Read This: Natural Pest Control in the Vegetable Garden

Book Review, desert gardening, Vegetable Gardening

I love to grow vegetables in my backyard. Nothing beats the flavor of vegetables that you grow yourself, and it is fun and rewarding. That is, until you notice unwelcome insect pests causing damage to your edible crops.

In the low to mid-desert regions, we are fortunate to be able to grow vegetables and herbs throughout the entire year. But that also means that we need to be on the lookout for unwelcome visitors.

Recognizing what insects are eating our plants and how best to get rid of them can be one of the hardest parts of growing vegetables. However, there is help!

Susan Mulvihill is the expert you’ve been looking for to help you to prevent and treat insect pests. And she does this by guiding you toward using effective yet natural methods.

In her book, The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook, she helps you to identify the most common insect pests in her “Pest Profile” section along with photos of the bug and the type of damage they cause. This is incredibly helpful to help you know what is causing the problem so you can select the best treatment.

The author specifies effective natural solutions to prevent and minimize insect infestations, which are clearly set out in her book. From attracting birds and pollinators that eat bugs to the best organic products to get rid of insect pests. The book provides guidance as to products such as Bt, insecticidal soap, neem oil, pyrethrins, plus much more, and which works best against specific pests.

DIY control methods are a great way to minimize unwelcome visitors to your garden. I’ve used beer traps for slugs, insect hotels, and sticky traps in my own garden. Susan includes these methods as well as many others to help you minimize and prevent the problems damaging insects can cause to your edible crops.

Vegetable gardening is fun to do, especially with the expert guidance you’ll find in this wonderful book. If you have a vegetable garden, you need this book!

However, insect pests are just one problem that can affect edible crops. Plant disease, animals, weather, and other issues can cause problems as well. So, Susan has written a second book to help you address these factors, The Vegetable Garden Problem Solver Handbook.

I’ve grown vegetables for years and have faced issues with insect pests, disease, and weather-related issues. I wish I would have had these books back then, which would have made my efforts much easier.

The good news is that you can make vegetable gardening easier for yourself with the excellent guidance in these books!

The Dirty Secret of Vegetable Gardening

Arizona garden, California desert garden, desert gardening, Gardening With Kids, Las Vegas gardening, Southwest garden, Vegetable Gardening, vegetables

The Reality of Vegetable Gardening: Unveiling the Secrets

The Pressure of Unrealistic Standards for Vegetables

Have you ever found yourself intimidated by fashion magazines filled with beautiful celebrities and models who are then photoshopped to remove every little imperfection? Or perhaps an Instagram account where the home is filled with natural light, dust-free, and no mislaid items anywhere?

I must admit that I don’t like to follow accounts like that as they promote an unrealistic view and leaves me feeling like something is wrong with me when I don’t look perfect and my house doesn’t either.

Escaping Unreal Expectations

This type of unreal perfection extends to the garden too! Just between you and me, I’ve been to many gardens that are highlighted on social media and they never look quite as good in person.

Believe it or not, vegetables also fall into this unrealistic realm when shown in magazines and online. Articles filled with photographs of perfectly-sized vegetables without a speck of dirt on them can be intimidating to the average vegetable gardener.

Unearthing the Dirty Secret of Vegetable Gardening

Well, I’m here to tell you the truth and reveal two dirty secrets of vegetable gardening with some assistance from my little helper.

Meet Lily: A Gardening Companion

This is my granddaughter Lily who loved to help me in the garden when she was little. She was always a willing helper when it came time to harvest vegetables from my garden.

Toward the end of spring, it was time to harvest the last head of broccoli, pick the carrots, pull the garlic, cut parsley, and harvest the first of our blackberries.

The Real Harvest

This is what our harvest looked like. Not particularly photo-worthy for a magazine or social media, is it? But, this is the reality of what it looks like.

The Dirty Secret: Vegetables Grow in Dirt

If you haven’t guessed the secret about vegetable gardening – it’s that it is DIRTY!

Think about it – vegetables grow in the dirt. They don’t come out clean. In fact, it can take a while to clean the dirt away.

Lily was excited to help me clean the vegetables, so she would fill her ‘My Little Pony’ cup over and over and pour them over the carrots.

In fact, freshly harvested vegetables leave dirt behind on counters, floors too!

And those shiny, clean garden tools and spotless gloves? They don’t exist in a real garden.

Now, here is another secret of vegetable gardening…

The Imperfect Shapes and Sizes are Normal

“Not all the vegetables are the same size and come out unblemished.”

Here are four carrots that I harvested from the same garden. As you can see, they are all different sizes.

The tiny ones, came from an area where I accidentally dropped a small pile of seeds. The large one was a result of an area in the garden that received too much water and the carrot was so big that it broke off as I attempted to pull it out.

Of course, any decent photo would display only the ‘normal-sized’ carrots – but that is not necessarily the truth of what a real garden harvest would look like.

Lily’s Tigger was excited to try some carrots.

Garlic of All Sizes

Here is another example. Our crop of garlic was bountiful. But, notice that there are not all uniform sizes.

While the majority of the garlic harvest is made up of normal-sized garlic heads – there are some very small and some giant heads.

The Illusion of Garden Perfection

But of course, that is not what you see when people typically show off their garden harvest – especially when they are to be photographed.

First, only the most attractive vegetables are shown – ones with no blemishes and uniform size. Second, all the dirt is removed. And finally, the decorative dish towels come out for an attractive background.

I have several decorative dish towels that have never seen a dish and I use them when I photograph vegetables, herbs, etc.

Here is my ‘perfect’ garlic harvest. What is interesting is what you DON’T see. All of them are nicely shaped, roughly the same size, and most of the dirt is gone. This is NOT what they look like when they come in from the garden.

The Best Advice is to Embrace Imperfection

So remember that vegetables aren’t perfectly clean, they may have blemishes and come in all sizes and shapes. So, when you harvest vegetables, don’t worry about perfect-looking vegetables. Remember, it’s the taste that matters!

My Secret Vegetable Gardening Tool…

Create a Herb Container

AZ Plant Lady, Containers, herb gardening, Vegetable Gardening

Do you like to use fresh herbs when you cook?

What if you could just step outside your door and snip some herbs without having to go to the store?

Have you seen how expensive fresh herbs are at the supermarket by the way? And, who wants floppy herbs when they can have fresh ones?

I am often asked whether it is easy to grow herbs in the desert garden and I always answer, “yes!”

Herbs come from mostly arid regions and so they flourish in our climate. They also like the sun, which we have plenty of.

One of my favorite ways to grow herbs in containers. In fact, they do extremely well in pots – especially when planted together. Imagine having a variety of herbs growing in a container near your kitchen door.

It’s easy to do and here is how:

1. Place your container in an area that receives at least 6 hours of sun.

Basil

2. Fill your container with planting mix, which is sterile, has a light texture and is specially formulated for container plants. It retains just the right amount of moisture for plants. Potting soil can become soggy.

3. Add a slow-release fertilizer, such as Osmocote, and work it into the top 2-inches of soil.

Oregano

4. Plant your herbs. Oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme are easiest to grow when you start out with transplants. Basil grows easily from seed, but can you also use transplants?

Sage

5. Water deeply. Do not wet the foliage when you water them as they prefer to stay dry.

Thyme

6. Herbs like to dry out between watering. To check when they need water, simply stick your finger down to 1-inch deep – if the soil is moist, don’t water. However, if it’s almost dry, then water deeply until water runs out the bottom drainage hole.

Purple Basil (Not the healthiest specimen, but it was the only one they had – it was over-watered at the nursery).

7. Don’t add any additional fertilizer after planting. Herbs don’t like extra fertilizer since it causes them to grow larger leaves with fewer oils, which is what gives them their flavor.

I like to place my herbs near my vegetable garden.

Here in the desert, we can grow herbs all year long. However, I do like to dry herbs like basil, which don’t live through our winters.

I encourage you to dip your toes into growing your own herbs. You can find transplants at your favorite nursery, so find a sunny spot and get started!

Click below for my container gardening tips…

Creative Container Gardening Tips

November Garden To-Do Tasks

Arizona garden, desert gardening, Southwest garden, Vegetable Gardening, Wildflowers

Nurturing Your November Garden

Okay, correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t it October 1st just a few days ago? It’s hard to believe that November is already here. You know what that means – Christmas is just around the corner.

Last month was a busy one in the garden. While there are not as many tasks to be done in November, there are still a few things to do.

Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua)

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Planting Cold-Tolerant Beauties

Continue planting cold-tolerant trees, shrubs, and perennials. These include Angelita Daisy (Tetraneuris acaulis), Blue Bells (Eremophila hygrophana), Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), Pink Fairy Duster (Calliandra eriophylla), and Valentine Bush (Eremophila maculata). All of these plants do well in full sun in your November garden.

Wait until spring to tropical flowering plants such as Lantana, Bougainvillea, and Yellow Bells since these frost-tender young plants are more likely to suffer damage from winter temperatures.

Adding Winter-Ready Shrubs and Perennials

Plant Chaparral Sage and Mexican Honeysuckle in Your November Garden

Chaparral Sage (Salvia clevelandii)

Other shrubs to consider planting now include Chaparral Sage (Salvia clevelandii) and Mexican Honeysuckle (Justicia spicigera). Each of these do well in an area that receives filtered sun.

Mexican Honeysuckle (Justicia mexicana)

Mexican Honeysuckle is one of my favorites because it thrives in light shade, is frost-tolerant AND flowers much of the year.

Stunning Snapdragon Penstemon

Snapdragon Penstemon (Penstemon palmeri)

Perennials are a great way to add color to the landscape and Penstemons are some of my favorites. Parry’s and Firecracker Penstemons are seen in many beautiful landscapes, but there is another that I love. Snapdragon Penstemon (Penstemon palmeri) is not often seen but is stunning. It grows up to 4 ft. tall blooms in spring and its flowers are fragrant.

It’s not always easy to find but is well worth the effort. Use it in an area that gets some relief from the afternoon sun.

Fall’s Colorful Ornamental Grass & Wildflowers

‘Regal Mist’ (Muhlenbergia capillaris ‘Regal Mist’)

You may have seen this colorful ornamental grass blooming this fall. Pink Muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is a lovely green, ornamental grass in spring and summer. Once cooler temperatures arrive, it undergoes a magical transformation. Burgundy plumes appear in fall, turning this grass into a show-stopper.

‘Regal Mist’ in winter.

In winter, the burgundy plumes fade to an attractive wheat color.

There is still time to sow wildflower seed for a beautiful spring display. My favorites are California Poppies, California Blue Bells, and Red Flax.

Thriving Edible Garden in November

My edible garden is usually filled with delicious things to eat in fall.

Herbs for Winter Delights

Herbs are easy to grow and most will thrive throughout the winter. The one exception is Basil, which will die once temperatures dip below freezing. Harvest your basil before the first frost arrives. You can dry it and put it into spice jars or freeze it into ice cubes.

Vegetable Planting and Care

Thin vegetable seedlings. This is easiest to do using scissors and snipping them off at the soil line so that you don’t disturb the roots of the remaining seedlings.

Check your seed packet to determine how far apart the seedlings should be.

Many vegetables can be planted in November. Leafy greens like bok choy, lettuce, kale, mustard greens, and Swiss chard can be added. Sow carrots and radishes can also be planted in November.

I am so happy to be able to make salads from my own garden again instead of relying on a salad from a bag.

Last Chance for Garlic and More

If you haven’t done so yet, this is the last month to plant garlic in your garden. It is easy to grow, and I grab a few heads of garlic from the grocery store to plant.

Broccoli and cauliflower transplants can still be added to the garden this month. Onions, peas, and turnips can also be planted in November.

Adjusting Your Garden’s Watering Routine

If you haven’t already done so, adjust your irrigation schedule to water less frequently then you did in the summer months. More plants die from over-watering than under-watering, even in the desert Southwest.

I find that monthly gardening task lists keep me on track in the garden. This book is a great resource for Arizona gardeners:

*What will you be doing in your garden this month?

The Joy of Planting a Single Seed

Arizona garden, az plant lady family, Gardening With Kids, Vegetable Gardening

Learning about the natural world and how it works is one of the joys of being a child. I was reminded of this fact the other day with my grandson, Eric. He came over for a visit after preschool and was so excited to show me a science experiment that they had done in class.

Clutched in his little hand was a plastic baggie with a moistened paper towel and a sprouted seed. Oh, he was so proud of his little seed and he couldn’t wait to plant it in my vegetable garden.

Such a tiny seed…

Do you remember doing this in school? I do! And the joy of planting a single seed was just one of the ‘sparks’ that ignited my passion and career in gardening.

We selected the best spot in the garden.

Eric dug a little hole and we carefully Planting Seed.

Notice that the seed is located several inches away from a young bean plant. I did that on purpose, so if Eric’s little seedling doesn’t grow, he can ‘adopt’ the nearby bush bean.

Now, to pat down the soil.

Eric loves my little blue watering can

Watering in his little seedling.

Oh, I do hope that his little pea seed begins to grow. Eric has already spent a lot of time out in the garden with me and whether or not he follows in his grandma’s footsteps, he will always experience joy when spending time in the garden.

Have you ever successfully grown a seedling that you grew in school?

Toilet Paper Rolls and Vegetable Seeds…

Tour of My Spring Garden

Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Drought Tolerant, Flowering Annuals, Fruit Trees, Growing Fruit, Perennial, Product Review, Pruning, Shrubs, Succulent Gardening, Vegetable Gardening

Tour of My Spring Garden, Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatoni)

A Spring Garden Tour: Nature’s Pleasant Surprises

Have you ever noticed that spring has a way of surprising you in the garden? This is what I considered as I walked through my front landscape this week.

After spending a week visiting my daughter in cold, wintery Michigan, I was anxious to return home and see what effects that a week of warm temperatures had done – I wasn’t disappointed.

I want to take you on a tour of my spring garden. Are you ready?

Penstemon Parade (Penstemon parryi)

Parry’s Penstemon (Penstemon parryi)

Penstemons play a large part in late winter and spring interest in the desert landscape, and I look forward to their flowering spikes.

Echinopsis Hybrid ‘Ember’

Echinopsis hybrid ‘Ember’

One of the most dramatic blooms that grace my front garden are those of my Echinopsis hybrid cactuses. I have a variety of different types, each with their flower color. This year, ‘Ember’ was the first one to flower and there are several more buds on it.

Shrubby Germander’s (Teucrium fruiticans) Electric Blue Transformation

Shrubby Germander (Teucrium fruiticans)

Moving to the backyard, the gray-blue foliage of the shrubby germander is transformed by the electric blue shade of the flowers. This smaller shrub began blooming in the middle of winter and will through spring.

Red Powder Puff (Calliandra haematocephala)

This unique shrub was a purchase that I made several years ago at the Desert Botanical Garden‘s spring plant sale. If you are looking for unusual plants that aren’t often found at your local nursery, this is the place to go. This is a lush green, tropical shrub. It is related to the more common Baja Fairy Duster. Mostly it flowers in spring and has sizeable red puff-ball flowers. It does best in east-facing exposures.

Million Bells (Calibrachoa) in a Self-Watering Container

Million Bells (Calibrachoa)

I am trialing a new self-watering hanging container that was sent to me free of charge by H20 Labor Saver for my honest review. I must say that I am very impressed. Growing plants in hanging containers is difficult in the desert garden as they dry out very quickly. This is a self-watering container, which has a reservoir that you fill, allowing me to have to water it much less often.

In the container, I have Million Bells growing, which are like miniature petunias. They are cool-season annuals that grow fall, winter, and spring in the desert garden.

Resilient Yellow Bells on the Rebound

Yellow Bells recently pruned

Not all of my plants are flowering. My yellow bells shrubs have been pruned back severely, which I do every year, and are now growing again. This type of severe pruning keeps them lush and compact, and they will grow up to 6-feet tall within a few months.

Abundant Onions in the Vegetable Garden

Onions growing in my vegetable garden

This past fall, my daughters took over the vegetable garden. I must admit that it was fun to watch them decide what to grow. Guiding them in learning how to grow vegetables is a joy. Onions will soon be ready for harvest.

Meyer Lemon’s Blossoming Promise

Meyer Lemon blossom

My Meyer lemon tree hasn’t performed very well for me. In the four years since I first planted it, my Meyer lemon tree has been rather stingy with its fruit production. However, a recent revelation unveiled the root cause: insufficient watering. With this issue rectified, I’m absolutely thrilled to report that my Meyer lemon tree is now adorned with a profusion of blossoms. This promises an exciting abundance in the near future!

A Fragrant Welcome from Chocolate Flower (Berlandiera lyrata)

Chocolate Flower (Berlandiera lyrata)

Moving to the side garden, chocolate flower adds delicious fragrance at the entry to my cut flower garden. It does well in full sun and flowers off and on throughout the warm season.

Vibrant Verbena Blooms in the Cut Flower Garden

Verbena in bloom

In the cut flower garden, my roses are growing back from their severe winter pruning. The roses aren’t in bloom yet. But my California native verbena is. This is a plant that I bought at the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden.

Promising Young Peaches

Young peaches

I have some fruit trees growing in the side garden including peaches! I can just imagine how delicious these will taste. They will be ripe in May.

Apple Tree Blossoms: A Desert Delight

Apple tree blossoms

My apple trees are a few weeks behind the peaches. It surprises people that you can grow apple trees in the desert garden and they will ripen in June – apple pie, anyone? I love the flowers.

I hope that you have enjoyed this tour of my spring garden. All of these plants are bringing me joy.

*What is growing in your garden this spring that brings you joy?

Pumpkins Play a Big Part in My Garden

Arizona garden, DIY, Vegetable Gardening

Decorating with Pumpkins in Fall

Fall is my favorite season of the year. It stands to reason, pumpkins play a big part in both my garden, crafts, fall decor, and food!

A few years ago, I visited an Atlanta garden. This is where colorful pumpkins were scattered throughout the landscape, adding fun fall interest. This year, I added uncarved pumpkins in empty containers for added interest by my front entry. Next year, I will probably add more near the vegetable garden as well as other places.

My Pumpkin Growing Journey

My personal pumpkin growing experience has been rather lackluster. This is the only pumpkin that I’ve successfully grown. It was years ago and I’ve only made rather half-hearted attempts since then. I do have plans to plant some new ones in late April. This means that they will ripen in mid to late July. Then I will store them in a cool, dark, dry space until October.

Homemade Pumpkins in Fall Decor

On October 1st of every year, I bring out my homemade pumpkins, which I made over 6 years ago. They are made from beach balls and newspaper dipped into a flour paste. It was a fun project. I did it with my mother. I’m so happy that they are still a part of my fall decor years later.

Pumpkin-Themed Scarecrow Encounter

This past week, I was visiting my oldest daughter in northern Michigan. I try to do this at least three times a year. As we were walking in the small downtown district, we came upon this comical bank robber who was caught in the act of robbing the bank. I loved the ingenuity of those who created this scarecrow with a pumpkin head!

Feeding Birds with Leftover Pumpkins

Last year, once Thanksgiving was over, I sliced our remaining pumpkins in half . I placed them on the old picnic table in our side garden. The birds flocked to them. We had six different types of birds visit them regularly, eating the seeds and flesh inside. At one point, there were twelve Inca doves sitting inside of the largest half. I will be sure to do this again in a few weeks . It is so fun to watch the antics of the visiting birds.

Delicious Pumpkin Bread Recipe

To finish out my pumpkins post, I have to include a photo of my famous pumpkin bread that I make every year. This is my most-requested recipe from my friends and it is so easy to make and oh so delicious!!! The recipe is unique in that there are no eggs and the texture is so moist and perfect. It makes 6 small loaves, making it a great home-baked gift at the holidays. If you would like to make this delicious pumpkin bread, here is a link to the recipe along with its rather unusual origin story.

How do you like to use pumpkins in fall?

Texas Road Trip: Exploring the Green Spaces of the Magnolia Silos

AZ Plant Lady, Containers, Garden Travels, Road Trip, Vegetable Gardening

Exploring the Green Spaces of The Magnolia Silos

On a cold February morning, alongside my mother and sisters, I found myself at The Magnolia Silos. These are created and made famous by the much-loved hosts of HGTV’s ‘Fixer Upper’ program.

We were on a girls road trip through Texas. As fans of the show, The Silos in Waco were a must-see destination.

A Blend of Edibles and Ornamentals in Magnolia Silos Garden Containers

The day we arrived was brisk. We went straight to the bakery, which is well-known for its delicious cupcakes and pastries. My travel companions saved me a place in line. And I headed straight for the decorative window boxes along the front and side of the bakery.

fresh vegetable sin window boxes at the Magnolia Silos

Window Box Garden Delights

To be honest, I didn’t expect to see much in the way of greenery or gardens in winter. The lovely plantings underneath the windows pleasantly surprised me.

I mixed edible plants with ornamental ones, creating a blending of soft, complimentary shades that suited the cloudy day.

The rosemary pruned into little topiaries created the perfect backdrop for the white, ornamental kale.

The Joy of Cupcakes

There is almost always a line around the bakery. We were fortunate only to have to wait for 10 minutes before entering. In the meantime, someone handed us a bakery menu, allowing us to select what we wanted ahead of time.

I picked the ‘Shiplap’ cupcake. Because, where else was I ever going to have the opportunity to get one anywhere else? It was delicious!

Magnolia Love Inside and Out

A balanced diet is a cupcake in each hand

This sign within the bakery echoed the sentiments of all who entered. We all came out with a box of much-coveted cupcakes.

Once outside of the bakery, we headed for the main store. Four espaliered magnolia trees grace the left of the entrance.

The relatively empty facade can be deceiving; inside, it bustled with shoppers. Don’t be fooled by the appearance from the outside, as the interior was filled with eager shoppers.

Lavender Welcome

A grouping of lavender greeted us as we climbed the steps into the store.

I clutched my wallet tightly while I tried to figure out how much I had budgeted for shopping, and then I entered the store.

Cotton on stems drying and ready for purchase

decorations at the shop at Magnolia Silos

It was immediately evident that Joanna has a deep love for gardening and plants. Although all those inside the store were artificial greenery and flowers.

Garden Discoveries

Photo of the green waco truck with sisters

Back outdoors, my sister and I posed for a picture before we headed over to the garden area.

Exploring the Green Spaces of the Magnolia Silos

The garden is surrounded with beds filled with roses that had recently been cut back. Tulips are just beginning to emerge.

Beyond the green spaces of The Magnolia Silos, you can find The Magnolia Seed & Supply shop. It is filled with garden decor along with seeds available for purchase.

The Beauty of in the Green Spaces of The Magnolia Silos

Outdoor lettuce and collard greens growing in the garden

Raised beds are filled with leafy greens. I like the wooden branches used to support the frost cloth.

green spaces of The Magnolia Silos

To the side of the store was a little greenhouse with a planter full of gorgeous kale.

I must admit that I’ve never thought of kale as ‘gorgeous’ before, but it was in this case.

On our way out, we took a photo of the silos surrounded by families and kids playing on a large expanse of artificial turf. They were using old-fashioned lawn games provided.

A quick stop for a photo.

I hope you enjoyed exploring the green spaces of The Magnolia Silos with me. I certainly did!

The Green Spaces of Chicago

Winter Vegetable Garden

Arizona garden, Fertilizer, herb gardening, Southwest garden, Vegetable Gardening

Cultivating a Year-Round Vegetable Garden in the Desert Southwest

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Transforming Chaos into Order: Reviving My Vegetable Garden

A Peek into My Winter Vegetable Garden

One of the many blessings of living in the desert Southwest is the ability to grow vegetables out in the garden all year long. Today, I thought that I would give you a peek into my winter vegetable garden.

Maintaining the Garden with a Renovation

Over the past couple years, my vegetable garden had become slightly messy with a mixture of herbs, vegetables, and flowers growing in disorganized masses. Now, anyone who knows me will tell you that I am not a perfectionist – far from it. But, I realized that I am more likely to maintain and harvest my vegetables when they are neatly laid out in rows.

So in August, I ripped out everything from the garden except for a new Spanish lavender plant.

Vegetable Garden Soil Enrichment and Preparation

Amending the soil in the raised garden beds

Once September arrived, my husband helped me to replace a few of the wood sides that had gradually rotted. I was happy to note that they had lasted over five years.

We amended the soil with 2 parts of mushroom compost and 1 part aged steer manure. This was my first time using mushroom compost. I wish I could say that it was because I had read about how good it was, but the truth is that the store was out of my favorite brand of compost, and mushroom was what was available. So, we used it.

Blood and bone meal were then sprinkled to provide organic sources of nitrogen and phosphorus.

Efficient Irrigation for the Raised Beds

A new irrigation system was installed in the form of micro-soaker hoses. We bought a kit from our local big box store, which was easy to install.

Sowing Seeds and Bountiful Harvests

Now for the fun part, sowing seeds!

The folks at Botanical Interests provided me with seeds, free of charge, to try out in my garden. I’ve used their seed for years, and they have a large selection of flowers, herbs, and vegetable seed that is of the highest quality.

My favorite cool-season crops are leaf lettuce and kale. I’ve had great luck growing kale, with the same plants lasting for over two winter seasons.

The earliest crop that I’ve harvested were bush beans that I planted in September from seed. Botanical Interests suggested I grow ‘Jade’ and ‘Royal Burgundy’ varieties. Both were delicious, and I discovered that the purple color fades when roasted.

The Vegetable Garden is Thriving!

The mild winter has my basil thriving. A client gave me this unique variety of basil called, Mrs. Burns Lemon Basil. It is an heirloom variety, and it is growing beautifully.

Cauliflower in the Winter Vegetable Garden

Three-inch little heads of cauliflower are just beginning to form. For some reason, I don’t have much luck growing broccoli, but I do grow a mean cauliflower.

While I did reduce the number of flowers in the vegetable garden, I grew a brand-new variety of marigold from a seed called ‘Moonsong Marigold Deep Orange.’

My strawberry plants are beginning to flower and produce tiny fruits.

The Joy of Growing Your Own Vegetables

My avoidance of bagged salad greens is still in place as the garden is still producing plenty of leafy greens.

Finally, a peek into the future, with carrots growing vigorously.

Do you grow vegetables? I highly recommend it. Even with the busyness of life and the stresses that it brings, it just melts away as I take a few minutes to walk through the garden observing new growth, some welcome surprises, and most importantly, the delicious flavors that it adds to our favorite dishes.

Disclosure: I was provided seed from the folks at Botanical Interests free of charge for my use and honest opinion.

January in the Vegetable Garden

Four Days of Garden Gifts: Day 4 – Nature Kits for Kids

DIY, Gardening With Kids, Gift Ideas, Vegetable Gardening

The Best Garden Gifts for Kids

Christmas tree with disco ball ornaments and packages of garden gifts

We’ve reached the final day of our garden gift lists and today, it’s all about kids.

Cultivating Curiosity with Garden Gifts

Gifts with a garden theme aren’t just for adults; there is no better way to foster the curious spirit of children and lead them on a path of discovery about the natural world around them than the gift of a kid-sized kit with a garden theme. As a mom and grandma, I’ve enjoyed countless hours with young children as they learn about plants and insects. Here are some gift ideas for the young people in your life.

1. Root Viewer

Foster a love for vegetable gardening by showing kids what goes on beneath the soil. They plant a carrot, onion, and radish seeds and watch the roots develop at the same time that the leafy tops grow. Click here to learn more and purchase.

2. Butterfly Garden Gift

Join with your kids as you view the miracle of caterpillars transform into butterflies. All you need is inside this best-selling kit, except for the sugar water. I wrote about my experience of doing this with my kids. Needless to say, they loved it! Click here to order.

3. Grow N’ Glow Terrarium

Terrariums are fun for both adults and kids alike, allowing them to view a self-contained world. I like that this kit has all you need to make your own while learning about plants and how they grow. My 6-year-old granddaughter, Lily, asked for this for Christmas. Click here to order.

4. Mason Bee House

Imagine the delight of your kids when they see little mason bees making their home in this little bee house. Mason bees are important pollinators and don’t sting, making this a safe and fun gift. Click here to order.

5. Little Diggers Garden Gift Tool Set

Young children like to work alongside adults in the garden, so how about getting them their own set of kid-sized tools? Believe it or not, we bought this when my 32 and 23-year-old daughters were little, and they used them often. All of the tools lasted a long time. In fact, we still have the little shovel! Click here to order.

The right garden gift for a child can foster a lifelong love of gardening, and you can be the one to begin them on this journey.

This concludes my Four Days of Garden Gifts. If you missed any of them, here they are – Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3.

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