40% off your subscription: https://magicmind.com/GROWSOMETHING40   Knowing when and how to pot up your seedlings can make all the difference in their health and success when they finally reach the garden. This is usually something we only have to worry about when starting our own seedlings ahead of the gardening season. But you may find if you buy warm-weather plants from the garden center too early, that they quickly outgrow their containers, and they’ll need to be potted up or risk being stunted when they finally do go into the garden. Today on Just Grow Something we’ll cover why and when potting up is necessary, which plants typically don't need potting up, and the best technique for potting up transplants. We’re also going to answer the question of the month: Whatdo you have the most difficulty with starting seeds indoors? Let’s dig in! References and Resources: My new SEED TO SPROUT course is live! https://www.justgrowsomething.com/indoor-seed-starting Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Success with starting seeds indoors comes down to a handful of factors: your materials and technique, soil temperature, air temperature, light, and air flow. How we approach each of these will determine how successful our outcome is. Just like any new skill, starting seeds indoors and successfully getting them to the transplant stage takes practice. Last week we talked about the supplies we need to get started. This week, we’re covering how to use them. Today on Just Grow Something, we’re going to run through what I would consider to be best practices in terms of each of these factors. We’ll talk about the optimal way to approach seed starting and talk about where we can go wrong. By the end you’ll be able to decide for yourself whether you should tackle indoor seed starting as a beginner or where you can improve if you’ve been there before. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Free Seed Starting eBook: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/seedbook Garden Planning Workbook: https://www.justgrowsomething.com/shop/p/just-grow-something-garden-planning-workbook Seed Starting Supplies Options (aff): https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething/list/2C6VB08JWCYZ9?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsflist_PQ0YZ9H0SFS3SM5RXCH5 Just Grow Something: ⁠https://justgrowsomething.com⁠ Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: ⁠https://justgrowsomething.com/shop⁠ Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/⁠ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething⁠ Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething⁠ Amazon storefront: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething⁠ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

FIRST TEN ORDERS IN FEBRUARY: Save 40% on your Magic Mind subscription! https://magicmind.com/GROWSOMETHING40 with code GROWSOMETHING40 We talked last week about how to time our seed starting so we can get a jump on the gardening season without being too early or too late. This week we’re focusing on what we need in terms of supplies to get those seeds going. There are tons and tons of options out there from the plain basics to the super fancy and everything in between. There is also a wide range in terms of how expensive those options are. Today on Just Grow Something we’ll talk about the six things I think you need for basic seed starting and then the items that are either nice to have’s but not necessary or downright scams. If you’ve thought about starting your own seeds indoors but shied away because it seemed like you needed way too much equipment, we’re going to demystify that today. Let’s dig in! References and Resources Free Seed Starting eBook: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/seedbook Garden Planning Workbook: https://www.justgrowsomething.com/shop/p/just-grow-something-garden-planning-workbook Seed Starting Supplies Options (aff): https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething/list/2C6VB08JWCYZ9?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsflist_PQ0YZ9H0SFS3SM5RXCH5 Just Grow Something: ⁠https://justgrowsomething.com⁠ Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: ⁠https://justgrowsomething.com/shop⁠ Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/⁠ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething⁠ Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething⁠ Amazon storefront: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething⁠ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Once those seed orders are rolling in, your garden plan is shaping up, and the days slowly get a little bit longer, we start to get restless. We want to get our hands in the dirt! This leads to the temptation to get started on our indoor seed starting, but for most of us it really isn’t time to start very many of those seeds just yet. This will depend on your growing zone, of course, and when your last spring frost date is if you have one, but it will also depend on what you’re planning to grow. Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to narrow down, step-by-step, how to time your seed starting whether you’re just dipping your toe in or have been doing it for a while. It does take practice to get the timing right and there is no foolproof plan because conditions change from year to year. But by the end you will know exactly what steps to take to get yourself as close to target as possible so you don’t have 18” tomato plants begging to be planted a full three weeks before it’s warm enough for them to go outside...speaking from experience. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Garden Planning Workbook: https://www.justgrowsomething.com/shop/p/just-grow-something-garden-planning-workbook Seed Starting Chart: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/start Greencast Soil Temperature Maps Let Soil Temperatures Guide You When Planting Vegetables Weather History & Data Archive | Weather Underground Average Weather by Location Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Get 45% off the Magic Mind Mental and Sleep Performance bundle with my link: https://www.magicmind.com/GROWSOMETHINGJAN All this month we’ve been talking about garden planning because it’s that time. The slower month of January means taking the time to really figure out what we want to grow in the garden and last week we talked about how to fit it all in. This week, we’re talking about my secret weapon to keeping on track – the humble calendar. This may not seem like a big deal but, let me tell you, my entire operation is run on a calendar that I put together in January and it is the key to how productive my gardens are. It does not matter how big or small your garden is, although the bigger the garden the more you really need a calendar to keep you on track. But even small gardens have certain tasks that need to be performed at certain times to optimize the harvest, whether that’s fertilizing, pruning, trellising, or succession planting. Today on Just Grow Something we’re completing the planning puzzle by filling out our calendar. We’ll talk about the general information you should be putting on the calendar and then do a detailed look at how to decide what goes in the calendar and where. By the end, you’ll see why it’s so important to track these tasks early on so nothing gets missed. Let’s dig in. References and Resources: Plan Like a Pro course: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/pro Find my Garden Planning Workbook in my shop: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Garden Planner from the Girly Homesteader: https://payhip.com/b/aiIN5/af667ebf3155ff8 code JUSTGROW for 10% off. Sugar Paper Planners: https://amzn.to/4jogDm4 Just Grow Something: ⁠https://justgrowsomething.com⁠ Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: ⁠https://justgrowsomething.com/shop⁠ Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/⁠ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething⁠ Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething⁠ Amazon storefront: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Get 45% off the Magic Mind bundle with with my link: https://www.magicmind.com/GROWSOMETHINGJAN If you have struggled in the past with how to fit all the plants you want to grow into the space you have available for gardening, you are not alone. It’s probably the number one question I get from clients when I step into their yards: how do I lay out my plants so they all fit? This not something that is intuitive or easy to figure out without a lot of trial and error, so don’t feel bad if you have tried it several times and don’t feel like you’ve gotten the hang of it yet. There is a step-by-step process you can use to get yourself off to a really good start and then modify based on your specific garden conditions. Today, on Just Grow Something I will guide you through a step-by-step process for mapping out your garden to not only ensure a productive season but to find space for more plants through intercropping and succession planting. Whether you’re a beginner or have a few seasons under your belt, this method will help you plan efficiently and maximize your harvest. Let’s dig in. References and Resources: Plan Like a Pro course: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/pro Days to Maturity Chart: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/maturity Just Grow Something: ⁠https://justgrowsomething.com⁠ Just Grow Something Merch: ⁠https://justgrowsomething.com/shop⁠ Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/⁠ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething⁠ Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething⁠ Amazon Storefront: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Last week we defined our “why” for gardening as a way to help determine our goals. Part of that goal requires us to think about the types of things we want to grow in our garden and the number of people we’re feeding in our family or whomever we are growing for. This also helps determine how much space we need for the garden to meet those goals and whether or not our existing space is big enough, or even too big. It’s very easy to overdo it, especially in the first few years because you don’t know how many plants you need in order to get the volume you want your garden to produce. It’s also very easy to plant too much of one thing and not enough of another and leave yourself overloaded or coming up short. I was guilty of not planting enough leafy greens the first few years but way overplanting the cucumbers and I very quickly had to learn how to make pickles, something my family still does not eat in abundance. Today on Just Grow Something we’ll talk about how to determine the number of seeds or plants that you for your garden in order to achieve the harvest you want so you can more accurately plan your garden space and leave nothing behind. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Plan Like a Pro Course: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/pro MU Extension Vegetable Planting Calendar: https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6201 (click to download .pdf to the right of the page) Plan By Yield Chart: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/yield Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Okay, my gardening friend, tell me this: why are you gardening? Did you start gardening during the pandemic because everything was locked down and you were at home all the time and needed some sort of contact with another living thing and that living thing ended up being plants? Or is gardening something you grew up doing and just automatically continued as an adult? Do you garden to reduce the family food budget or maybe your goal is to grow all your family’s produce for the entire year? Maybe it’s just a way to get outside and get some fresh air and exercise and it just feels good to tend to something. In order to know what we want out of our garden, we have to know why we’re gardening. That “why” is going to help us determine our goals. It’s also going to help dictate exactly how ambitious we get in terms of what we grow, how much space we use, how much we’re willing to invest, the types of tools and supplies that we buy, all the things. Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to look at our “why” and how knowing that answer can help us set our goals for this gardening season and maybe even our budget. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Plan Like a Pro course: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/pro Garden Planner from the Girly Homesteader: https://payhip.com/b/aiIN5/af667ebf3155ff8 Use code JUSTGROW for 10% off. Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I went back through the episodes for this season and looked at the statistics to find which episodes really stood out for you guys this year and thought I would share those so, if you really need a garden podcast fix this week you could jump back and listen to one of those. There was one surprise on the list that I will cover at the end and one all-time favorite, but first let’s look at the top 5 for 2024. I will leave links to each of these episodes in the episode notes and it was also in this morning’s email for your convenience! References and Resources: Starting Flower Seedlings Indoors - Ep. 183 Maintaining Fruit Trees, Bushes, and Canes Different Ways to Grow Potatoes - Ep. 186 Ep. 135 - Growing Potatoes Steps for Planning the Fall Garden (and Why You Should Grow One) - Ep. 205 Growing Strawberries - Ep. 194 Ep. 106 - Introduction to Vermicomposting (Worm Farming!) Ep. 89 - Growing Peppers Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch: https:/justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Save up to 48% on your Magic Mind subscription! https://magicmind.com/GROWSOMETHING20 with code GROWSOMETHING20 Depending on where you live your gardening season may just be winding down or at least slowing a little bit or it may have been done for a couple of months now. This is a great time to take a deep breath, recover from the busyness and demands of the garden, and then to look back and reflect. Planning for next year’s garden will be happening soon enough and I know some of you have already started because I know the seed catalogs are rolling in and that gets us excited for next year. But, you can’t know where you’re going if you don’t where you’ve been. What went well in your garden this year? I mean really well? What didn’t go so well? And what was a complete flop? Do you know why these things happened? And is there any way to either duplicate those results or make corrections so they don’t happen again? Today on Just Grow Something we’re taking the first step toward planning next season’s garden and that’s reviewing and reflecting what happened this season. I’ll take you step-by-step through the things we should record, if we haven’t already, and how to evaluate what we experienced in the garden in terms of moisture levels, weed pressure, insect damage, and harvests, so we know what went right and how to do it again, or what went wrong and how to avoid doing it again. Let’s dig in. References and Resources: Integrated Pest Management in the Home Garden - Ep. 228 Attracting Pollinators and Predators to the Garden - Ep. 229 Winter Produce Storage: Tips for Keeping Your Fall Harvest Fresh Through the Cold Months - Ep. 225 Garden Planner from the Girly Homesteader: https://payhip.com/b/aiIN5/af667ebf3155ff8 code JUSTGROW for 10% off. Just Grow Something Merch: https:/justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’ve ever had shrunken ends on your zucchini or curled ends on your cucumbers, then you have seen the results of a lack of pollination. This doesn’t always mean we don’t have enough pollinators, sometimes it means the pollinators couldn’t do their job for some other reason, like heat, humidity or the density of our plants. But, it is becoming more and more common for us to see a lack of pollinators in our vegetable gardens. Neighboring pesticide users, invasive species, widespread habitat loss, or disease can all affect the diversity of insects we want in our gardens and these aren’t often things we can control. But we can control what happens in our own yards and garden spaces and use that control to help out the pollinator insect population. If we understand some of the strategies to help pollinators, we can also positively affect the number of predatory insects we draw to our gardens which falls right in line with the Integrated Pest Management strategies we talked about last week. Today on Just Grow Something we’ll talk about why we might have a lack of pollinators in our garden and strategies to correct that, five annual and five perennial plants that attract pollinators to a vegetable garden, along with their benefits, the pollinators they attract, and growing tips. We’ll also cover which of those attracts predatory insects to the garden to help with some of that pest pressure many of us seem to face. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: The Great Marigold Debate - Ep. 147 Marigolds as Companion Plants: Know How to Use Them Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch: https:/justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast!: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Save up to 48% on your Magic Mind subscription! https://magicmind.com/GROWSOMETHING20 with code GROWSOMETHING20 What is your biggest problem in the garden? If you’re like most gardeners, this can be any number of things … weeds, deer and rabbits, diseases. But the number one thing I hear from gardeners that they feel is so out of their control is insect pests. Once we think we have one pest figured out another moves in to wreck as much havoc as the first, sometimes more, and it feels like a losing battle. There are a lot of things we can do in the garden to mitigate these pests right from the beginning and it all starts with our garden plan, before we even plant a single seed or buy our first transplant for the season. The way in which we plant our crops, in terms of companion planting and intercropping, is just the start and I’ve talked a lot about that on this podcast. But, if we look at this from an even more detailed perspective, home gardeners should be using a multi-layered approach to battle pests. In sustainable agriculture we refer to this as Integrated Pest Management and you may very well be practicing some of the principles already in your garden but you may be missing some components, too. Today on Just Grow Something we’ll break down the core principles of Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, and how we as home gardeners can easily apply those principles to manage pests effectively while still protecting beneficial insects, the environment, and our plants. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething Companion Planting episodes, videos, blog posts: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/search/companion Companion Planting chart: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/chart Grow and Flourish Planner (use code JUSTGROW to save 10%): https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/planner Just Grow Something Merch: https:/justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast!: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I didn’t grow up learning how to cook. When I say I had no idea how to season my food as a young adult, I mean NO idea. I didn’t even use salt and pepper. It took me years to not just learn how to cook from a practical application standpoint, but also how to use herbs and spice blends. When I started gardening, growing herbs wasn’t at the top of my list. I didn’t really think there could be much difference between the dried stuff I bought in the store and using it fresh out of the garden. I started to grow them to include in our CSA boxes and on our market stands. When I had leftovers that maybe didn’t sell at the market that day, I brought them into my own kitchen and began to learn how fresh use differed from dried use. Today on Just Grow Something, we cover the top 10 most versatile herbs to grow at home that are good for fresh and dried use, how to change how you use herbs depending on if they’re fresh or dried, how to dry them without a dehydrator, and how to use them in spice blends to kick that flavor up in the kitchen throughout the entire year. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Just Grow Something Merch: https:/justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast! (buymeacoffee.com): https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Nutrichef Countertop Dehydrator (aff): https://amzn.to/3ZAwExa Chefman 9-Drawer Dehydrator (aff): https://amzn.to/49gcsnD Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Save 20% on your Magic Mind subscription! https://magicmind.com/GROWSOMETHING20 with code GROWSOMETHING20 We all want things to be just a little bit easier in the garden, right? It’s part of why I try to plant things in the fall to overwinter that will start growing on their own in the spring. It means less effort on my part during a very busy time in the garden when it seems like everything has to go in all at once. The best low-effort thing I can think of in the garden is a perennial and the easiest of these is herbs! The idea of planting something once and doing nothing but harvesting it each season and occasionally splitting up clumps to make more plants sounds like the easiest thing in the garden to accomplish. Herbs can add so much flavor to the other garden goodness we’re bringing into the kitchen, and they can be expensive to buy in the grocery! Today on Just Grow Something we’ll cover the top five perennial herbs to grow by USDA Hardiness Zone. We’ll highlight each herb, the planting and growing requirements, and talk about any special conditions that make them more hardy for your area. Because it's very frustrating to be told something is perennial, only to find out it’s not perennial in your area. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Just Grow Something 2024 Gardener's Gift Guide: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/gift24 Elm Dirt's Shield: https://www.elmdirt.com/?rfsn=6809035.8aa23a5 Get 10% and FREE shipping on my favorite raised planters at Planter Box Direct: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593 Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch: https:/justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast! (buymeacoffee.com): https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As we head toward the end of fall and into winter it’s time to start using some of what we’ve stored from the garden. Bountiful fall harvests of things like onions, potatoes, carrots, and beets, whether we grew them ourselves or managed to snag some from the local farmers market or CSA, can absolutely be stored up for long-term use. In fact, many of us count on these harvests or market scores to feed our families throughout the winter. But it can be very disheartening to go into your pantry or basement to pull out sweet potatoes for a big family holiday meal, only to find they’ve gone soft or moldy. Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to cover proper winter storage of fall harvested vegetables and we’ll talk about some of the fruits, too. There are plenty of things we can store with no special equipment or storage facility, just a cool dark area may be all you need. But understanding the difference between what your potatoes want, versus what your sweet potatoes want, can make all the difference in the world when it comes to how long you can enjoy those goodies before planting again in the spring. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Just Grow Something Merch: ⁠https:/justgrowsomething.com/shop⁠ Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/508637300354140/⁠ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething⁠ Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast! ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething⁠ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It is November, which means we are firmly seated in fall and many of us have seen the total demise of our gardens. In fact, some of us have had several weeks since we saw anything green out there and it’s kind of depressing! Have no fear, there is a way to get a fresh green pick-me-up in the kitchen even when the outside seems bleary – three ways, in fact! Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to cover three ways to grow nutritious greens indoors. This can absolutely be done year-round, but it’s especially poignant in the late fall and through the winter. Especially if you live somewhere like I do where it’s a bit bleak and dreary outside and your body is just craving something fresh. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: (some links are affiliates and I'll earn a small commission ... thank you!) Get 20% off a Magic Mind subscription with code GROWSOMETHING20 Simple LED grow lights: https://amzn.to/3UMqN5k Hydroponic net pots: https://amzn.to/3Cm8fSW Coconut coir plant starter pellets: https://amzn.to/3YK0xth Organic liquid plant food for hydroponics: https://amzn.to/3UO1fEO pH test strips: https://amzn.to/3Co6Efq Inexpensive air bubbler: https://amzn.to/3O3Gpxj Variety pack microgreens seed: https://amzn.to/3O4eddS Elm Dirt: https://www.elmdirt.com/?rfsn=6809035.8aa23a5 Microgreen Basics - Ep. 169 Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Buy Me A Coffee! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’ve been watching my social media accounts you’ve seen me posting about my recent trip to Puerto Rico. I was hoping to see what backyard gardeners were growing in a tropical region and also get an idea of what crops are economically significant to the region and I was actually surprised by what I learned. Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to talk about what crops are prevalent in Puerto Rico and how we can duplicate some of that in our own homes even if we live somewhere that is decidedly NOT tropical. We’ll also reveal your answers to the October question of the month: what was your biggest failure in the garden this year? Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Insect Netting: https://amzn.to/3CeUkOs (aff) Bird Netting: https://amzn.to/3NV6oag (aff) Free Download: Onion Growing Fact Sheet Beginner's Guide to Growing Onions All About Puerto Rico Coffee - History and Best Brands | Puerto Rico & Caribbean Travel News Coffee Obsession: More Than 100 Tools and Techniques with Inspirational ... - DK - Google Books Most Common Papaya Plant Pests: Identification and Treatment Guide | Live to Plant Food Security and Debt: Rebooting Puerto Rican Agriculture as a Path Out of Crisis | Journal of Public and International Affairs Regrowing Puerto Rico's Agriculture - WWF - Environment & Disaster Management ‘A National Call for Food Production:’ Sustainable Farming Seeks Revolution in Puerto Rico | Pulitzer Center Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Adding the right soil amendments in the fall is a great way to set up your garden for success in the spring. By incorporating amendments now, you give them time to break down and integrate into the soil, providing nutrients and improving soil texture for the next growing season. Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to breakdown the best amendments for addressing specific nutrient deficiencies, as well as general-purpose options that we can add to our soil now to benefit our garden in the spring. Let’s dig in! Question of the Month: What was your biggest failure in the garden this year? References and Resources: Get 20% off a Magic Mind subscription with code GROWSOMETHING20 Focal Point Friday: Plant Nutrient Basics Using Manure in the Garden: What's Safe and What's Not? How and when to use manure as fertilizer. How and Why to Perform a Soil Test for Nutrients and Texture High quality single-ingredient (alfalfa meal, cottonseed meal, bone meal, etc.), all-purpose, and mineral amendment resource: https://amzn.to/4f32Nmo (aff) New Merch! Just Grow Something | Patreon Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast! (buymeacoffee.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Last week we talked onions, this week it’s another allium, garlic. The timing on planting onions in the fall is just about the same as when we plant our garlic for overwintering and garlic spends just about as much time in the garden as those fall-planted onions do. Just like our onions, there are specific considerations for growing garlic – the right variety, the right soil, specific planting depth and spacing, planting time, and nutrients. If this all sounds vaguely familiar, that’s because those are all the same things we said are important for growing onions. Amazing how plants in the same family have some of the same concerns! Today on Just Grow Something we’re talking tips for planting garlic by climate type. Whether you’re in zone 3 or zone 10 you can grow garlic, but what kind and when and how you plant will be vastly different and will greatly affect your success. Let’s dig in! References and Resources My Women in Podcasting Award and Acceptance Speech! Ep. 40 - Growing Garlic Ep. 67 - When and How to Plant Your Garlic, Plus Tips for Warmer Climates Growing Garlic in Warm Climates - Focal Point Friday Growing Garlic as a Perennial - Ep. 168 How to Choose a Garlic Variety to Grow - Ep. 214 How to Know When Your Garlic is Ready to Harvest Find Seed Garlic: https://amzn.to/3BOX30U (aff) New Merch! Just Grow Something | Patreon Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast! (buymeacoffee.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is the episode so many of you have asked for and now is the perfect time because, in most locations, this is the time to be planting onion sets or seedlings to overwinter and harvest the next summer. Successfully growing full-sized onions for fresh eating and for storage seems to allude many of us, I had trouble with it the first few tries, for sure, and I think it boils down to a couple of things. First is planting depth and spacing, second is soil texture and nutrients, and third is the timing of the planting. Bonus points if you actually know which type of onions you should be planting in terms of long-day and short-day or day-neutral. If none of what I just said made any sense to you, you’re not alone. So, today on Just Grow Something we’re going to review the very basics of growing onions but then dig deep into the techniques you can use for getting them planted now to successfully harvest those nice full fat onions in the spring. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Save 20% on a Magic Mind Subscription: https://magicmind.com/GROWSOMETHING20 and use code GROWSOMETHING20 Ep. 133 - Growing Onions Beginner's Guide to Growing Onions YouTube video on planting fall onions Save 20% at https://heirloomroses.com using code JUSTGROW at checkout. Order now, save now, deliver later! Just Grow Something Merch: https:/justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast! (buymeacoffee.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The fruits and veggies coming from our gardens are not the only things we can dry and store in the off-season. Think about the vibrant colors from the flowers in our yards and containers. We can absolutely preserve that beauty to use year-round, or at least to display through the dreary winter season, by simply air-drying them. There are lots of ways we can use those cut flowers, ornamental grasses, and even edible flowers and herbs in our home décor and pantry. Yes, you’ve got the typical dried flower arrangement in the form of a bouquet, but what about centerpieces, wreaths, swags or other purposes like tea blends or simmer pots? Today on Just Grow Something we’ll talk about the conditions we need to properly dry our florals and other cuttings from the garden, when and how to properly harvest them specifically for this purpose, how to properly store them so they retain their color, and some usage ideas. Why shouldn’t we use all the colors of our summer garden to brighten up our indoor spaces as we move through fall and into winter? Let’s dig in! Question of the month: What was your biggest failure in the garden this season? References and Resources Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast! (buymeacoffee.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As we start to wind down the summer gardening season it’s a great time to be adding compost to your beds to help give the soil a boost. Letting the compost break down over the winter gives it adequate time to become activated with all the little microorganisms that are so important for delivering nutrients to our plants in the soil. But, purchasing compost, especially really good compost, can be pricey and the bigger your garden, the higher the price tag! It’s hard to justify sometimes because some of us are growing our own gardens so we can save money on our food budget, not pay more to amend the soil than it would cost us to just buy our veggies at the grocery store. And if we opt for budget compost we may find not only is the texture and quality definitely fit the price point, but our plants aren’t getting much out of that soil the following season which is a complete waste of money. I also understand that not everybody has room for a big compost pile in their yard, you may not even have a yard and are gardening in containers on a patio or porch, but you still want the best amendments for your soil and everybody has kitchen waste that can be used to feed our garden soil. So, today on Just Grow Something we’re going to talk about the absolute easiest and least messy ways to build a small compost pile or composting system for your garden regardless of where you are. It may not be everything you need to add to your garden, depending on the size you’re working with, but it will absolutely reduce the need for having to purchase as much and you’ll be diverting waste from the landfill and helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the process. Let’s dig in. References and Resources: Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast! (buymeacoffee.com) Ep. 80 - Creating and Managing a Compost Pile Ep. 106 - Introduction to Vermicomposting (Worm Farming!) Ep. 107 - Worm Farming with Lauren Cain of Elm Dirt Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As the fall season is practically upon us and the pumpkin spice gods are already blessing us with their bounty, it’s time to get your garden ready for the changing weather. Fall gardening can look very different depending on your climate, but no matter where you live, the changing season means there are some important tasks to attend to for the success of your garden now and into the spring. Today on Just Grow Something we’re tackling your fall garden checklist. Whether you’re buttoning up your garden for winter, transitioning into a cool-season planting cycle, or continuing to harvest year-round, today’s episode breaks down fall gardening tasks for three different groups of gardeners: Zones 3 and 4, Zones 5 through 9, and Zones 10 and 11. Let’s dig in! Question of the Month: What was your biggest success in the garden this season? References and Resources: Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Bonus content for supporters of the Just Grow Something Podcast! (buymeacoffee.com) Heirloom Roses: Use code JUSTGROW for 20% off! Through Oct. 31st, 2024 Getting Started with Cover Crops - Ep. 166 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map | USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map Frost Dates: First and last frost dates by zipcode - Garden.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Last week on the podcast we talked about which seeds we should be saving from the garden, how mature the fruits need to be when we harvest seeds and a bit about how to dry and test them. This week, we’re focusing on storing them properly. When we get seeds from a catalog or other seed supplier, they’ve often gone through a set of steps that we may not be duplicating at home with our own saved seeds. Seed suppliers are required to test their seeds not just for germination percentage, but also for diseases and moisture content. These tests ensure that we’re not brining outside diseases into our gardens and make sure the seeds we get will maintain their integrity in storage without spoiling. Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to talk about how we can achieve the same results in our own seed collection. If you garden where certain diseases are prevalent you certainly don’t want to saving that disease to plant again with your seeds the next year. We also want to be sure our seeds remain intact in storage and we don’t open up a fuzzy, moldy mess when it’s time to plant in the spring. Let’s dig in! Question of the Month: What was your biggest success in the garden this season? References and Resources: Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Just Grow Something is Bonus content for supporters of the Just Grow Something Podcast! (buymeacoffee.com) Vegetable: Hot Water Seed Treatment | Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment at UMass Amherst Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Saving seeds from our gardens to use the next spring it is a great way to not only help our budget out a little bit but also to give ourselves some food security and doesn’t sound like it should be a very difficult task. At that point we’re not relying on someone else to grow our seeds for us that we have to buy over and over again. Just collect the seeds from whatever you want to keep, rinse them, dry them, and pack them away for next year, right? Well, yes, but also, no. The method I just described can absolutely mean you’ll have beautifully preserved seeds that have fantastic germination the next season and yield a bounty of exactly what you thought you were planting. But it’s equally possible that you’ll open the seed packet the next season to find fuzzy gray fungus or black moldy growth on your seeds, or seeds that don’t sprout properly, or maybe they sprout and you get midway through the gardening season and the fruit on the plant look nothing like the ones you saved the seeds from. So, today on Just Grow Something we’re going to dig into which plants you should and shouldn’t be saving seeds from, how to properly collect, clean, and dry those seeds in order to best guarantee your success the next season, and how to quickly test them before you store them to know if they’re viable. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Buy Me a Coffee! Hot Water Treatment for Seeds – Louisiana State University How To Save Vegetable Seeds – Farmers Almanac Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you have intentions of growing garlic for next year, now is the time to be ordering your seed garlic. Garlic needs about six months in the ground to get to maturity so, here in the northern hemisphere, we may be planting our garlic as early as mid-September in some areas. With the plethora of catalogs and websites and garden centers offering garlic to gardeners, how do you know what variety of garlic to choose? And should you be choosing hard neck, or soft neck, or that look-a-like Elephant garlic? Today on Just Grow Something we’re gonna' figure it out. We’ll talk about the differences between the types of garlic, and what might make you want to choose one variety over another – whether it’s to do with flavor, storage, disease resistance, or something else entirely. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Just Grow Something | creating a podcast and gardening videos | Patreon Just Grow Something is Bonus content for supporters of the Just Grow Something Podcast! (buymeacoffee.com) How many types of garlic are there? - Chef's Resource (chefsresource.com) Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Vegetable Growing Guides - Growing Guide Garlic Variety Descriptions | The Dyer Family Organic Farm Garlic | The Buffalo Seed Company Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you didn’t plan for a fall garden and maybe have changed your mind a little bit and want to give it a go, you might be looking for something you can very quickly put into the ground and grow directly from seed. Enter beets. They will happily germinate in almost any temperature of soil and they greatly appreciate the cooler days of fall when they are coming to maturity. They’re not fool-proof, because there is a little effort needed in terms of thinning in most cases and they do need a nice, loose soil to produce those beautiful round roots, but there is nothing that beats the flavor in the fall of a sweet, roasted beet alongside other root vegetables. Or, my go-to snack or addition to my salads, pickled beets, and my new favorite, beets roasted in air fryer. Even my husband admits those are good and he swears beets taste like dirt. So, today on Just Grow Something we’re talking beets! How to grow them, what type to grow for your area, and why does it seem that even when we carefully space our beet seeds out in the garden that we end up having to thin them anyway? So many seedlings! Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Vegetable Growing Guides - Growing Guide ⁠Garden Insect Netting⁠ (affiliate) ⁠Garden Frost Cloth/Row Cover⁠ (affiliate) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I do searches online for gardening topics all the time. I will search key phrases to see if I can come up with topics that people seem to be searching for or gardening questions that may be trending. I even search specific ideas to see if there is new information or research that I’m not aware of. And more and more frequently I’m noticing a disturbing trend. As I look at the search results, often times I will see multiple pages in a row, usually sponsored results, that have the exact same key phrases as the meta description, the little blurb you see under the link that tells you what’s on the page before you click it. When I click on one of those pages I find the page to be full of ads, with very little substance in terms of gardening know how. And the verbiage and style of writing is very mechanical, disjointed, and generic. If I click another one, the page layout is exactly the same and so is the wording. These pages are all designed to look like legitimate gardening blogs or how-to sites, but they all have two things in common – they are meant to earn money from the overwhelming number of ads being displayed and they are all written by artificial intelligence. Today on Just Grow Something we’re diving into AI and gardening advice. Can AI be helpful when asking questions in the garden? Are those answers accurate? And how can we determine whether a source is reliable or not? Let’s dig in. References and Resources Vote for me in the Women in Podcasting Awards! Save on a Magic Mind Subscription with code justgrowsomething20 Just Grow Something Website (justgrowsomethingpodcast.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There is something very satisfying about growing your own food, for sure, and being able to walk out into the garden to pick your lunch or your dinner. But, in the dead of a Midwest winter, the ability to be able to “shop” your own pantry for the things you eat the most, that you grew, that is a whole other level. So, today on Just Grow Something we’re going to talk about the basic necessities you need for starting your own canning adventure. We’ll mostly focus on boiling-water canning and what can be safely canned in that manner, but since I jumped head first into pressure canning just a year after I started water-bath canning, we’ll touch on some of the differences in case, you too, are big on confidence but maybe a little shy on knowledge. Let’s dig in! References and Resources Vote for me in the Women in Podcasting Awards! Home Page - National Center for Home Food Preservation (uga.edu) Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving (Updated Edition) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Over the past decade or so there has been much debate about whether open-pollinated and heirloom varieties should be the preferred choice for gardeners over hybrids. And there's been even louder discussion (arguments) over GMOs or genetically engineered plants. Why all the fuss? We're getting a bit sciencey today. I mean, more than usual. We're discussing the difference between all these types of plants, when and how they are appropriate to use in our home gardens, and what, if any, implications genetic engineering has on our choice of food at the grocery store and the farm stand. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Vote for me in the Women in Podcasting Awards! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Save on a Magic Mind Subscription with code justgrowsomething20 Hybrid or Open Pollinated - Garden.org https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/files/ef130.pdf Choosing Bt Sweet Corn Varieties | University of Maryland Extension (umd.edu) The True Story of Golden Rice, the Genetically Modified Superfood That Almost Saved Millions (foreignpolicy.com) Transgenic Virus-Resistant Papaya: The Hawaiian 'Rainbow' was Rapidly Adopted by Farmers and is of Major Importance in Hawaii Today (apsnet.org) Pinkglow® pineapple (pinkglowpineapple.com) In Search of the Real Jersey Tomato (Part I) (Archived) Rutgers 250 Tomato | Rutgers Research Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mother Nature has opened the blast furnace door on west central Missouri. I recorded this quick episode on the fly in the gardens to share with you a little wisdom about what our plants are doing in the heat and how to avoid further damage to things like tomatoes by overwatering. Let's dig in! You can find the video version of this podcast on Spotify and YouTube! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Back on episode 200, the Ask Me Anything episode, someone asked if I would do an episode on growing Brussels sprouts. I said no at the time because I hadn’t yet successfully grown them but indicated it may be soon because Brussels were having a moment in my garden this spring and it was looking good. Well, here we are and we’re talking Brussels because I managed to successfully grow and harvest a summer crop from a spring planting and have round two of seedlings started already for planting soon for a fall harvest. So, today on Just Grow Something, we’re talking Brussels sprouts! The background of the plant, how to grow it, what pests and disease plague it, and how to harvest and store. It’s a full blown crop specific episode that will hopefully demystify growing these teeny cabbage look-a-likes in your own garden. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: The Great Marigold Debate - Ep. 147 Weather History & Data Archive | Weather Underground (wunderground.com) Health Benefits of Brussels Sprouts Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Vegetable Growing Guides - Growing Guide Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Maybe you’ve heard the origin story of how I started gardening and then came to be a market farmer which lead to me getting a degree in horticulture which led to me doing this podcast. The short story is I had a really successful, very large, garden and I was sick of being stuck inside all the time working my day job and tried to find a way to make some side money from the garden, and the rest is history. Maybe you’ve been in the same position. A lot of gardeners do really, really well a couple seasons in a row and realize just how much they enjoy being in the garden and growing things and daydream about setting up a little stand at the end of the driveway once a week or going to the local farmer’s market. Would you believe me if I told you selling the produce from your garden isn’t the only way to make money from it? Today on Just Grow Something we are talking ten different ways you can make money from your garden and only a couple of them involve selling the actual fruits and veggies. This is a very high-level look at the options you have so you can start thinking about what might actually fit into your lifestyle. Because, let me tell you, after 17 seasons of selling every week at the farmer’s market, it is hard work, and there are definitely other options available to you. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Save on a Magic Mind subscription or one-time purchase with code JUSTGROWSOMETHING20 at MagicMind.com/justgrowsomething Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s the middle of July and it’s the time of year when heat stress in plants can be a significant challenge for gardeners. If you’re gardening in the peak of summer or in a region with consistently high temperatures, heat stress can lead to wilting, reduced yields, poor fruit quality, and even cause plants to just up and die. But, we can do something about it. Lots of things, actually. Today on Just Grow Something we’re talking effective management of heat stress in our plants, including preventive measures and actions to take after our plants are affected. We will talk all the strategies we can take to help maintain a healthy garden despite the heat. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Save on a Magic Mind subscription or one-time purchase with code JUSTGROWSOMETHING20 at MagicMind.com/justgrowsomething Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you are in any gardening group, whether an in-person club or online, you likely see countless home remedies for everything that ails our plants. Gardeners tout everything as a miracle cure for something in the garden, from putting tums in the soil to burying fish, making weed killer out of vinegar and salt (please don’t) to using dawn dish soap as an insecticide (again, please don’t). One that pops up over and over again is using Epsom salts, either sprinkled or added to the soil or used as a foliar spray when diluted in water. I’ve seen it recommended for blossom end rot, boosting plant growth, germinating seeds and other random maladies. But, is it really good for your plants? Does it help with any of that stuff or is it just another case of correlation over causation? Today on Just Grow Something we’re digging into Epsom salts. What they are, if they can help in the garden, and, if so, with what exactly. That way next time someone recommends Epsom salts for curing the yellowing leaves on your plant you’ll be able to decide for yourself whether that’s an effective plan. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Ep. 18 - Garden Talk Tuesday: Plant Nutrients and Why You Need to Know Them Ep. 22 - Garden Talk Tuesday: Plant Nutrient Deficiencies and Toxicity Focal Point Friday: Plant Nutrient Basics   Photosynthetic activity and onion growth response to compost and Epsom salt: International Journal of Vegetable Science: Vol 26, No 6 (tandfonline.com) IMPACT OF EPSOM SALT APPLICATION ON BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN BEETROOT (Beta vulgaris L.). | Agricultural Research Journal | EBSCOhost Effects of Epsom (magnesium sulfate) salt on growth performance of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) in nutrient film technique and media-based aquaponics systems | Aquaculture International (springer.com) Effects of foliar and root application of epsom salt on aquaponics beetroot (Beta vulgaris) production in confined condition | Asian Journal of Medical and Biological Research (banglajol.info) The Response to Epsom Salt Sprays of Mature Apple Trees of Three Varieties on Two Contrasting Rootstocks: Journal of Horticultural Science: Vol 43, No 4 (tandfonline.com) Fertilize with Epsom Salts - Garden.org Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Last week on the podcast we talked about your summer succession plantings, things you can plant in the summer and harvest in the summer on repeat. This week, it’s all about fall, baby. I know it may seem like the summer growing season just started, especially if you have very few frost-free days, but this really is the time to be planning for a fall harvest. In order to get a viable crop before your first frost date or first hard freeze or before your Persephone Period hits, the steps to get there start now. Today on Just Grow Something we are talking all things fall garden planning – what to plant, when to start your seeds, whether to grow from seeds or seedlings, timing the planting, and getting to harvest. By the end you will have a firm grasp on whether you want to tackle a fall garden and why I insist it’s one of the absolute best times of year to garden in most areas. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Save 10% on The Girly Homesteader Grow and Flourish Planner with code JUSTGROW Frost Dates: First and last frost dates by zipcode - Garden.org 2024 Frost Dates: First and Last Frost Dates by ZIP Code | The Old Farmer's Almanac | Almanac.com Just Grow Something Fall Garden Planning Challenge Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We are officially in summer in the northern hemisphere and, for many of us, she came in with a bang. It will hit 100 F here today with a heat index of 112 F and it feels like walking in front of a blast furnace stepping out into the sun. This may make you think the summer growing season is a one-and-done situation, especially if you live somewhere further south than me where the temperatures can be even more brutal on a regular basis. I’m here to tell you that’s not the case. In fact, even if you live further north of me where the temperatures are just now finally warm enough to start planting warm-season crops, there are a slew of things that can be grown in the summer vegetable garden that you can plant multiple times to get a greater harvest from the garden. Today on Just Grow Something we’ll talk about the top five crops in different climates that can be successively planted throughout the summer. Whether your warm season is short or you’re gardening in a sauna, I guarantee there is something you can grow multiple times to increase your yield even if it feels like somebody opened the gates of Hades in your front yard. Let’s dig in. References and Resources: Subscribe NowJust Grow Something | The "Why" Behind the "How" of GardeningJune 18, 20244x20300:25:4523.59 MBWhen Are Onions Ready to Harvest? - Ep. 203 I posted a video last week on TikTok and Reels about how to tell if your onions are ready to harvest and there was a lot of feedback. Onions are one of those crops that can take a long time to master and, even then, getting a good harvest can be hit or miss. Which is probably why that video got the response it did. Today on Just Grow Something we’ll go over how to tell if your onions are ready to harvest, when you should wait, and when you should pull them early based on the conditions of the plant. We’ll also talk about what can go wrong with onions causing them to either bolt prematurely or never get to the size we’d hoped. There are lots of intricacies to successfully growing onions but once we understand the things they rely on to produce, it does get easier. A little. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Visit HeirloomRoses.com and take 20% off your order of roses with code JUSTGROW through October 31, 2024 Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I posted a video last week on TikTok and Reels about how to tell if your onions are ready to harvest and there was a lot of feedback. Onions are one of those crops that can take a long time to master and, even then, getting a good harvest can be hit or miss. Which is probably why that video got the response it did. Today on Just Grow Something we’ll go over how to tell if your onions are ready to harvest, when you should wait, and when you should pull them early based on the conditions of the plant. We’ll also talk about what can go wrong with onions causing them to either bolt prematurely or never get to the size we’d hoped. There are lots of intricacies to successfully growing onions but once we understand the things they rely on to produce, it does get easier. A little. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Ep. 114 - Planting Onions to Overwinter Ep. 133 - Growing Onions Visit HeirloomRoses.com and take 20% off your order of roses with code JUSTGROW through October 31, 2024 Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Well, I dropped the ball! This is a follow up to Tuesdays episode about problems in cucumbers. I failed to mention two pests that plague many gardeners - squash vine borers and squash bugs. So, let's remedy this situation! Spend a quick 15 minutes with me while we talk about these pests and how to prevent them. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The summer gardening season is just about in full swing here in the northern hemisphere and cucumbers are definitely a crowd favorite. Whether you’re growing the for slicing, snacking, or pickling, a properly managed cucumber vine can be very productive. But it seems like when things go wrong with cucumbers, they go really wrong. Whether it’s dying plants, funky looking fruit, diseases, or other issues with our favorite cucurbit, we do have preventions and solutions. Today on Just Grow Something we’re talking all about the problems we might have with cucumbers – pests and diseases, nutrient challenges, strange deformities, and more. By the end you should have a firm grasp on how to prevent these problems from occurring and how to recognize what you’re dealing with when they do. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Identifying Nutrient Deficiencies in Your Garden Plants Visit HeirloomRoses.com and take 20% off your order of roses with code JUSTGROW through October 31, 2024 Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the 200th episode of the Just Grow Something podcast, my gardening friends! I launched this podcast back in February of 2021 as a way to pass on the gardening knowledge I had gained from my experiences on our own homestead and farm and what I had learned as I worked my way through my horticulture degree at Oregon State University. I’ve continued to learn along the way and pass on as much of that to you as I reasonably can in the 30 minutes or so a week we spend together here, as well as Reels and TikTok videos, the articles I write over on the website, the Facebook group and probably a few places I’m forgetting about. Getting into the rhythm of coming up with a topic each week, recording, editing, and publishing that episode, plus trying to put creatives together to post to social media to promote those episodes took some time and I still don’t’ always get the social media part of it right! Some of you have been along for the ride since day one, some of you are brand-new; no matter where you fall on that scale, I am sincerely happy you are here and we can all be learning and growing as gardeners together. This season I’ve been asking you a question each month to send in your answers but today, you are asking the questions and I am doing the answering. To celebrate 200 episodes, I did an “ask me anything” and you all had some great questions. Some about gardening, some about the business of farming, some personal, and I am here to answer them all. Let’s dig in! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

One of the most labor-intensive parts of growing some of our garden crops, like tomatoes, can be trellising them. Other plants naturally just climb whatever we place next to them without much intervention from us, but they do sometimes need some initial guidance. Cucumbers and peas are two good examples of this. Often times this depends on the type of trellis we’re using. The type of trellis we use boils down to personal preference, the amount of space we have, the materials available to us, and whether we’re gardening in an in-ground space or utilizing raised planters. Today on Just Grow Something, we’re going to cover the multiple trellising options for tomatoes, cucumbers, peas and beans. Many of these trellising options can be utilized for other crops, too, and some of them are multi-purpose for any of these crops. By the end you will have a multitude of techniques to choose from so you can make the best choice for your gardening situation. Let’s dig in! Question of the month: Ask me anything! Reach out and ask me whatever you want to know, gardening or non-gardening, and I'll answer your question next week for our 200th episode! References and Resources: Visit HeirloomRoses.com and take 20% off your order of roses with code JUSTGROW through October 31, 2024 Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

One of the strategies I use and encourage other gardeners to use for getting the most out of their gardens each year is succession planting. This is the process of planting a new crop of something after the first one has a little bit of growth on it so that we can harvest pretty continuously or planting a second crop after a first one has given its all. This might make you think that you need to be buying new transplants or starting new seedlings all over again to get these succession plantings in the ground on time. Often times, for things like leafy greens or squashes, we can just pop some seeds directly in the garden and call it good. But for larger plants or those that grow slowly from seed, like tomatoes or basil, it’s better to transplant them as started seedlings. The fastest and easiest way to do this is with cloning. We’re not talking about the sci fi version of cloning or even Dolly-the-sheep type clones. Propagating your own plants from cuttings of your most productive vegetable, herb or fruit plants can be very simple and straightforward and does not require any special equipment. Not only can you do this for your garden successions but it’s a good way to get new plants for expanding the garden, too. Today on Just Grow Something, we’ll cover the easiest vegetables, fruits, and herbs to clone for either succession plantings or just for expanding the garden, the benefits of cloning, and exactly how to clone them. You might be surprised and just how easy it is. Let’s dig in! Question of the Month: Ask Me Anything! DM me, jump in the Facebook group, send me an email ... we'll review the answers on our 200th episode! References and Resources: Starting Your Own Sweet Potato Slips - Ep. 171 Visit HeirloomRoses.com and take 20% off your order of roses with code JUSTGROW through October 31, 2024 Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Growing peppers is one of the most asked about topics at the farm stand and the most played episodes of this podcast. Most of the time the frustration comes with either not getting bell peppers to grow large enough or other problems for peppers, in general, including sunscald, lack of ripening, and just generally poor plant growth and low production levels. And, of course, there are the problems with pests and diseases. Today on Just Grow Something, we’re tackling all that and more. If you’ve had issues getting the most out of your pepper plants or if you’re brand new to the pepper game, this one’s for you. Let’s dig in! Question of the Month: Ask Me Anything! DM me, jump in the Facebook group, send me an email ... we'll review the answers on our 200th episode! References and Resources: Top Episode 1: Growing Peppers - Ep. 177 Visit HeirloomRoses.com and take 20% off your order of roses with code JUSTGROW through October 31, 2024 Just Grow Something Merch Shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I hear from a lot of frustrated would-be gardeners at the farmer’s market stand who say they just don’t have enough sun in their yard to be able to grow anything. Of course, they can always go to maximum effort by growing in smaller containers and moving them around the yard as the season progresses to catch the light as the sun shifts, which is a lot of work, but it’s also very possible that many of these potential gardeners have more sun than they think. And this goes for my gardeners who are apartment dwellers or who live in condos with only a patio or balcony space to grow on. You might be able to grow more than you think. And, there actually are a selection of vegetables, fruits, and herbs that will do just fine in part-sun and others that will tolerate it if you have a little patience with them. Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to define full sun, part sun, part shade, and shade so you have a better idea of what is actually possible in some areas of your yard and then we’ll go over the choices available if you truly do have less than full sun. Plus, we’ll go over your answers to the April question of the month and explore how we can solve some of the most common garden maintenance struggles you and I both have. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Visit HeirloomRoses.com and take 20% off your order of roses with code JUSTGROW through October 31, 2024 Just Grow Something Merch Shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Foliar diseases in both vegetable and fruit plants can significantly impact our yield and the quality of that yield if left unmanaged. If you’ve ever had powdery mildew on your cucumbers or early blight in your tomatoes, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Even though the disease is affecting the leaves, the interruption of photosynthesis by the fungus affects the fruit development, and then the disease will jump from the leaves to the fruit and then we’ve got a real mess on our hands. And sometimes we can get one disease under control only to have another one swoop in and take out our plants before we even get any kind of harvest. This is especially true if you live in an area that is very humid or you have spring weather that bounces from warm and humid during the day to cool overnight with very little air movement and lots of rain. Warm temperatures, high humidity, lots of moisture and prolonged leaf wetness are the ideal conditions for fungal growth. Today on Just Grow Something we are going to cover the different ways we can prevent fungal diseases from taking hold in our garden plants, what signs and symptoms to watch out for, which plants are most susceptible to fungal diseases, and which ones don’t usually have much of a problem with them. There are lots of things we can do as gardeners to prevent and minimize the occurrence of foliar diseases so we get the best yield possible from our plants. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: The effect of milk-based foliar sprays on yield components of field pumpkins with powdery mildew - ScienceDirect 001_22856life1104s14_1_7.pdf (lifesciencesite.com) Visit HeirloomRoses.com and take 20% off your order of roses with code JUSTGROW through October 31, 2024 Just Grow Something Merch Shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We talk a lot about growing vegetables on this show but, in truth, I am a huge fruit eater. I love fruit, either on it’s own or on a salad, in smoothies, in desserts, love it. Being someone who is a proponent of sustainable agriculture I also prefer to get my fruits locally if I can. That’s not to say I don’t always have bananas in this house and that I don’t love a good Mandarin orange, but if I can grow it myself, I feel much better. Fruit trees can be intimidating, and they can be temperamental if you don’t have the right soil conditions, berry canes and bushes also require a bit more care and maintenance. Which is why strawberries are the sort of gateway fruit for vegetable gardeners. You can plant them in ground or in containers, you can grow them in many different climates, and even minimal effort in maintenance will improve the yield dramatically. So, today on Just Grow Something we’ll talk about growing strawberries. Whether you’ve got an in-ground bed, a raised planter bed, or just a container on your back deck, we’ll talk about the soil and nutrient requirements, planting in the spring or the fall, maintaining the bed, potential problems, and more. Let’s dig in! Question of the month for April: What have you struggled with the most in terms of garden maintenance and did you find a solution? Maintaining soil nutrients, reducing weed pressure, proper mulching, proper watering techniques, whatever your garden needs that you struggle with or that you used to struggle with and have found a solution. Answer the question from within Spotify, reply to this week’s email newsletter on Friday with your, answer in the Facebook group or send me a DM on social media. You have until April 30th to give me your answer and share your struggles and solutions with your fellow gardeners. References and resources: Visit HeirloomRoses.com and take 20% off your order of roses with code JUSTGROW through October 31, 2024 Strawberry | Description, Cultivation, Nutrition, Uses, Species, & Facts | Britannica Strawberry: A Brief History // Missouri Environment and Garden News Article // Integrated Pest Management, University of Missouri Just Grow Something Merch Shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Using the last frost date in spring or our average air temperatures might be a good guideline to start with when figuring out when to plant the garden, but a better method for knowing when it’s actually time to sow those seeds or transplant those plants is the soil temperature. Even though the air temperatures may be warmer than usual, the soil knows the truth. If that soil is cold and wet, or might be that way in the next ten days, your tomatoes, or peppers, or whatever, are not going to be happy sitting in chilled soil, no matter how warm the daytime air temperatures get. But, your sugar snap peas and lettuce might be thrilled. So, today on Just Grow Something we’ll talk about optimal soil temperatures for both cool season and warm season crops, for both seed germination and transplant growth, how to properly check your soil temperature, and where to find historic soil temperature data for your area so you can more effectively plan your planting dates and not be lulled into that false sense of security. Let’s dig in. References and Resources: This week's sponsor: Visit HeirloomRoses.com and take 20% off your order of roses with code JUSTGROW through October 31, 2024⁠ Taylor Precision Products Standard Grade Thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) Soil Temparature Maps | GreenCast | Syngenta (greencastonline.com) Soil Temperature and Seed Germination (psu.edu) Microsoft Word - Soil Temp Planting V2docx (wisc.edu) Minera Nutrition of Plants: Principles and Perspectives | SpringerLink facts you didn’t know about soil temperature (farmprogress.com) Soil Temperature and Planting Crops (harvesttotable.com) Just Grow Something Merch Shop Jus Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Back in November I talked to you about doing a soil test, using slow-release amendments in the garden to do their work gradually over the winter, and then doing another soil test in the spring to see how well it worked. Now’s the time in most areas to be doing that spring soil test before you start planting your spring or summer gardens. But, what do you do if that spring test shows the amendments you added in the fall just weren’t enough to fix the problem? This time around you’ll need something that works into the soil a little more quickly if you want the garden ready in time to grow a lush crop for spring and summer. And even then you may find the need to add some supplemental plant food to directly feed the plants instead of the soil to be sure you get a good harvest. So, today on Just Grow Something we’ll go over the organic amendments you can be adding to the garden now that will give the soil a quick boost and the possible ways to feed the plants directly while waiting for the soil to improve. Let’s dig in! Question of the month for April: What have you struggled with the most in terms of garden maintenance and did you find a solution? References and Resources: Visit HeirloomRoses.com and take 20% off your order of roses with code JUSTGROW through October 31, 2024 USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website: HungryPests.com Just Grow Something Merch Shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I had such a fantastic response to the March Question of the Month and we had such great conversations on Facebook and Instagram that I made this week’s entire episode all about! You came in clutch with problems and solutions and there was plenty of community discussion, which is what I love. Gardeners helping gardeners. We all have a lot of pests and some very clever ways to deal with them. And not all of them are insects. So, today on Just Grow Something we are talking all about your biggest pests in the garden. Let’s dig in! April Question of the Month: What have you struggled with the most in terms of garden maintenance and did you find a solution? References and Resources: Visit HeirloomRoses.com and take 20% off your order of roses with code JUSTGROW through October 31, 2024 Just Grow Something Merch Shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hardening off is a process that helps plants adjust to the outdoor environment, preventing shock and ensuring they thrive once planted in the garden. Gradual exposure helps the plants acclimate to the conditions they will experience out in the garden or in their containers on your porch before you put them out there. Today on Just Grow Something we’ll go over the exact steps we need to take to harden off our plants prior to putting them out into the garden. This includes whether you’re growing them yourselves or if you’ve just brought them home from the nursery, garden center, or farmers market. Following these steps and displaying some patience will prevent the heartache of putting those plants out and having them fail. We’ll also talk about how to recover if your plants begin display signs of stress after they are already in their permanent home. Let’s dig in. Question of the Month: : “What is your biggest pest in the garden and how do you manage it (if at all)?” Leave a voice message from the link in the show notes, respond to the question in Spotify if that’s where you’re listening, send me an email, drop it in the Facebook group or in a DM to me on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok. We’ve already had some good discussions around this in the Facebook group and I will read all the answers on next week’s episode. You have until March 31st to get me your answer. References and Resources: Save 10% and get Free Shipping with code JUSTGROW10 at Planter Box Direct   Effects of hardening off on Growth, Yield and Quality of some Pepper (Capsicum annuum) Cultivars | Ghana Journal of Science, Technology and Development (gjstd.org) Influence of Different Methods of Hardening-Off Of Tomato Seedlings on ReEstablishment and Subsequent Growth A COMPARISON OF CHEMICAL CHANGES IN PLANTS DURING COLD-HARDENING IN CONTROLLED AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS (cdnsciencepub.com)   Just Grow Something Merch Shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Years ago I had some straw bales I’d used initially as fall décor that ended up in my chicken coop. The bales were used partially as a wind break all winter and partially as a roost. Well, chickens do what chickens do when they roost and by the spring of the following year those straw bales were full of nitrogen-rich chicken poop and starting to fall apart. So, I moved the out of the coop, watered the down really well for about a week, and planted a bunch of plants into them. This was my first introduction to straw bale gardening and it worked wonderfully! The nitrogen from the chicken manure had kickstarted the decomposition process of the straw, providing essential nutrients for the microbes that do that work, and the decomp of the straw inside the bale created a fertile growing medium. I expanded the gardens quite a bit after that, as you all know, and haven’t worked with straw bales as a growing medium since. But this year, that changes. I’ve got a new spot I’m putting together behind my greenhouse with eight planter boxes already in place, but there’s also a fence at the back of that space I want to both cover and use as a trellis. I don’t want something permanent against that fence so I’m jumping back into straw bale gardening. Today on Just Grow Something we’ll talk about how to use straw bales as a growing container and medium. I don’t have naturally conditioned bales this year, so we’ll talk about the process I’ll need to go through to get those bales ready. I’ll also cover the benefits of gardening in bales, what to watch out for, what plants do well with this method, and how to maintain them. By the end of the episode I think you’ll be convinced that straw bales are an effective way to increase the growing space in your garden without needing a permanent solution. Let’s dig in! Question of the month for March: “What is your biggest pest in the garden and how do you manage it (if at all)?” References and Resources: Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Save 10% and get Free Shipping with code JUSTGROW10 at Planter Box Direct Order from True Leaf Market and support the show! Taylor Standard Grade Thermometer 11 Tips for Starting a Strawbale Garden (epicgardening.com) Straw Bale Gardening for Beginners | Almanac.com Just Grow Something Merch Shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's episode is a special interview with Meg Lea of the Fox and Hound Garden in Wisconsin. Meg harvested an unbelievable amount of food from her Zone 4b gardens last year and donated over two thirds of it. We chat about all things gardening, from planning to production, donations and dollar roadside stands, overambitious plantings and failing forward. It's a great conversation with a fellow gardener that you'll love to listen in to. By the end you'll have commiserated and maybe have an inkling to add a few new things to the garden. Let's dig in! Resources: Save 10% and get Free Shipping with code JUSTGROW10 at Planter Box Direct Just Grow Something Merch Shop 👩‍🌾 Meg (@ourwiscohomestead) • Instagram photos and videos Skidger – Garden smarter! – Innovative garden products Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’re planning to put in new fruit trees, bushes, or canes in your garden the best time of year, generally, is spring. We want the soil to warm up enough that the roots of the plants will begin to seek out water and nutrients as soon as placed in the ground with as little transplant shock as possible. But, if we have existing fruit trees, bushes, or canes then any maintenance on those trees should be done before the soil begins to really warm up and the plants come out of dormancy. This is usual sometime between late fall and early spring, which means most of the northern hemisphere is primed for these tasks right now. Today on Just Grow Something, we’re going to talk about those tasks and how to tackle them: pruning, fertilizing, and moving your established plants if it’s necessary to do so. This is one of those tasks that can scratch the itch for getting out into the garden when maybe it’s still too early to really be planting much and they’re tasks that are important for us to get the best yield possible from those plants. Let’s dig in! March Question of the Month: “What is your biggest pest in the garden and how do you manage it (if at all)?” Resources: Save 10% and get Free Shipping with code JUSTGROW10 at Planter Box Direct Order from True Leaf Market and support the show! Just Grow Something Merch Shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Potatoes are a cool season crop, and most varieties need between 60 and 120 days to mature, so that means getting them in the ground as soon as the soil can be worked and giving them the time they need to grow. The great thing about potatoes is they can be harvested at any size, so it’s a crop that can do well in a short-season area and can also be grown in places other than big, long in-ground rows. If you have minimal space or you can only garden in grow bags or buckets, you can still grow potatoes. Today on Just Grow Something we’re talking about just that – what are all the different ways and places we can grow potatoes? They are such a versatile crop it makes sense to tuck some into your garden area no matter what size it is. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Get my FREE eBook on successful seed starting Ep. 135 - Growing Potatoes Save 10% and get Free Shipping with code JUSTGROW10 at Planter Box Direct Solanum tuberosum (Irish Potato, Irish Potatoes, Pomme de Terre, Potato, Potatoes, White Potato, White Potatoes) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (ncsu.edu) Soil Temparature Maps | GreenCast | Syngenta (greencastonline.com) Growing potatoes in home gardens | UMN Extension ORGANIC POTATO GROWING GUIDE (woodprairie.com) Just Grow Something Merch Shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This month we’re talking a lot about seed starting and we can’t talk about starting seeds without talking about heat and light. Seeds sprout more quickly and efficiently when they’ve got the correct soil temperatures and the easiest way to do this is with a seedling heat mat. It’s not a requirement, though, so we’ll also talk about some ways you can up the ante on the soil temperatures during seed starting without a heat mat. Once those seeds do sprout and you're nurturing those little seedlings the correct light can make all the difference, and usually even the sunniest window in your house just isn’t going to cut it. That means we need do a little investing in some lights to help our seedlings along. Today on Just Grow Something we'll explore soil heating options and various types of grow lights, including the most economical and even tabletop solutions. Let’s dig in! *Question of the Month: “What is your most successful crop and why?” This could be a specific variety of something that outproduces all the others, the plant that you love the most, or the crop that grows fantastically well for you without fail every single year. Whatever you consider your most successful crop in whatever way you consider it successful. Send me an email, post it in the Facebook group or send me a DM on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok… you have until February 29th to get me your answer! References and Resources: Full Spectrum LED mini grow light 4 Pack 4FT LED Shop Light 48" x 20" (four tray) Waterproof Durable Seedling Heat Mat 10” x 20.75” (single tray) Waterproof Seedling Heat Mat Best Grow Lights for Growing Vegetables Indoors. Guide to Choosing a Grow Light - Johnny's Selected Seeds. 5 Different Fluorescent Tube Sizes and How to Choose One (thespruce.com) Just Grow Something Merch Shop Order from True Leaf Market and support the show! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Seed starting does not need to be intimidating but it does come with a special set of requirements for true success. Two components to that success are the soils we use and the containers we choose. Not all soils and containers are created equal. Today we dig into the different types of seed starting mediums and containers available on the market and ones we can dig up in our own home. (Pun intended.) Ssurprise surprise, the potting soil you choose to use may not actually be soil at all. And the containers may be something you already have sitting in your recycling bin. Let’s dig in! *February Question of the Month: What is your most successful crop and why? Episode References and Resources Harvesting peat moss contributes to climate change, Oregon State scientist says | OSU Extension Service Just Grow Something Merch Shop Save 10% and get Free Shipping with code JUSTGROW10 at Planter Box Direct Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’re planning to grow flowers alongside your vegetables this year, there may be some additional steps you’ll need to take when getting those started. Most annual flowers are started in ways very similar to our annual vegetable plants. But some flowers are trickier to start, especially perennials. And some can’t easily be started from seed and need to be propagated using other methods. Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to talk about the easiest flowers to start from seed and those “special” flower seeds, the ones that need a little more time and attention than our standard annuals. Let’s dig in! February Question of the Month: What’s your most successful garden crop and why? References and Resources: Planter | Garden Planner The Girly Homesteader Planner Vegetable Garden Planner | Garden Planning Apps (almanac.com) Free Garden Journal Printables - Green in Real Life Free Garden Flower Download   Save 10% and get Free Shipping with code JUSTGROW10 at Planter Box Direct Order from True Leaf Market and support the show! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Soil blocking is a seed starting technique that uses small blocks of soil or seed starting mix. There are no containers, no small plastic cells, just the soil itself. The benefit of soil blocking is, of course, you’re not keeping a bunch of plastic containers around to start your seeds in, but also there is no chance for the roots of the seedlings to become bound by a container. The plants roots will reach the edge of the soil block and simply stop growing until the block is planted, the roots come into contact with more soil, and can take off growing again. This reduces the transplant shock. Today on Just Grow Something I brought back our flower farmer friend, Kathy Gormandy, to talk about how she uses soil blocking on her farm. We also talk about her new retail space, the importance of locally grown florals, and more. It’s a conversation that has me taking a second look at trying soil blocking again this year. Let’s dig in. References and Resources: Ep. 117 - Growing Cut Flowers in the Home Garden with Kathy Gormandy Save 10% and get Free Shipping with code JUSTGROW10 at Planter Box Direct Order from True Leaf Market and support the show!   https://education.teamflower.org/learn/growing/ssl/what-you-can-do-to-protect-yourself-from-pesticides-in-the-floral-industry What Do Florists Spray on Flowers to Keep Them Fresh? - Floral Fantasy Land Soil-Block Making | A Better Way to Start Seedlings, by Eliot Coleman (johnnyseeds.com) Kathy Gormandy (@pkfarmflowers) • Instagram photos and videos https://www.facebook.com/PKFarmlife Artisanal Blume P&K Farms (pkfarmlife.com)  Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As we start to get our garden plans in order for this year, succession planting is something that absolutely should be included in our calendars and our garden maps. It’s really the best way to ensure not only to do you have more to harvest throughout the season but that you take advantage of open spaces in the garden when one crop ends or the season changes. Today on Just Grow Something we’ll talk about what succession planting is, how it relates to interplanting and relay planting, and how to successfully schedule your successions to reach your gardening goals, whether that’s to feed your family for the entire year or just be sure you’ve got enough salad ingredients to get you through the summer. Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Just Grow Something | creating a podcast and gardening videos | Patreon Plan Like a Pro Garden Planning Course Save 10% and get Free Shipping with code JUSTGROW10 at Planter Box Direct Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There is a fine line in gardening between overcrowding the plants and making efficient use of space. If we do it right, the plants benefit from each other and we can get way more out of our garden than we ever dreamed. But if we step over that line, we end up with plants competing with each other for space, water, sunlight, and nutrients and our yield is dramatically reduced. As we start planning our gardens for the year it’s time to take a look at the space we have to work with and plan out our gardens to effectively use that space to our advantage. Today on Just Grow Something we’re talking interplanting or intercropping. This technique not only allows for you to grow more in the exact same space, but can also reduce weeds and conserve water. Let’s dig in. References and Resources: Courses | Just Grow Something Companion Planting Chart | Just Grow Something Tomato N Uptake (ucdavis.edu) CDFA - FREP - CA Fertilization Guidelines - Lettuce Nitrogen Uptake and Partitioning Nitrogen fixation in peas (Pisum sativum) (lincoln.ac.nz) Some vegetables require less water than others | OSU Extension Service (oregonstate.edu) Cornell Guide to Companion Planting.pdf (unl.edu) Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You may have an idea of what you want to grow in terms of vegetables in your garden – say zucchini and tomatoes, for example. If you open the seed catalog or website to the page for zucchini you may find as many 18 to 25 different varieties to choose from, each with their own unique set of attributes in terms of shape, size, color, growing conditions, disease resistance, pollination type, and more. Move on to tomatoes, well now you’re talking hundreds of varieties in different classes from cherry to beefsteak to sauce types. And that’s just one supplier. It can be overwhelming, and we can fall victim to the dreaded analysis paralysis – spending so much time gathering information while trying to decide that we fail to decide. Let’s take a little bit of the overwhelm out of the equation by defining what exactly it is we are looking for in each of the types of vegetable or fruits we want to grow before we even dive into the catalogs or walk into the garden center. If you’ve got a list of attributes you’re looking for ahead of time it makes it easier to make a decision about what will do well in your garden, meet your goals, and eliminate some of the distractions. Let's dig in. Don't forget to answer the question of the month for January: How do you plan your garden each season? Resources and References: Plan Like a Pro Information Sign Up F1 hybrid - Wikipedia Home | The Buffalo Seed Company All-America Selections | AAS Winners | Best New Plants Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It used to be easy to just choose a catalog and order seeds because there were only a handful of choices and, generally speaking, unless you were going to the nursery or garden center to buy seed packets from a kiosk, you were ordering from a physical catalog that you actually got in the mail. But, nowadays, a simple internet search will yield thousands of results from companies all over the world and it’s a little bit more difficult to weed out the bad guys. So, today we are going to talk about ways to find a legitimate, established, verified seed company whether it’s online, through a catalog, or local to you. And what to do if you encounter a new small business that seems legit and you’d love to support them, but you also want to make sure you don’t get burned. I will also give you a list and links to my favorite suppliers over the years, including my very first catalog purchase. Let’s dig in! Question of the month: How do you plan your garden each season? Tell me by leaving a voice message, sending an email, responding below (in Spotify), or from the Facebook group! References and Resources: True Leaf Market Gurney's - America's Most Complete Seed and Nursery (gurneys.com) Bring Your Garden to Life with Rare and Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds.com) Home - SeedSavers Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Saving the Past for the Future Urban Farmer | Seeds, Plants and Garden Supplies (ufseeds.com) Johnny’s Selected Seeds | Supporting Farms & Gardens Since 1973 (johnnyseeds.com) Harris Seeds: Vegetable Seeds, Flower Seeds, Plants & Growing Supplies Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Let's revisit the most downloaded episode of this podcast the past three season: growing peppers! Peppers are one of those plants that I get asked about all the time; it’s also one of those vegetables that is a mainstay in many people’s kitchens, and they can be expensive at the grocery store, so knowing how to grow your own is high up on the gardening wish list for a lot of people. So, today we talk all about peppers, both sweet and hot, how to get them to germinate, their feeding requirements, planting, spacing, harvesting and all the usual basics. By the end of this episode, I hope you can fill in the gaps of what’s been going on with your peppers to get you some success or give you the confidence to give them a try if you’re new to the capsicum scene. Let's dig in! References and Resources: Capsicum annuum - Wikipedia Pharmacological importance of an ethnobotanical plant: Capsicum annuum L - PubMed (nih.gov) Bell Peppers 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits (healthline.com) Chili Peppers 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Effects (healthline.com) 6 Ways to Use Epsom Salt in the Garden | Epsom Salt Council Capsicum annuum (Grossum Group) (Bell Pepper, Green Pepper, Red Pepper, Sweet Pepper) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (ncsu.edu) Midwest Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers. Reader’s Digest Illustrated Guide to Gardening, 1978 Damrosch, Barbara; The Garden Primer. Workman Publishing, New York. 1988 Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Potatoes are a staple in many households. The wonderful thing about Irish potatoes is that they can be grown just about anywhere, in ground or in planters or buckets. They can be a quick shoulder-season crop or they can spend 120 days in the ground, making way for fall-planted crops when they’re done. You can pick them early for baby potatoes, leave them late for storage potatoes, or anything in between, and they are one of the easiest crops for beginners because they are pretty hands off. Which may be why this episode was so popular. So, let’s revisit your second favorite episode of all time. Ready to grow potatoes? Let’s dig in! References and Resources: Hijmans, RJ; Spooner, DM (2001). "Geographic distribution of wild potato species". American Journal of Botany. 88 (11): 2101–12. doi:10.2307/3558435. JSTOR 3558435. PMID 21669641. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Finding rewrites the evolutionary history of the origin of potatoes (2005) Potato Production and Consumption Solanum tuberosum (Irish Potato, Irish Potatoes, Pomme de Terre, Potato, Potatoes, White Potato, White Potatoes) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (ncsu.edu) Potato: Nutrition facts, recipes, benefits, side effects, and more (msn.com) Soil Temparature Maps | GreenCast | Syngenta (greencastonline.com) Growing potatoes in home gardens | UMN Extension ORGANIC POTATO GROWING GUIDE (woodprairie.com) Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome back, my gardening friends, to another episode of Just Grow Something as we count down the top four episodes of all time throughout the month of December. This week we revisit the #3 most listened to episode of this show: Growing Onions. Onions are such a staple in most kitchens, it's no surprise many gardeners want to grow their own. The problem is they can be a bit tricky if you don't understand the difference in daylength requirements for growing those giant bulbs. Nutrient needs, soil type, water and storage are covered in this episode, all the things I wish I'd known when I made my own feeble attempts at growing onions years ago! Let's dig in. References and Resources: Free Download: Onion Growing Fact Sheet Ep. 114 - Planting Onions to Overwinter (PDF) Traditional and modern uses of onion bulb (Allium cepa L.): A systematic review (researchgate.net) Onion History - National Onion Association (onions-usa.org) Nutrition Information for Raw Vegetables | FDA Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Vegetable Growing Guides - Growing Guide Growing Onions: Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Onions | The Old Farmer's Almanac Onion Planting Guide - Dixondale Farms Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Over the past season we have welcomed a lot of new listeners from all over the world, so I thought for the month of December it’d be fun to revisit the top four episodes of the past three seasons of this podcast. We’ll start with your #4 favorite episode of all time: Growing Zucchini and other summer squashes. This is actually an episode from this season so for it to be in the number four spot means you guys were really interested in this information, and I am happy to share it again. I’ve edited it just a little bit to get right to the good bits, so let’s dig in! Episode Resources and References: American Indian Health - Health (ku.edu) FoodData Central (usda.gov) Cucurbitacin - Wikipedia Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Vegetable Growing Guides - Growing Guide Cucumber, Squash, Melon & Other Cucurbit Insect Pests | Home & Garden Information Center (clemson.edu) Squash, Zucchini and Summer | College of Agricultural Sciences (oregonstate.edu) Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The seed catalogs for the 2024 gardening season here in North America have begun rolling in and it always makes me excited. One of my favorite things to do on a chilly night is set myself up in my chair by the fire with a hot cup of something tasty, snuggle under a blanket with a stack of seed catalogs and a highlighter, and just peruse the newest hybrids and old favorites, marking the catalog as I go. If you like to do the same, this year you might be in for a little bit of a shock. If you’re not going for standard, open-pollinated varieties that have been around forever you might be surprised what you find when you start flipping through those pages. Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to talk about how these prices seem to be different from the previous few seasons and how we can cut our expenses in the garden through proper seed storage. If you have leftover seed from this past season, you really want to be sure you’re storing them properly so they will still be good for next season and beyond. We’ll talk the best conditions for storing the seeds in our stash, types of storage containers, and how long each type of seed can be stored. Let’s dig in. Resources and References: Ep. 63 - Proper Seed Storage: Moisture levels, storage conditions, containers, and more Ep. 108 - Basics of Saving Seeds How to Start Saving Seeds From Your Garden (and Why) - Ep. 159 Six Steps for Saving Seeds From Your Garden Do Seeds Expire? Saving Seeds From Your Region to Improve Your Garden (video) Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On November 17th the USDA updated the Hardiness Zone Map based on data from the past 30 years and many of us are now in new zones. So, what does that mean? Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to deep dive into the USDA Hardiness Zone Map; what the zone numbers and colors mean, how to use the map, what’s new and different with this version, what this means for perennials versus annual plants, and how it all ties into changes we may or may not want to make in our garden plans. Let's dig in! Episode References and Resources: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map | USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map Canada's Plant Hardiness Site Storing the Most Popular Types of Fall Garden Crops: No Freezing, No Canning, No Dehydrating Required - Ep. 162 Ep. 117 - Growing Cut Flowers in the Home Garden with Kathy Gormandy   Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Many home gardeners and market growers alike rely on seed companies and other suppliers for not just our seeds, but also our started plants, roots, or bulbs. Things like garlic, onions, and seed potatoes are often purchased rather than saved from the previous harvest or started at home and sweet potatoes also fall into this category. For years I purchased started sweet potato slips to grow and I often still do, just because of the quantity I need. Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to go over three ways we can easily get our own slips started either from our own harvested sweet potatoes or from store-bought ones. It’s easier than you think and even if you need a lot of slips, it takes up less room than you might think. Let’s dig in! Episode Resources and References: Ep. 94 - Growing Sweet Potatoes Ep. 135 - Growing Potatoes Growing Sweet Potatoes in Missouri | MU Extension Sweet Potato Starts and Plantings (k-state.edu) Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fall is officially here, and I don’t know about you, but my garden is ready for a bit of a break. But that doesn’t mean the garden soil shouldn’t be doing something in the meantime. We all know testing our soil is the only real way to find out what is lacking in our gardens as far as nutrients are concerned and what the pH level is of that soil. Testing your soil now and adding the appropriate amendments means they will have a chance to break down into the soil, incorporate themselves, and become water soluble which is really the only way they can be absorbed by your plants come spring. But, how do you know what to add, when to add it, and how much? Today on Just Grow Something we’ll review some of the most easily accessible amendments you can use on your soil right now to give you a better garden next season and help you figure out how much of it to use, based on your own soil test results. Let’s dig in Episode Resources and References Ep. 76 - Managing Soil pH in Your Garden Affects of pH on Nutrient Availability Soil Acidification Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Microgreens can be grown at any time of the year with very little in the way of equipment and it is super easy to get started. For many of us home gardeners, the season for salad greens can be short. And I don’t know about you, but I still crave fresh greens in the wintertime. The easiest answer to supplementing our greens is to grow microgreens indoors. So, today on Just Grow Something we’re getting started with growing microgreens; what supplies you need, which are the easiest ones for beginners to grow, and what you need to know about selecting seeds to use as microgreens. Let’s dig in. Episode Resources and References: Check out the selection of microgreens from today's sponsor, True Leaf Market! Assessment of Vitamin and Carotenoid Concentrations of Emerging Food Products: Edible Microgreens Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group⁠ ⁠Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon⁠ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Right about now is the time that some of us are looking at getting our garlic cloves into the ground for next summer’s harvest. It really is a pretty simple crop to grow but it seems like seed garlic is getting more and more expensive to purchase. I generally save the best specimens from this year’s harvest and plant it in the fall, but our bulbs this year were far from impressive, none of them really worthy of saving (remember, we save the best and eat the rest) and I found myself having to order a lot of seed garlic this year. So on this episode of Just Grow Something I’m digging further into the idea of a perennial garlic bed. This is something I explored a couple years ago and that I did unintentionally in my garlic bed from last year. So, I’ve gone down a rabbit hole of different ways to get a perennial harvest from one bed of garlic. It’s not as foolproof as, say, asparagus, where you plant it once and then just continue to harvest for the next 30 years. But, there are a whole host of ways to enjoy that garlic flavor we love while also protecting ourselves from the inflation that seems to be happening with seed garlic. Just one more way to become more self-reliant in our own gardens. Ready to tackle garlic as a perennial crop? Let’s dig in! Resources and References: Ep. 40 - Growing Garlic Ep. 67 - When and How to Plant Your Garlic, Plus Tips for Warmer Climates Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s been an unusually warm start to fall in many areas of North America, my home in west central Missouri is no exception where we’re still seeing temperatures up into the 90s F the past few days. But I know we’re inching closer to our usual first frost date and I’m most certainly going to be prepared because our weather is notorious for changing practically overnight and then changing again. If you’re somewhere that experiences frost, which is basically anywhere up through USDA Hardiness zone 10, it pays to be prepared for the unexpected. Sometimes you may only have a few hours warning that a frost is coming overnight and scrambling to find everything you need at the last minute and covering plants in the dark is no fun. Especially when the forecast shows a two-week warm up after one night of frost. On today’s episode of Just Grow Something we’ll review what the USDA Hardiness Zone map actually means, what temperatures differentiate a frost from a freeze, which crops can survive an initial frost, and different options for frost and freeze protection in the garden. By the end you should have a pretty good idea of what you’ll need to have on hand based on your hardiness zone, what you’re growing in the garden and how much work you want to put into to protecting your plants from the cold. Let’s dig in! Resources and References: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 Frost Dates: First and Last Frost Dates by ZIP Code | The Old Farmer's Almanac | Almanac.com Portable Mini Greenhouse Pop-Up Mini Greenhouse Five Crops to Plant in Fall for Winter Harvest, Zone by Zone - Ep. 163 Crops to Plant in Fall and Harvest in Spring - Ep. 164   Get Magic Mind: Use code JustGrow20 at checkout Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We talked all about cover crops in the last episode: why we should use them and which crops perform what job. Let's chat today about when each of those crops should go into the ground for best results. Don't forget you can get a garden cover crop mix from True Leaf Market here: Check out True Leaf Market’s Cover Crop Mix Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As the growing season is winding down in many areas, we may be looking at some bare empty spaces in our gardens and wondering what to do with them. Should you just mulch it over? Add fresh compost and let it sit? How about a cover crop? Using a cover crop gives back a ton of benefits: improving soil structure, preventing erosion, acting as a living mulch, and adding nutrients back into the soil. And, yes, this can be done in both in-ground beds and raised planters. What you plant and what you do with it when it’s done all depends on what you want to get out of it, so today we’ll cover all the options to help you figure out which crops work best for your individual garden needs. Let’s dig in! Karin's Recommendations for Cover Crops: Preventing soil erosion and providing weed control: clover, mustard, oats, peas, daikon radish, winter rye, and vetch. Nitrogen fixation: alfalfa, clover, chickpeas/garbanzos, field peas, soybeans, lentils, and vetch. Green manure: buckwheat, clover, mustard, oats, peas, radish, winter rye, wheat, barley, and vetch. Creating biomass: alfalfa, mustard, oats, peas, rye, wheat and barley. Breaking up the soil: alfalfa, clover, and daikon radish. Attracting beneficial insects: alfalfa, buckwheat, clover, mustard, and hairy vetch in its second year when it flowers in the spring. Forage: Alfalfa, clover, and mustard. (Mustard is a brassica so if you have animals that are sensitive to plants in that family, like rabbits, you may want to avoid that one.) Episode References and Resources: Get Magic Mind: Use code JustGrow20 at checkout Check out True Leaf Market’s Cover Crop Mix Marigolds as Companion Plants The Great Marigold Debate: Friend or Foe? Terminating Cover Crops | Southern Cover Crops Council Using Cover Crops and Green Manures in the Home Vegetable Garden – Wisconsin Horticulture Tips for Planting Cover Crops in Home Gardens (psu.edu) Cover crops and green manures in home gardens | UMN Extension Farm Seed & Cover Crops | Comparison Chart (PDF) | Johnny's Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com) Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Obviously, we grow our vegetable gardens so we can harvest most of the plants to eat. Yes, some of them are pretty flowers and foliage that are a feast for the eyes, but mainly we just want to eat, right? I generally subscribe to the idea that no parts of the plants we grow should be wasted. If it’s not something we’re going to eat, that green matter needs to go into the compost pile so it can go back into the soil and grow more yummy veggies for my plate. Turns out I’ve been doing the eating part all wrong. Many of the vegetables and some of the fruits and flowers offer more edible parts beyond the commonly harvested portion than I ever realized. And this is actually pretty important when we think about the number of people who go without nutritious food every day. The more of each of these plants we can eat, the better our nutrition is and the better able we are to truly nourish our friends and family with the food we’re growing. Today on Just Grow Something we're jumping into some of the overlooked edibles in our gardens, the parts of the plants we didn’t know we can eat. Let’s dig in! Episode Resources: Try Magic Mind and get 50% off a subscription for a limited time with code JustGrow20 7 Ways to Eat Zucchini Greens - Our Permaculture Life Zucchini, You Can Eat the Stems, Too. – Lower Valley Assembly Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Garlic needs specific conditions to grow and, often times, gardeners in warmer climates have a hard time meeting those conditions. Let's talk about some tips and tricks to making sure the conditions are right for growing garlic in your garden and one way to cheat the system! Reference episode: Ep. 67 - When and How to Plant Your Garlic, Plus Tips for Warmer Climates Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, let’s take a different approach and talk about things to plant now and through the late fall to get a jump on the spring harvest or even harvest in the summer. The timing of these plantings is going to vary by the region you garden in but the concepts are the same. Plant something now and let it get well-rooted, allow it to go dormant, then as the daylength increases in the spring watch it bounce back up with growth as soon as the conditions are right with no effort on our part in the spring. This does a couple of things for us: allows us to put our early spring gardening hours elsewhere, often toward crops that need a little extra effort anyway, and gives us an even earlier harvest than we would typically see if we usually need to wait for the ground to thaw or warm up before working in our garden beds. Many of these things are particularly important for those of us in temperate or cold-weather climates but gardeners in warmer zones can take advantage of this, too, depending on the crop. On today’s episode of Just Grow Something we’ll talk garlic, onions, root veggies, sprouting broccoli or broccoli raab, cold-hardy greens, and more that you can set and forget for a harvest next year. Let’s dig in! Resources and References: Ep. 40 - Growing Garlic Ep. 67 - When and How to Plant Your Garlic, Plus Tips for Warmer Climates Ep. 114 - Planting Onions to Overwinter Ep. 133 - Growing Onions Ep. 118 - Cover Crops in the Home Garden Untreated Onion Sets | Sprout Mountain Farms Soil Temparature Maps | GreenCast Taylor Soil Thermometer Truly Garden Cover Crop Seed Mix Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you live in an area that sees hard freezes in winter and sometimes extremely low temperatures, then you might think there isn’t anything you can grow for harvest in the winter. Not so! Even if you live in areas where the ground is routinely frozen solid for months on end, you can keep some crops in the ground and, with some effort, harvest some of those during at least the early parts of winter before bringing the final harvest indoors. If you live in an area where you can grow food year-round you might not be aware of what crops are best for you to grow in your climate at the coldest and darkest time of the year. There are two main factors that go into what you can grow in your garden through the winter: your weather conditions and your number of daylight hours. Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to talk about crops that are contenders for being planted in the fall, harvested in the winter, whether you’re in a warmer area with plenty of daylight, or don’t have much daylight and it gets super cold. Let’s dig in! Episode Resources and References: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map Sunset and sunrise times for any location - Free calendars and calculator (sunrise-sunset.org) Storing the Most Popular Types of Fall Garden Crops: No Freezing, No Canning, No Dehydrating Required - Ep. 162 Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We've talked about transplanting fall crops in the late summer heat, but what about sowing those seeds directly into the garden? Soil temperature is a real concern here, so today we'll spend a few minutes reviewing the optimal germination temperature for direct-sown fall garden crops and a few tricks for reducing the soil temperature more quickly. Resources: Taylor Precision Products Standard Grade Thermometer Soil Temperature and Seed Germination (psu.edu) Ep. 142 - Planting by Soil Temperature vs Air Temperature: When's the best time to plant? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Late summer and all through fall are the times many gardeners are harvesting crops they want to keep for the long-term to use throughout the winter. How do we harvest and store these vegetables to be sure they retain their flavor, texture, and nutrient value? Today we'll discuss basic cold storage of the most popular types of fall garden crop: no refrigeration, no freezing, no canning, no dehydrating. Just what you can rig up in your basement, a closet, a garage or, if you’re lucky, a root cellar. Each category of crop has its own preference for long-term storage conditions and it’s well worth making sure you have these areas figured out and set up ahead of time so you can keep the bounty going for as long as you can. Let's dig in! References and Resources: Ep. 42 - Just Grow Carrots Ep. 48 - We Got the Beet! Ep. 94 - Growing Sweet Potatoes Ep. 52 - Cabbage Ep. 34 - Garden Talk Tuesday: Winter Squash Ep. 133 - Growing Onions Just Grow Something Website Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When talking about protecting our summer transplants from excessive heat to get them through to a fall harvest, we can't overlook the possibilities of shade. Temporary shade structures in the late summer garden can help protect our transplants, but it doesn't always require us to purchase or create something! On this Focal Point Friday episode, we spend just five minutes discussing six different options for protecting our fall transplants from too much sun. Resources: Fall Garden Transplants: Tips for Success in the Heat - Ep. 161 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’re somewhere where Mother Nature is currently trying to cook you, what do you do to prepare and transplant crops that prefer cooler weather than what you've got? Do you wait? Do you forge ahead and just keep your fingers crossed? Today we’ll talk about how to mitigate the heat when trying to transplant fall crops including the reason why I actually didn’t get any of my plants in the ground last week and, instead, am transplanting now when it’s even hotter. Our heat index yesterday was 125F and I am not worried about my plants. We’ll talk about why. Let’s dig in! Episode Resources: Basic Research and Applications of Mycorrhizae - Gopi K. Podila - Google Books Influence of drought hardening on the resistance physiology of potato seedlings under drought stress - ScienceDirect Ep.101 - How to Prepare and What to Grow in Your Fall Garden Steps For Growing a Fall Garden An Interview with Karin from the Just Grow Something Podcast! - The Girly Homesteader Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Episode 89 - Life. with Karin Velez - The Rural Mindset Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Just Grow Something with Karin Velez (justgrowsomethingpodcast.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Let's throwback to my first episode on fermenting and talk a little bit more about the basics. What are those bacteria doing? How safe is fermentation? Let's talk pickling versus fermenting, veggies versus fruits, and cold storage. Episode Resources: Ep. 113 – Dehydrating, Cold Storage, and Fermenting: More Ways to Store Your Harvest Just Grow Something with Karin Velez (justgrowsomethingpodcast.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fermenting foods can be a fun and rewarding way to both preserve the harvest and enhance the flavors of our garden bounty. If you're a beginner looking to get started with fermenting your own foods, I’ve discovered it’s not hard, but there are some essential things to know. Today on Just Grow Something we’ll look at the key tenants behind fermenting foods, the basics of getting started, what types of equipment are necessary and what are just nice-to-haves. Ready to start fermenting? Let’s dig in! Episode Resources and References: Preserving Episodes | Just Grow Something with Karin Velez Plan Like a Pro Fall Registration Fermented Vegetables Book Fermenting Supplies Kit National Center for Home Food Preservation | How Do I? Can (uga.edu) Health benefits of fermented foods: Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition: Vol 59, No 3 (tandfonline.com) Health benefits of fermented foods: microbiota and beyond - ScienceDirect Eating Fermented: Health Benefits of LAB-Fermented Foods (mdpi.com) Are Fermented Foods Effective against Inflammatory Diseases? (mdpi.com) Just Grow Something with Karin Velez (justgrowsomethingpodcast.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's always best to start with saving seeds from your healthiest plants. But what if disease is unavoidable? In this throwback to episode 62, we talk about the two best treatments for saving seeds from plants infected with disease. Episode Resources: Hot Water Treatment for Seeds – Louisiana State University Ep. 62 - Properly Saving Seeds in Your Garden Just Grow Something with Karin Velez (justgrowsomethingpodcast.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you were gardening in 2020 you likely remember the shortage of seeds that happened when the world shut down and suddenly everybody was growing a garden. Many seed companies were overwhelmed with the influx of orders and that shortage continued into the 2021 season. There’s nothing more disappointing than to peruse a beautiful seed catalog and make out your list of favorites to grow, only to be told the company is sold out. Enter seed saving. If you grow heirloom or open-pollinated varieties, you can avoid this problem all together by saving your own seeds. Not only is it cost effective but often times you are creating a stronger strain that is going to work particularly well in your garden each subsequent year because the parent plant has been exposed to, and survived, everything your climate can throw at it. Today on Just Grow Something we’re digging into why we should add seed saving to our list of garden tasks, even if it isn’t for every variety we grow in our garden. We’ll talk about the practice of saving seeds, including plant selection and pollination control, and go step-by-step into how to extract, clean, dry, and store those precious commodities to be sure we have plenty of options for our gardens for years to come. Let’s dig in. Episode Resources: Plan Like a Pro is open for fall registration! Get started here: Plan Like A Pro | Just Grow Something with Karin Velez Resources mentioned in this episode: Ep. 63 - Proper Seed Storage: Moisture levels, storage conditions, containers, and more Chart of Seed Viability and Simple Seed Germination Test Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this Focal Point Friday, we go back to Episode 101 and talk about three important things to consider when starting plants for the fall garden: germination time, days to maturity, and harvest window. Episode Resources: Ep. 101 - How to Prepare and What to Grow in Your Fall Garden Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Succession planting gets a lot of attention in the early part of the season when we’re fresh and the garden is new, and we're not beat down by weather or pests or diseases or the endless pulling of weeds. But we often forget about it toward the hottest part of the year. This is why having a garden plan that goes from spring all the way through to fall and even into winter helps, because it’s laid out for us and it doesn’t require thought, just effort. Succession planting is a really valuable technique for us to ensure a continuous harvest throughout the summer and into the fall. By staggering plantings of certain crops, we can extend the growing season and maximize our yields. Today we talk about some important things we need to know specifically about summer succession planting, what crops are most suitable to a late succession, timing, techniques, and how to use intercropping with your succession planting to make the most of the space you have. Let’s dig in! Episode Links: Just Grow Something Fall Garden Challenge Registration Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When we're talking about fall gardening, it's important to know what grows well in our area at that time of the season so we can better plan. Let's chat about the factors that go into deciding what to grow in the fall garden and my top five picks for your USDA Hardiness Zone, from Zone 1 to Zone 13. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’ve never grown a fall garden, you are missing out. There seems to be so much less insect and disease pressure with a fall garden. The weather seems to be a bit more predictable, too, even if it is still hot when we get started. This doesn’t mean the fall garden is fool-proof, but it does mean that many of us get a second chance or sort of “redo” of our spring crops. If there were things that didn’t grow well for us that we’d like to try again, fall is often a great time to do that. If there were things that grew fantastically well and we want more, fall is a great time for that, too. It’s also a time to get things going that will overwinter in the garden if our climate is mild enough or if we can employ some extra protection measures. On today’s episode of Just Grow Something we’re going to run down the things we should be considering in the garden as we move into fall. The time to do these is now; many colder areas get shorted when it comes to summer gardening and the earlier we can plan and prepare the better off we are. And stick with me until the end and I’ll tell you all about my Fall Garden Planning Challenge. Let’s dig in! Episode Resources: Fall Garden Planning Challenge - Sign Up Here! Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Buy One Get One Free from Elm Dirt: Use Code WOLFCREEK Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you're in an area that is facing a drought this summer, like I am, you might be thinking of ways to combat it in the garden. Enter the rain barrel! Home gardeners often use rain barrels to collect rainwater from roofs as a supplement to summer irrigation. Rainwater is a natural and unchlorinated water source for plants, but rooftop runoff can be contaminated by chemical and biological pollutants. Today we talk about the practicality of rain barrels, possible contaminants and where they come from, and how to safely use rain barrel water in the garden. Let's dig in! Resources and Citations: Chang, M., M.W. McBroom, and R.S. Beasley. 2004. Roofing as a Source of Nonpoint Water Pollution. Journal of Environmental Management 73: 307–315. Chen, J.J., R.C. Beeson, Jr., T.H. Yeager, R.H. Stamps, and L.A. Felter. 2003. Evaluation of Captured Rainwater and Irrigation Runoff for Greenhouse Foliage and Bedding Plant Production. HortScience 38(2): 228–233 de Kwaadsteniet, M., P.H. Dobrowsky, A. van Deventer, W. Khan, and T.E. Cloete. 2013. Domestic Rainwater Harvesting: Microbial and Chemical Water Quality and Point-Of-Use Treatment Systems. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 224(7). Lim, K.Y., and S.C. Jiang. 2013. Reevaluation of Health Risk Benchmark for Sustainable Water Practice through Risk Analysis of Rooftop-Harvested Rainwater. Water Research 47(20): 7273–7286. Shuster, W.D., D. Lye, A. de la Cruz, L.K. Rhea, K. O’Connell, and A. Kelty. 2013. Assessment of Residential Rain Barrel Quality and Use in Cincinnati, Ohio. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 49(4): 753–765. POTENTIAL CONTAMINANTS IN RESIDENTIAL RAIN BARREL WATER (HOME GARDEN SERIES), Washington State University Extension 100-Year-Old Way to Filter Rainwater in a Barrel - The Prepper Journal Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Is eating ultra-processed foods associated with depression, anxiety, memory problems, and trouble reasoning? An article I read in early May took me down a research rabbit hole and there are a lot of recent studies that say just that: 60% of the American diet is ultra-processed foods and they are causing mental health issues and cognitive decline. Today we're digging into the data and uncovering what defines ultra-processed foods, how much it affects our mental health, and to what extent. Resources and Citations: How Eating Ultraprocessed Foods Can Affect Your Mental Health - The New York Times (nytimes.com) Characterizing Ultra-Processed Foods by Energy Density, Nutrient Density, and Cost - PubMed (nih.gov) Nutrients | Free Full-Text | The Healthfulness of the US Packaged Food and Beverage Supply: A Cross-Sectional Study (mdpi.com) Current Intake of Ultra-Processed Foods in the U.S. Adult Population According to Education-Level and Income | Current Developments in Nutrition | Oxford Academic (oup.com) Cross-sectional examination of ultra-processed food consumption and adverse mental health symptoms - PubMed (nih.gov) Association Between Consumption of Ultraprocessed Foods and Cognitive Decline | Dementia and Cognitive Impairment | JAMA Neurology | JAMA Network Diet and depression: exploring the biological mechanisms of action | Molecular Psychiatry (nature.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There are few things that taste like summer quite like cantaloupe or watermelon. These hydrating favorites can sometimes be a little mystifying for new gardeners to grow. And what's the difference between a crenshaw and a canary melon? On today’s episode, we’re digging into all things melon. What does it take to grow them, can they cross-pollinate, and what’s the trick to picking a truly ripe watermelon? Let's Dig in! Episode References and Citations: Wasylikowa, Krystyna; van der Veen, Marijke (2004). "An archaeobotanical contribution to the history of watermelon, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai (syn. C. vulgaris Schrad.)". Vegetation History and Archaeobotany. 13 (4): 213–217. doi:10.1007/s00334-004-0039-6. ISSN 0939-6314. JSTOR 23419585. S2CID 129058509. Paris, Harry S. (August 2015). "Origin and emergence of the sweet dessert watermelon, Citrullus lanatus". Annals of Botany. 116 (2): 133–148. doi:10.1093/aob/mcv077. PMC 4512189. PMID 26141130. Strauss, Mark (21 August 2015). "The 5,000-Year Secret History of the Watermelon". National Geographic News. "Cantaloupe". Oxford English Dictionary. 2016. Marion Eugene Ensminger; Audrey H. Ensminger (1993). "Cantaloupe". Foods & Nutrition Encyclopedia (2nd Edition, Volume 1 ed.). CRC Press. pp. 329–331. ISBN 084938981X. Melons: Cantaloupe, Muskmelon, Honeydew, Crenshaw, Casaba, etc. | College of Agricultural Sciences (oregonstate.edu) Watermelon | College of Agricultural Sciences (oregonstate.edu) Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Vegetable Growing Guides – Watermelon Growing Guide Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Vegetable Growing Guides – Melon Growing Guide Episode Links: Buy One Get One Free from Elm Dirt: Use Code WOLFCREEK Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's hot and your plants look awful! Extreme heat can mean extreme responses from our gardens. Let's spend a few minutes talking about what's normal, what we should and shouldn't be doing, and how we can help when needed to help the summer garden get through a heat wave. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today we’re talking specific tasks we need to perform in the garden to get our best yield and to keep the harvest going through to fall. Unfortunately, our gardens are not “set and forget it” kind of things. We can’t just put the plants out there and come back in six weeks and expect to harvest. And as the days heat up and summertime events take over it can be tempting to skip some of these things in favor of other more fun activities. We’re going to run down the list of eight things we need to be paying attention to as the gardening season moves on in order to keep things running smoothly. Any one of these by themselves can be critical to our garden success but I would say the first three are the most vital in my experience. And I’ll be upfront about how difficult this can be when it’s hot and sweaty and dusty and dry and the pool is calling your name which is why having a checklist in front of you of weekly tasks can help get you in the garden and done so you can enjoy the rest of your summer activities knowing your garden is well-tended. Let’s dig in! Episode Links: Four Ways to Use Less Water in the Garden Ep. 134 - Soil Texture and Composition: How it affects water and nutrients in the garden and how to know what type you have Types of Mulch for the Garden Benefits of using compost as mulch in your garden. Ep. 55 - Identifying Insects in the Garden Companion Planting and Trap Crops for Insect Control Ep. 99 - Eight Common Tomato Diseases: Identification, Prevention, and Treatment Ep. 18 - Garden Talk Tuesday: Plant Nutrients and Why You Need to Know Them Ep. 22 - Garden Talk Tuesday: Plant Nutrient Deficiencies and Toxicity Identifying Nutrient Deficiencies in Your Garden Plants Indicators of Nutrient Toxicity in Garden Plants What To Do If Your Plants Show Signs of Nutrient Deficiency (Or Toxicity) Buy One Get One Free from Elm Dirt: Use Code WOLFCREEK Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The description on just about every seed packet or plant tag usually says something along the lines of, this plant “likes fertile, well-draining soil, with lots of organic matter.” The fertility part we likely understand, and we talk about soil organic matter all the time around here. But what about well-draining soil? What does that mean, how do we know if we have it, and what do we do if we don’t? If our soil isn’t well-draining are we destined to only garden in planters where we can completely control the soil? Can we create well-draining soil in our containers or can we modify our existing soil to make it well draining? We know the soil we are gardening in is one of the biggest building blocks for a healthy plant and, therefore, a healthy harvest. What are the possible consequences for not having well-draining soil? How does it affect the plants? We are getting into all of that today including, step by step, how to test any soil in any location to see exactly how well it drains. Let’s dig in! Episode Resources: Ep. 136 - Filling New Raised Beds Ep. 134 - Soil Texture and Composition: How it affects water and nutrients in the garden and how to know what type you have Buy One Get One Free from Elm Dirt: Use Code WOLFCREEK Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New research from the UC Berkeley School of Public Health shows that childhood exposure to glyphosate is linked to liver inflammation and metabolic disorder in early adulthood, which could lead to liver cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease later in life. Thousands of people have filed lawsuits against Monsanto, the maker of Roundup, and its parent company, Bayer, claiming that exposure to glyphosate caused them to develop cancer. Levels of glyphosate found in our foods have always been within the Environmental Protection Agency’s "regulatory safe levels", but all the prior research was focused on cancer risk. What about liver and metabolic syndromes? Other health risks? Today's episode explores new findings and continuing research in this area. Episode Resources: IARC Monographs Volume 112: evaluation of (who.int) Roundup ingredient found in Cheerios, Quaker Oats, and other cereals | Fox Business Association of Lifetime Exposure to Glyphosate and Aminomethylphosphonic Acid (AMPA) with Liver Inflammation and Metabolic Syndrome at Young Adulthood: Findings from the CHAMACOS Study | Environmental Health Perspectives | Vol. 131, No. 3 (nih.gov) Looking beyond Cancer: Glyphosate and Liver, Metabolic Diseases in Youth | Environmental Health Perspectives | Vol. 131, No. 5 (nih.gov) Childhood exposure to common herbicide may increase the risk of disease in young adulthood - UC Berkeley Public Health Kids’ glyphosate exposure linked to liver disease and metabolic syndrome - EHN Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s episode we go over the basics of growing okra, including preferred temperatures and conditions that are key to its success, and discuss ways to work around some of those preferences to get yourself a crop even in a short season or difficult climate. You can most certainly grow this southern favorite in a cooler climate with a shorter season with just a few tricks! Episode Resources: Vegetables. Wageningen, Netherlands: Backhuys. 2004. p. 21. ISBN 9057821478. "Okra, or 'Gumbo,' from Africa". Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M University. http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/publications/vegetabletravelers/okra.html "Colonial Food In Philadelphia - 1883 Words | Internet Public Library".  Okra - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics Okra: Nutrition, benefits, and recipe tips (medicalnewstoday.com) Growing Okra Plants | How to Plant Okra and General Growing Tips How to Plant, Grow, and Harvest Okra - Harvest to Table Okra | Home & Garden Information Center (clemson.edu) 19 Best Okra Varieties To Grow In Your Garden Or Container (gardeningchores.com) How to Store Okra (eatingwell.com) Podcast Resources: Buy One Get One Free from Elm Dirt: Use Code WOLFCREEK Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you're in the U.S. Midwest, squash bugs and squash vine borers often keep you from getting your best zucchini harvest. But what if there were a variety of zucchini you could keep covered the whole time you were growing it so the pests couldn't get to it? And it would fruit without pollination? Today we explore the possibility of parthenocarpy in zucchini varieties, where to find them, and how they can thwart our biggest zucchini pests. EPISODE RESOURCES: Burpee 'Sure Thing' zucchini Dunja - Organic (F1) Zucchini Squash Seed | Johnny's Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com) Golden Glory - (F1) Zucchini Squash Seed | Johnny's Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com) Noche - (F1) Zucchini Squash Seed | Johnny's Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com) Give Parthenocarpic Squash a Try Next Year | Home & Garden Information Center (clemson.edu) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sometimes it is very difficult to sift through all the information and advice we get as gardeners and to know what exactly we should be doing out there. This source says one thing, that blog says another thing, and the book on our bedside swears those other two are incorrect. What are we supposed to do? Today we’re talking about two specific pieces of advice I was asked about over the weekend that seem to be complete opposites of each other but, in reality, they are two sides of the same coin. One of those pieces of advice came from me and how you act on that, and other pieces of advice, totally depends on your unique gardening situation. We’ll go deeper into that on today’s show. We’ll also announce the winner of our 50k giveaway and I’ll share how my day in the garden went. It might just make you feel a little better about yours. Let’s dig in! Podcast Resources: Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Our pets are part of the family and we hate to see anything happen to them. Let's be sure there's nothing we're doing in the garden that might be hazardous to their health. Today's discussion is all about avoiding the dangers from our compost piles, mushroom compost, mulch, fertilizers and amendments. Episode Resources: Mushroom Toxicity | VCA Animal Hospitals (vcahospitals.com) Tremorgenic Mycotoxins - Moldy Food Strikes Back - CriticalCareDVM Common Garden Dangers for Dogs - BluePearl Pet Hospital (bluepearlvet.com) Dangers of Fertilizers to Pets (intermountainpet.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The height of the gardening season in the northern hemisphere is on the horizon which means peak time for gardening questions! Today we dig into why rhubarb might not turn red when ready to harvest, what the numbers on fertilizers mean and why the source matters, battling asparagus beetles, and preventing garden damage from animals during drought. If you've got a gardening question, I'd love to hear it! Send me a message on social media, email me, use the link below to send me a voice message or jump into the Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook group! Episode Resources: Asparagus beetles in home gardens | UMN Extension The Asparagus Beetle: Organic Control Tips – Mother Earth News How and When to Fertilize Your Vegetable Garden | The Old Farmer's Almanac Garden Fertilizer Basics | University of Maryland Extension (umd.edu) Buy One Get One Free from Elm Dirt: Use Code WOLFCREEK Other Resources: Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Since it's peak tomato growing season in most areas of the northern hemisphere, I thought it would be a good time to revisit an old episode about tomato plant diseases! This is not a comprehensive list, but a discussion of eight of the most prevalent diseases. As always, be sure to check with your local university extension to find out which diseases are most prevalent in your area. This will save you some stress. Let's dig in! Episode Resources: Ep. 99 - Eight Common Tomato Diseases: Identification, Prevention, and Treatment Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I spent the better part of my afternoon on Monday pulling Johnsongrass from my tomato field and in between my pole beans, which is what prompted today’s episode. That Johnsongrass is a perennial weed that reproduces both by seeds and by rhizomes and it’s been an aggressive problem for us in one particular field and I thought it would be helpful to give some tips on controlling all types of weeds in your garden. Today we’ll talk about knowing the difference between annual weeds and perennial ones, the different ways they spread, and some strategies on how to prevent and control them. In most cases, you are not going to eradicate them completely, so managing them is the name of the game here. In some cases, this could take years and the frustration level may make you want to give up. But trust me when I say even the heaviest weed infestation can be controlled with a plan. Let’s dig in. Episode resources: 33 Lawn and Garden Weeds: How to Identify and Control Them. https://www.bhg.com/gardening/pests/insects-diseases-weeds/types-of-weeds/. How to Get Rid of Garden Weeds Naturally | The Old Farmer's Almanac. https://www.almanac.com/weed-control-techniques. Identify common weeds / RHS Gardening. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/Common-Weeds. How to Identify 25 Common Weed Types and Control Them | HGTV. https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/landscaping-and-hardscaping/12-most-common-weeds-pictures. Weed Persistence: Why Are Weeds So Persistent? - Science ABC. https://www.scienceabc.com/nature/why-are-weeds-persistent.html. Podcast Resources: Buy One Get One Free from Elm Dirt: Use Code WOLFCREEK Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tuesday we talked about tomatoes that perform well in short seasons or challenging conditions. I had several listeners reach out and ask about growing in containers and small spaces. There are lots of options for this! On this Focal Point Friday episode, we talk container growing, the different categories of compact tomatoes, and varieties that perform well in just about any small space. References: Tomato Varieties for Short-Season Areas and Challenging Climates - Ep. 148 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For many gardeners the ultimate vegetable to grow is the tomato. There really is something special about the flavor of a fully ripe tomato picked from the vine and brought straight to your plate. Unfortunately, growing tomatoes can be a challenge if you live in an area with a short season. For those of you living in colder regions your growing season for warm-weather crops may be very, very short between frost-free days. Those in very warm climates have the opposite problem; you may need to get a quick crop in before the days turn so hot you can’t grow anything! And even if neither of these applies to you, you might be in an area that is plagued by heavy pest pressure or foliar diseases that take out your plants fairly early in the season. In any of these cases, you need a tomato plant that will produce quickly and reliably. So, today we’re going to go over what traits you should look for in a tomato variety if you need them to produce quickly and review some varieties that not only match those traits but many that can actually perform well under cool-weather conditions, which is not the norm for most tomato varieties. If you’ve ever struggled with getting tomatoes to produce in your garden before the first frost of the season hits or before the sun tries to cook them on the vine or before the insects and diseases completely destroy your plants, this episode is for you. Let’s dig in. Episode Resources: Vegetable Breeding Program | College of Agricultural Sciences (oregonstate.edu) Moskvich (aka Moskovich) Tomato - Heirloom, Open-Pollinated, non-Hybrid Victory Seeds® – Victory Seed Company Bush Early Girl Tomato – Bonnie Plants Santiam Tomato, Santiam Tomato Seeds - Reimer Seeds Sub Arctic Plenty, Tomato Seeds | Urban Farmer (ufseeds.com) Heirloom Tomato Seed - Oregon Spring | Non-GMO Vegetable Gardening · True Leaf Market Quedlinburger Fruhe Liebe Tomato, Medium-Small Tomato Seeds: Totally Tomatoes 83 Fast-Growing Short-Season Tomato Varieties for Cold Climates – Garden Betty Podcast Resources: Buy One Get One Free from Elm Dirt: Use Code WOLFCREEK Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Does pruning your tomatoes in a certain way increase the yield? Does it really matter? Are there other more important factors involved? I get asked all the time if we prune our tomatoes, how we prune them, how many tomatoes a gardener should expect to get from one plant, etc. Folks tend to get frustrated when it’s not a straightforward answer. Your tomato yield is likely to boil down to a number of factors before you even get to the pruning question. Today's episode digs into the three factors that are a much bigger consideration in tomato yield than pruning and whether pruning is suited to your specific goals. Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For as long as I can remember I’ve believed that marigolds were the best companion plant for everything. Despite the naysayers touting time and time again that it was all conjecture, I stood by the research I could find that proved otherwise. If you listened to last week’s Focal Point Friday episode you understand the position I’ve found myself in after all these years of companion planting marigolds in and amongst all of my garden plants. To my way of thinking, as long as there wasn’t a proven detriment to the paring then even if the marigolds weren’t preventing the pests in my garden, they would at least be attracting the beneficial insects that either were good pollinators or that actually preyed on the insects I didn’t want hanging around. And many marigolds have a strong scent and I hoped this would also serve to confuse those pests that plague my crops. Do I still believe all these things? Yes. I will go to my grave defending marigolds as good companion plants because I have the science-backed research to show those benefits. I, as always, will link to boatloads of research in the show notes so you, too, can nerd out about some plant science. But, have I had to take a step back and do a little more research about my beloved companion before I continue to make recommendations to people in their gardens? You betcha. Because science is always evolving and so are we as gardeners and one of my favorite mantras is we don’t know what we don’t know. And sometimes we just gotta admit when we’re wrong. RESOURCES: Insects | Free Full-Text | Conservation Biological Control of Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella): Effects of Two Aromatic Plants, Basil (Ocimum basilicum) and French Marigolds (Tagetes patula) (mdpi.com) Weed and Pest Control: Conventional and New Challenges - Google Books Which companion plants affect the performance of green peach aphid on host plants? Testing of 12 candidate plants under laboratory conditions - Ben Issa - 2016 - Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata - Wiley Online Library Incorporating lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus L.) and marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) as non-host barrier plants to reduce impact of flea beetle (Chaetocnema confinis C.) in cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) (actajournal.com) Evaluating French marigold as a border insectary plant for the enhancement of beneficial arthropods in sweet corn plantings - ScienceDirect Intercropping of Pak choi (Brassica rapa chinensis) with Marigold flower (Tagetes erecta L.) and Onion (Allium cepa L.) to control foliar pests researchgate.net) "A Proactive Pest Control Calendar and Rearing Beneficial Insects" by Victoria Bolden (upenn.edu) Microsoft Word - Draft-Proceedings_8th DBM Conference_2019 (researchgate.net) Companion planting with French marigolds protects tomato plants from glasshouse whiteflies through the emission of airborne limonene | PLOS ONE Episode Links: Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Companion planting is a great way to deter pests in our garden, specifically for summer squashes. Some plants repel pests like aphids, whiteflies, melonworms and pickleworm. Others are better suited as trap crops, attracting aphids, squash vine borerers, squash bugs and cucumber beetles so we can remove them from the garden and destroy them before they get to our zucchini or yellow squash. It's important to know which pests we're dealing with so we know which plants to use and how to use them. And I'll bet many of us have used one specific plant incorrectly as a companion plant for our area, and that includes me! Let's dig in to the best, and worst, companion plants for zucchini and other summer squashes. Resources: Companion planting with French marigolds protects tomato plants from glasshouse whiteflies through the emission of airborne limonene | PLOS ONE Virginia State University College of Agriculture | Companion Planting melonworm - Diaphania hyalinata (ufl.edu) Can the introduction of companion plants increase biological control services of key pests in organic squash? - Lopez - 2022 - Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata - Wiley Online Library ⁠9 of the Best Companion Plants to Grow with Zucchini (gardenerspath.com)⁠ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Summer squashes are a staple in most summer gardens. Whether you call them zucchini, courgette, or marrow, they can be easy to grow and very prolific, so they are a great introduction to a successful harvest for new gardeners. Unless you live in an area where pests and diseases are the name of the game: squash vine borers, squash bugs, cucumber beetles, drought, powdery mildew and bacterial wilt can all destroy a squash plant before we get a single fruit. Whether you live where squash grow so prolifically that you're sneaking onto your neighbor's porch at night to drop off a bag full or you're battling invaders to get a single harvest, today's episode has you covered with techniques for planting and protecting our coveted summer squash. Let's dig in! Episode links: Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Episode Resources: American Indian Health - Health (ku.edu) FoodData Central (usda.gov) Cucurbitacin - Wikipedia Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Vegetable Growing Guides - Growing Guide Cucumber, Squash, Melon & Other Cucurbit Insect Pests | Home & Garden Information Center (clemson.edu) Squash, Zucchini and Summer | College of Agricultural Sciences (oregonstate.edu) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Whether we grow our garden from seeds directly in the soil or start out with transplants, there are some distinct advantages and disadvantages to both methods. Today let's break down the five main factors to consider when making this decision. As always, find more gardening information on the Just Grow Something website. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The gardening "advice" we get may not always be accurate. Bury a whole egg under your tomato plants? Make a tea from banana peels? What advice is legit and what is bogus? Let's look at the scientific research behind common kitchen scraps that might also be used as garden amendments: banana peels, eggshells, teas leaves and spent coffee grounds. Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram Merchandise | Just Grow Something RESOURCES Comparative Study of Various Organic Fertilizers Effect on Growth and Yield of Two Economically Important Crops, Potato and Pea (scirp.org) Effects of banana peel compost rates on Swiss chard growth performance and yield in Shirka district, Oromia, Ethiopia - ScienceDirect Preparation of nano-fertilizer blend from banana peels | SpringerLink BIO-ORGANIC LIQUID FERTILIZER PRODUCTION FROM CHICKEN MANURE AND BANANA PEELS AND EVALUATING ITS EFFECTIVENESS ON LETTUCE (Lactuca sativa L.) UNDER HYDROPONIC CONDITION. (haramaya.edu.et) HEN EGGSHELL WASTE AS FERTILIZER FOR THE GROWTH OF PHASEOLUS VULGARIS (COW PEA SEEDS) Chicken eggshells as a soil amendment and their relationship with the morphological response of mustard plants (Brassica juncea, L.) - IOPscience The use of spent coffee grounds in growing media for the production of Brassica seedlings in nurseries | SpringerLink Agriculture | Free Full-Text | Spent Coffee Grounds Applied as a Top-Dressing or Incorporated into the Soil Can Improve Plant Growth While Reducing Slug Herbivory (mdpi.com) Acute Toxicity of Experimental Fertilizers Made of Spent Coffee Grounds | SpringerLink Impact of spent coffee grounds as organic amendment on soil fertility and lettuce growth in two Mediterranean agricultural soils: Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science: Vol 64, No 6 (tandfonline.com) Biblioteca Digital do IPB: Effect of fresh and composted spent coffee grounds on lettuce growth, photosynthetic pigments and mineral composition Use of Spent Coffee Ground Compost in Peat-Based Growing Media for the Production of Basil and Tomato Potting Plants: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis: Vol 47, No 3 (tandfonline.com) Applying spent coffee grounds directly to urban agriculture soils greatly reduces plant growth - ScienceDirect Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is the time of year when we not only start to have a lot of yard waste and garden waste but we generally have food waste coming out of our kitchens year round, so now is the perfect time to put all that waste to good use. The average American produces about 1,600 pounds (726 kg) of garbage a year and approximately 75% of this garbage is organic material. That means 1200 lbs of the 1600 pounds of waste produced could be composted. Per person. We don’t want that organic material going to the landfills and causing methane gases to add to the atmosphere, so let’s talk about the basic ingredients of a compost pile. Resources: Ep. 80 - Creating and Managing a Compost Pile Ep. 81 - Talking Compost with Stan "The Compost Man"Slaughter Ep. 82 - Compost Systems for Home Gardeners Ep. 106 - Introduction to Vermicomposting (Worm Farming!) What is Vermicompost and Why Should We Care? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Last summer we talked a little bit about growing extra produce in our gardens specifically for donation. I will leave a link to that episode in this episode description. This week I have the pleasure of interviewing two folks from After The Harvest, an organization here in the Kansas City Metro area that rescues fruits and vegetables from going to waste and donates them to agencies that serve hungry people in the Greater Kansas City area. Their volunteers glean after the harvest, picking what’s left in farmers’ fields and picking up already harvested leftover produce. They bring together volunteers, growers, financial donors and food agencies all participating in fighting hunger, improving nutrition and reducing food waste. Our farm has donated to After The Harvest for years at one of our local farmer’s markets and I was happy to reach out get them on this show to not only spread their mission here locally but to speak to you about how you can get involved in whatever organization facilitates the movement of fresh fruits in vegetables in your area to the people who need it the most. So, take a listen to my conversation with Brooke and Clay from After The Harvest and maybe think about the ways you can be helping this movement in your own area with produce from your own garden. Let’s dig in. RESOURCES: Ep. 95 - Grow a Row to Donate After the Harvest | Healthy Food for Hungry People » After the Harvest (aftertheharvestkc.org) Volunteer » After the Harvest Gleaning Calendar Laws, Resources, & Organizations for Gleaning & Food Recovery - National Gleaning Project Map of Gleaning & Food Recovery Organizations in the USA (nationalgleaningproject.org) Get a Free Bloom Juice from Elm Dirt: Use Code JustGrow Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming MediaPodcast Playlist on Spotify Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this timely flashback episode, we go back to episode 91 and talk about hardening off our plants to move them into our garden spaces. Whether we've started them from seed ourselves or we've purchased plants and brought them in, our plants need some time to acclimate. The process is a little different in both cases. And if we're growing plants indoors, we have a different set of circumstances to navigate. Let's talk about transitioning our plants. References: Ep. 91 -Transitioning Your Plants into Your Garden Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

One of the best flavors of the summer has to be sweet corn right from the stalk. If it’s picked at the right time and eaten right away, you really don’t need anything on it. It’s just that good. If you’re lucky to find some at the farmers market and can get it home and eat it right away, it’s almost as good. But we can absolutely grow our own even in smallish spaces. And what about growing our own dried corn varieties? There are so many choices when it comes to dent corn, popcorn, and other dried corn types that we can use for corn meal and even just for decoration. You’ve probably seen beautiful glass-colored heirloom varieties in catalogs that are almost too pretty to be believed. But what you also may have seen in the seed catalogs next to the sweet corn are little letters like su and sh2 or terms like synergistic or sugar-enhanced. What does all that mean and is it genetically modified? Today we’re going to figure out exactly what it takes to grow both sweet corn and dried corn, all the differences between the two categories and the corn varieties within them, what can plague corn plants and how to harvest and store it. Let’s dig in! Resources: How to tell the difference between types of corn - Farm and Dairy American Indian Health - Health (ku.edu) Native American Indians and their use of Corn Growing Heirloom Corn Varieties - Little House on the Prairie Corn 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits (healthline.com) What are the differences between the various types of sweet corn? | Horticulture and Home Pest News (iastate.edu) How To Avoid Corn Cross Pollination - Our Stoney Acres How to Grow Sweet Corn - Farmers' Almanac - Plan Your Day. Grow Your Life. (farmersalmanac.com) Organic Insect Management in Sweet Corn - SARE Dent, Flint & Flour Corn (southernexposure.com) Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Get 10% off with code JUSTGROW at Truly Garden Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's spring planting time in areas of North America, or getting close to it, and many of us have the danger of a late frost hitting our gardens after we've spent so much time putting tender annuals in the ground. Let's revisit some options for frost protection in the garden, using both purchased items and those we can find around the house. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How do we know as gardeners when the appropriate time is to plant those seeds or transplant our seedlings? There are guidelines on the backs of seed packets and tables and charts online and in books that tell us the supposed correct date to plant those seeds. But this generic information is usually based on the average last frost date for our area. If you’re in an area that doesn’t often get a frost or if you live in a frozen tundra that date can be deceiving. Plus, that information doesn’t take into consideration the fluctuations we see in our temperatures and weather patterns each season or the ever-changing climate. In nature, seeds just know when to sprout at the right time based on the cycling of the seasons. There proper germination is based on factors like moisture levels, light availability and, most importantly, soil temperature. Today we’ll talk about optimal soil temperatures for both cool season and warm season crops, for both seed germination and transplant growth, how that compares to our average air temperatures, how to properly test your soil temperature and where to find historic soil temperature data for your area so you can more effectively plan your planting dates. Let’s dig in. Resources: Soil Temperature and Seed Germination (psu.edu) Soil Temp Planting V2docx (wisc.edu) Mineral Nutrition of Plants: Principles and Perspectives | SpringerLink 7 facts you didn’t know about soil temperature (farmprogress.com) Soil Temperature and Planting Crops (harvesttotable.com) Soil Temperature Maps | GreenCast | Syngenta (greencastonline.com) Taylor Precision Products Standard Grade Thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) Get a Free Bloom Juice from Elm Dirt: Use Code JustGrow Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Let's round out our mushroom discussions with some good 'ol compost! What is mushroom compost, is it good for our gardens, and how do we use it? Can we use the substrate from our own homegrown mushrooms and how is that different from the commercially available bags in the store? Spend a few minutes with me today to discover mushroom compost. Resources: Mushroom Compost: The Bad, The Good and The Beautiful - Compost Magazine Analysis of Fresh Mushroom Compost in: HortTechnology Volume 20 Issue 2 (2010) (ashs.org) Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Last week we talked all about growing mushrooms but that was all based on research and nothing to do with my own personal experiences. Even though my husband has always wanted to create a “fungus of the month club” to go along with our CSA program, we’ve never quite gotten there. I have worked with multiple mushroom growers over the years as vendors at our local farmer’s markets and have yet to even grow mushrooms from a kit! I just support them at their stands when I get a craving for a cremini. So, I thought it would be super helpful to hear from not one, but two different mushroom growers about how they got started growing and where they’ve gone from there. Technically, it’s three growers because one brought along their production manager, and they were all a wealth of information. RESOURCES: MyCo Planet - Fresh Gourmet Mushrooms (mycoplanetkc.com) Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Get 10% off with code JUSTGROW at Truly Garden Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this week's Focal Point Friday episode, we're revisiting the basics of plant nutrients. Good plant growth is directly correlated to good plant nutrition. The efficiency with which a plant uses the nutrients in the soil varies greatly according to the composition of your soil, water availability, soil temperatures, and so much more. But it’s important to know how the most essential nutrients work so you can choose soil amendments and fertilizers, if necessary, that will most benefit what you’re growing. Knowing which nutrients your plant relies on most and which stages of growth are most demanding will help you get the most out of your garden without negatively affecting the plants or the soil. Just like it’s possible to be lacking in nutrients, it is possible to have too much of a good thing! Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, we’re digging into a topic I have been asked numerous times to cover and really couldn’t because I’d never grown them! With names like puffball, stinkhorn, enoki, paddy straw, shaggy mane, and more, I didn’t even know where to begin to research how to grow them much less do a deep dive into the ethnobotany of the crop. I’m talking about mushrooms. This is not going to be my typical crop specific episode because the rabbit hole I went down made me realize the awesome complexity of what we refer to as a mushroom and all the different traditional and current uses for them. So, while we’ll deviate a little from the format today, prepare to learn everything you can possibly imagine learning about growing mushrooms in about a 40-minute timeframe. And, trust me, there’s a lot. Let’s dig in! RESOURCES Health Benefits of Mushrooms – Cleveland Clinic The Mushroom Council | Explore Mushrooms The largest living organism in the world is the mycelium | 7 Miracles, which Mushrooms are Capable to Perform! (chirkup.me) What is the scientific name for a mushroom? (narkive.com) Mushrooms: Health Benefits & Nutrition Facts - Drlogy Mushroom Growing Supplies List: Everything You Need | GroCycle Growing Mushrooms at Home: The PF Tek Method – Mother Earth News How to Grow Mushrooms: Step-By-Step Guide (wayofleaf.com) How to Start Growing Mushrooms at Home (curativemushrooms.com) Growing Mushrooms at Home - Gardening Solutions - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (ufl.edu) Get 10% off with code JUSTGROW at Truly Garden Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome back, my gardening friends, to another Focal Point Friday episode. Let’s spend just a few minutes together reviewing a snippet of info from a previous episode, highlighting a new topic, or quickly focusing on a current event in the food and agriculture world. This week's focus is weed management. The main strategy to keep weeds out of the garden: prevention! Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Foliar feeding has been the subject of a little bit of debate over the years, both in the horticultural space and as far as online gardening information goes. The practice of foliar feeding or foliar fertilization essentially involves applying water-based nutrients to the leaves of our plants to enhance their nutrition. In the home garden this can be done with a spray bottle or a pump sprayer or by using an attachment at the end of our hose that feeds the liquid into the water as it passes through. While 90% of the nutrients for our vegetable crops as soil applications based on soil tests and the specific crop’s nutrient needs, foliar fertilization is meant to help maintain or enhance or correct a plants nutritional profile during the growing season. On today’s episode we dig into what foliar feeding is, how to use it, the benefits and drawbacks, what stages of growth are most benefited by it and why I choose to use it in rotation with my other approaches to plant nutrition and soil health. And, yes, there is a soil component here. There always is. Let’s dig in! Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Get 10% off with code JUSTGROW at Truly Garden RESOURCES: Ep. 22 - Garden Talk Tuesday: Plant Nutrient Deficiencies and Toxicity Identifying Nutrient Deficiencies in Your Garden Plants Foliar Feeding Revisited // Missouri Produce Growers Bulletin // Integrated Pest Management, University of Missouri Foliar Fertilization for Vegetable Crops | Weekly Crop Update (udel.edu) Foliar nutrition in vegetables: A review (phytojournal.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What exactly does that name on the plant tag or seed packet mean? How does that affect what we plant and how or where we plant it? On this Focal Point Friday, let's go way back to Episode 6 to demystify plant nomenclature and the differences between open-pollinated, heirloom, and hybrid. Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Did you know that poor diet is the leading cause of disease worldwide? Diets low in fruits and vegetables contribute significantly to some of the world’s most widespread and debilitating nutrient-related disorders. Which is why many of us garden. We want to include those fruits and vegetables in our diet. And, if we have limited space, we need to be particular about what we’re planting. When I help people plan their gardens, I’m always reminding them to go back and review their “why”. If your goal for your garden is to reduce your family’s food budget, like mine was in the beginning, then maybe the things you should prioritize planting are the things your family eats the most or the things that cost you the most in the grocery or at the market. But, if we’re gardening to increase the overall nutrition our family consumes, does that mean we should be focused on planting something other than our most purchased items? And, if it’s all about saving dollars, can we grow things that make us feel fuller longer because they’re more nutritious? Which fruits and vegetables degrade the most from the time they leave the farm to when they hit our plate? Which fruits and vegetables the most nutrient-dense overall? On today’s episode I’ll give you the rundown on some studies that have been done about which vegetables decline in nutrition the fastest, which ones are the most nutrient-dense overall, and what we need to do in our own gardens post-harvest to preserve those nutrients that we’ve worked so hard to grow. Let’s dig in! Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Get a Free Bloom Juice from Elm Dirt: Use Code JustGrow RESOURCES Ep. 52 - Cabbage Low Energy Density Foods and Recipes: Will They Help You Feel Full with Fewer Calories? | Optimising Nutrition Optimising foods for satiety - ScienceDirect Maximizing the Nutritional Value of Fruits and Vegetables (ucdavis.edu) Nutritional comparison of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. Part 1. Vitamins C and B and phenolic compounds (ahealthylife.nl) Vegetables_122107_S (fda.gov) Fruits_122107_S (fda.gov) Postharvest Handling | USU Harvesting and storing home garden vegetables | UMN Extension Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this week's Focal Point Friday episode, I'm following up with questions and comments I got about some recent episodes about phytoremediation, commercial compost, and using manure in the garden safely. Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Celery is a cool-season crop that can be a bit finicky about its growing conditions. If carrots are divas, then consider celery Goldilocks: not too hot, not too cold, but just right! On today’s episode I give you the lowdown on growing your own celery at home and this includes those of you who live in warmer climates. The main consideration for celery is it takes a really long time to grow from seed and it can be a water hog if you want those big plump stalks. Some varieties need to be trenched and mounded in order to get those pale stalks like you’re used to seeing the grocery store, and they don’t tolerate a heavy frost. And even though they don’t like the heat, too much time spent below a certain temperature can actually cause them to bolt. But, if you know how to mitigate all those things, the flavor of homegrown celery can be so much more intense than what you get in the store. Let's dig in! Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Get 10% off with code JUSTGROW at Truly Garden Resources: Umbellifer or apiaceae? - Richard Jackson Garden (richardjacksonsgarden.co.uk) Apium graveolens (Smallage, Wild Celery) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (ncsu.edu) Celery / Apium graveolens Herbal Medicine, Health Benefits, Side Effects (medicalhealthguide.com) Everything you didn’t even know you wanted to know about celery - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com) Cel-Ray - Wikipedia Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Vegetable Growing Guides - Growing Guide Celery | College of Agricultural Sciences (oregonstate.edu) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What manures are "safe" to use in the garden and which ones need to be composted? The question came from a listener and the answer may surprise you. Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Resources: Animal-Manure-in-the-Garden.pdf (wsu.edu) Bunny honey: Using rabbit manure as a fertilizer - MSU Extension Colorado Master Gardener Training (colostate.edu) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Purchasing compost and potting soil can be expensive and new garden beds can take a lot of soil to fill them. Plus, we’ve talked before that commercial compost often needs a little help getting the microbes up and moving again in order to make it biologically active and not just an inert material that’s not helping our plants at all. So, filling a raised bed with nothing but trucked in compost and bags of potting mix just isn’t the way to go. If you’ve gotten behind on building your beds or you’re just now deciding you need to create some, especially if you’re creating a garden for the first time, it’s important to know what to fill those beds with. Today we’ll talk about different techniques we can use to fill those raised beds properly so that the growing medium is not only biologically active, which is helping the plants get the nutrients they need, but also doesn’t break the bank. Ep. 80 - Creating and Managing a Compost Pile Ep. 81 - Talking Compost with Stan "The Compost Man"Slaughter Ep. 82 - Compost Systems for Home Gardeners Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Get a Free Bloom Juice from Elm Dirt: Use Code JustGrow Resources: Effect of high compost temperature on enzymatic activity and species diversity of culturable bacteria in cattle manure compost - ScienceDirect Microbiological parameters as indicators of compost maturity | Journal of Applied Microbiology | Oxford Academic (oup.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For this week’s Focal Point Friday, I answer a question asked by a student in my Plan Like a Pro garden planning course last week. She wanted some clarification on what I mean when I’m talking about intercropping. “Does that mean I plant another crop in between the rows of the other or does it mean the second crop is spaced in the same row as the other crop.” Companion Planting Chart Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Potatoes are a staple in many areas of the world, and they can be grown just about anywhere. Your yield definitely improves if you follow a few techniques, but there are so many options: from big long in-ground rows, to raised planters, old bathtubs or wash basins, buckets, grow bags, even pots on your patio. So, even if you don’t have hundreds of row feet of space to grow potatoes for your entire family for a year, most everybody has space to maybe do some fingerling potatoes or some small boiling potatoes for at least a few meals. Of course, there’s a great sense of satisfaction dumping the dirt out of a pot or digging into the soil and pulling up a potato plant and seeing all those potatoes hanging from the root system. And the flavor and texture of new potatoes are just fantastic and really can't be found in the grocery. Ready to grow some spuds? Let’s dig in! Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Resources: Hijmans, RJ; Spooner, DM (2001). "Geographic distribution of wild potato species". American Journal of Botany. 88 (11): 2101–12. doi:10.2307/3558435. JSTOR 3558435. PMID 21669641. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Finding rewrites the evolutionary history of the origin of potatoes (2005) Potato Production and Consumption Solanum tuberosum (Irish Potato, Irish Potatoes, Pomme de Terre, Potato, Potatoes, White Potato, White Potatoes) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (ncsu.edu) Potato: Nutrition facts, recipes, benefits, side effects, and more (msn.com) Soil Temparature Maps | GreenCast | Syngenta (greencastonline.com) Growing potatoes in home gardens | UMN Extension ORGANIC POTATO GROWING GUIDE (woodprairie.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jennifer in the Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook group said, “I've seen, several places now, an argument about whether sunflowers are toxic to other plants around them or whether they are soil cleaners. Can you give us the low-down?” This was a great question and one that was asked again just a few days later in our Kansas City Area gardening group, as well. The quick answer is everything you've heard about sunflowers is true! Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Resources: Allelopathic Plants. 7. Sunflower Sunflower Power! (landhealthinstitute.org) Potential of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) for Phytoremediation of Soils Contaminated with Heavy Metals Behaviour of Helianthus annuus L.: an ethogram for sunflower, and the effect of potential competitors on soil nutrient patch use Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Different types of soil have different water holding capacities and nutrient availability. Much of this is based on the percentage of three soil particles in the soil composition: sand, silt, and clay. Knowing what the texture of our soil is helps us to know what how water and nutrients move through our soil and the best amendments for our particular soil type and the plants we want to grow. Today we’ll talk about how to test our soil composition and texture by using the jar method or the ribbon method, and what the results mean for you and your garden. Let’s dig in! Get your soil texture download Say Thank You! Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify RESOURCES Soil Water Holding Characteristics - Center for Landscape & Urban Horticulture (ucanr.edu) Soils & Plant Nutrients | NC State Extension Publications (ncsu.edu) Soil Texture Analysis “The Jar Test” | Home & Garden Information Center (clemson.edu) Testing Soil Texture by Hand – The Soil Ribbon Test – GrowIt BuildIT Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome back, my gardening friends, to another Focal Point Friday episode, this time covering proper lighting for your indoor seedlings. It's not as complicated as you may think! These quickie episodes are either an important highlight from a previous episode or a quick focus on a current event in the food and agriculture world that I think we should be talking about. Think of these episodes as a way to tickle your brain with one or two ideas to ponder while you’re planning or planting or digging in the garden this weekend. Without further ado, let’s get down and dirty. Enjoy! Reference episode: Ep. 77 - Five Tips to Successful Seed Starting Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Most beginning gardeners struggle with growing full-sized bulb onions for a number of reasons: they don't understand there are different onions for different growing situations and that the nutritional needs for onions at different stages of growth are different from other root vegetables. I struggled with all of this plus not growing the correct type of onion for long-term storage. In this first crop-specific episode of season three, we’re jumping into everything onion, including background information, cultivation both in-ground and in containers, pests and diseases, harvest and storage. Let's dig in! Free Download: Onion Growing Fact Sheet Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify Resources: (PDF) Traditional and modern uses of onion bulb (Allium cepa L.): A systematic review (researchgate.net) Onion History - National Onion Association (onions-usa.org) Nutrition Information for Raw Vegetables | FDA Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Vegetable Growing Guides - Growing Guide Growing Onions: Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Onions | The Old Farmer's Almanac Onion Planting Guide - Dixondale Farms Affiliate Links Get a Free Bloom Juice from Elm Dirt: Use Code JustGrow Get 10% off with code JUSTGROW at Truly Garden Get 10% off the Black Rifle Coffee Club! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome back, my gardening friends, to another Focal Point Friday episode all about proper airflow for the seedlings you may be starting indoors. These quickie episodes are either an important highlight from a previous episode or a quick focus on a current event in the food and agriculture world that I think we should be talking about. Think of these episodes as a way to tickle your brain with one or two ideas to ponder while you’re planning or planting or digging in the garden this weekend. Without further ado, let’s get down and dirty. Enjoy! Reference episode: Ep. 77 - Five Tips to Successful Seed Starting Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s often difficult to know exactly how much of each crop to plant, even for experienced gardeners. You’ve had to have been pretty meticulous with keeping track of your harvests to have a firm grasp on how much each of the plants you grew last year actually produced. And then need to average that out over a few years, figure out whether that’s enough for your needs, and then decide on how many plants you’ll need this year based on that average. But how do you figure out how many of something you’ll need if you’ve never grown it before? And if you’re a beginner, where do you even start to figure this all out? That was one of the biggest problems I faced as a new gardener. So, in today’s episode we’ll briefly cover a couple of different ways you can use to figure out how many plants you’ll need to meet your harvest goals this year. It is not exact and it will require some time and patience to get through, but once you have a starting point it gets easier from there. Let’s dig in! ------- My garden planning course, Plan Like A Pro, is open for registration through February 2nd, 2023! Go to https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/pro to get all the details and get started right away on planning your best garden yet! ------- Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon Follow me on Instagram JustGrowSomethingPodcast.com Merchandise | Just Grow Something Positively Farming Media Podcast Playlist on Spotify RESOURCES: Transplanted Vegetable Crops | Plant Quantity & Average Yield Chart + Feet of Row per Acre | Johnny's Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com) Direct-Seeded Vegetable Crops | Seed Quantity & Average Yield Chart | Johnny's Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com) Vegetable Crop Yields, Plants per Person, and Crop Spacing (harvesttotable.com) Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Vegetable Growing Guides Vegetable Planting Calendar | MU Extension (missouri.edu) How Much Should I Plant? Vegetable Yields Per Plant – Bonnie Plants Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome back, my gardening friends, to another Focal Point Friday episode. On this week’s quickie episode, I am introducing you to my brand-new garden planning course, Plan Like A Pro. I have been working around the clock for almost two months now on videos and downloads and building an online community and I want to give you all the details before we launch next week. It's the time of year when we should be planning our gardens and I want you to have the best garden year yet! Listen as I walk you through everything that is included in this course and how to get on the waitlist for the early bird bonuses. Let’s get down and dirty! Get On the waitlist: Plan Like A Pro Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.