We’re chronicling every success, setback, and sprout—so you can grow smarter (and laugh a little).
Gardening isn’t always sunflowers and fresh tomatoes. Sometimes, it’s just watering, weeding, and wondering if anything’s even growing. In this post, I share what it’s really like to care for an urban backyard garden during the slow season—when the excitement fades and the waiting begins. From daily routines and mulching hacks to hard lessons in patience, this is how I keep showing up, even when nothing seems to be happening.
My first garden bed was lumpy, crooked, and honestly? A bit of a mess. But it worked. And along the way, I learned a valuable lesson about timing, frost, and why cabbage seedlings deserve more patience than I gave them. From soil mix mistakes to frostbitten cabbages, here are 5 real lessons I learned the hard way—so you don’t have to.
Before you toss a single seed into the soil, there are a few key steps every gardener should take to plan, prep, and protect their garden space. In this post, I’ll walk you through the 6 things I wish I had done before my first planting season—including choosing the right location, understanding your frost dates, and making sure you’re growing what actually works for your space and lifestyle.
I didn’t expect one flower to change how I grow food—but that’s exactly what happened. Tucked beside my tomatoes, a single marigold did more than add color—it reshaped my approach to gardening. In this beginner-friendly guide, I’ll break down the basics of companion planting, share how certain pairings can improve plant health, boost pollination, and keep pests in check, and show you how to build your own symbiotic garden—even if you’re just starting out.
This season I grew Black Beauty zucchini vertically for the first time in my backyard garden…and it changed everything. Vertical zucchini growing saves space, improves airflow, reduces pests, and makes harvesting easier. In this post, I share my beginner experience, setup, tips for starting seeds indoors, and why Black Beauty is the perfect variety for small gardens. If you’re new to zucchini gardening or want to maximize your harvest in limited space, this guide will help you get started.