Fall Gardens
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Don’t Give Up on Your Garden Yet: Why Late-Summer Gardening is the Hero of a Thriving Fall (and Beyond)
Before you write off your garden as a crisped-out wasteland, let’s talk about why this is the season to dig deep—literally and metaphorically.
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Native Plants: What They Are and Why You Should Grow Them
Native plants are species that have naturally evolved in a specific region over thousands (or millions) of years. Unlike exotic or non-native plants, they’re perfectly adapted to local soils, climates, and wildlife.
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Soil Health in the Cold Months: Boosting Soil Fertility with Cover Crops
Winter is often seen as the offseason for gardening, but here’s a little secret: the soil in your garden doesn’t hibernate. It works quietly under its frosty blanket, and you can help it along by planting winter cover crops. Cover crops act as the soil’s cozy winter sweater, protecting it from the harsh elements while keeping it nourished and happy for spring planting. Whether you’re a seasoned organic gardener or just getting your hands dirty, winter cover crops are a game-changer. Here’s everything you need to know about the unsung heroes of soil health. What Are Winter Cover Crops? Winter cover crops are plants grown during the offseason, not for…
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DIY Bug Hotels: Create a Cozy Haven for Beneficial Insects in Your Garden
When it comes to cultivating a healthy, thriving garden, it’s not just about plants. It’s about creating an ecosystem where all creatures—from the tiniest beetle to the mightiest bumblebee—can coexist and contribute.
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Seasonal Herbs for Holiday Cooking: Grow and Use Fresh Flavors in Your Kitchen
The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes the parade of feasts, family gatherings, and a whole lot of cooking. If you’re like me, you’ve probably found yourself elbow-deep in stuffing or hovering over a pot of gravy, wondering how to make it even better. The answer? Fresh herbs. Not only do they raise your dishes to gourmet status, but they can also be grown right in your kitchen—no matter the season. Let’s explore how to grow holiday staples like sage, thyme, rosemary, and mint indoors, and how these culinary powerhouses can transform your Thanksgiving and Christmas recipes into unforgettable meals. Why Fresh Herbs Are Holiday Heroes Dried…
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Simple Steps to Build An IMO (Indigenous Micro-organisms) Collection Box From Cedar Wood
Using untreated cedar wood, you can build a simple and effective IMO collection box that serves as the ideal home for beneficial microbes, allowing them to thrive before you introduce them into your garden.
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Prepping Your Soil for a Thriving Spring Garden: Winter Soil Prep with IMO
Ah, winter—the season for cozy sweaters, warm drinks, and, believe it or not, perfect timing for setting your garden up for a stellar spring. For all the gardeners out there, the quiet months of winter are actually buzzing with unseen activity just below the surface. Soil preparation in winter isn’t only about getting a head start; it’s about setting up a nourishing foundation that will let your spring plants flourish. Here’s a guide on how to prep your soil naturally, using Indigenous Microorganisms (IMO) and a few other winter soil tips to ensure you’re on the path to lush, thriving beds when the warmer months roll around. Important note: Depending…
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Leave the Leaves: Why You Should Skip Raking This Fall
As the air turns crisp and the leaves start to fall, it’s natural to think about dusting off the rake and tidying up the yard. But, contrary to popular belief, leaving fallen leaves on the ground can be one of the best things you can do for your garden and for the environment. While tidy lawns may have their appeal, the benefits of embracing a little natural messiness far outweigh the drive for a pristine yard. Here’s a breakdown of why you should skip the rake this fall—and let nature do the work for you. Wildlife Habitat: Leaves as Nature’s Shelter Leaves on the ground are so much more than…
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How to Start a Wildflower Meadow This Fall for Spring Blooms
When I moved into my new place, the very first thing I did for the garden—mostly because it was the quickest and easiest way to transform the barren ground—was to plant a wildflower meadow. I scattered the seeds in early October, taking less than an hour, and barely needed to do any maintenance throughout the fall thanks to the natural rainfall. Watching the meadow grow over the winter kept my spirits up, providing a gorgeous, green space even through the coldest days. By spring, it burst into full bloom and has only grown more lush and beautiful as time goes on. Planting wildflowers in the fall is one of the…
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Garlic in October: The Real Fall Favorite (Sorry, Pumpkin Spice)
Ah, October—the month where everything smells like cinnamon, cozy sweaters emerge from the depths of the closet, and pumpkin spice reigns supreme. But while everyone else is sipping their lattes and Instagramming their fall décor, we gardeners know the real star of the season: garlic. Why Plant Garlic in October? Planting garlic in the fall is like investing in your future—only without the complicated stock market lingo. When you plant in October, you give your garlic a head start. The cooler temperatures help the cloves settle in without the stress of summer heat, and the winter chill (don’t worry, garlic LOVES the cold) helps them develop strong root systems. Plus,…
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6 Easy Herbs To Grow For Your Winter Garden
As we cozy into the fall months and winter approaches, gardening is not always at the top of everyone’s mind. We tend to let things taper off this time of year, assuming that the season of planting is past, but this is not necessarily so! If you love the thought of preparing your Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts with fresh grown herbs, you’re in luck as many delicious staples will overwinter. Some herbs can be left to grow in the ground and others, with a little TLC, will thrive in an indoor kitchen garden until spring. Allow me to introduce a few of my favorite winter hardy culinary herbs that will…
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How To Keep Cats From Digging Up Your Garden
Cats: Friend or Foe in the Garden? For gardeners, cats can feel like a double-edged sword. On one hand, they’re cute, entertaining, and often helpful in controlling rodent populations. On the other, they can be notorious for digging up freshly planted seeds, marking their territory, and hunting small wildlife. When I started my micro-farm, I worried my two outdoor cats would wreak havoc before my garden even had a chance to thrive. After countless hours of Googling humane ways to deter them (spoiler: none of those methods worked), I realized I had to find my own solutions. With a bit of trial and error, I discovered some techniques that not…
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Our Top 10 Fall Garden Flowers, Crops and Herbs to Plant in September
September marks the sweet spot in the gardening calendar—a time when the summer heat begins to mellow, and the crisp promise of fall lingers in the air. For green thumbs, it’s an exciting opportunity to refresh garden beds and plant crops, flowers, and herbs that thrive in the cooler months. Whether you’re looking to add pops of seasonal color or grow hearty vegetables and aromatic herbs, we’ve rounded up our top 10 favorite picks to plant in September. Let’s dive in to the Top 10 Fall Garden Plants and get our hands dirty! 2. Broccoli (zones 5-9): Planting broccoli in the fall is a great way to get around the…
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Simple Steps To Prevent and Cure Powdery Mildew On Your Plants
Nothing is more frustrating than having your beautiful squash plants power through the pest dangers and heat threats of summer, make it out victorious into the cusp of fall, only to be struck down by powdery mildew brought on by the change of seasons. What Causes Powdery Mildew? These less-than-helpful fungi that float into your garden thrive on cool, humid nights that stimulate spore production, as well as dry days that allow the spores to spread – which is why end of summer, beginning of fall are the times where you see this threat spike. Fortunately, this disease doesn’t always mean the death of your plants if you take quick…
