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How to Improve Garden Soil

Needs some helpful tips to improve the garden soil for your vegetable garden or flower beds? I’ve got you covered! There are a few things home gardeners can do to help revive their soil which results in healthier plants and better harvests all around. Let’s get started!

Why improve garden soil?

Soil is the life blood of a garden, flower bed, or lawn. In fact, soil is actually a living thing with millions of organisms making their home in it. And since you need healthy, rich soil to grow just about anything, taking care of soil and improving it should be an aim of all gardeners.

This post may contain affiliate links, which simply means I may earn a commission off of links at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my site!

Here’s a good article all about what garden soil is and why it’s important! Don’t miss out on why you’re trying to improve your soil in the first place!

If your garden soil is less than productive and needs a little help, here are some tips to get you started. Late summer is a good time to start improvement to your soil, so let’s dive in and get you prepared to improve your growing potential. (See what I did there?)

Common types of soil

  • Rocky– Rocky soil is just as it sounds, soil characterized by a presence of rocks. Rocky soil can be problematic because it is difficult for the gardener to work the soil, often lacks nutrients, and doesn’t retain water well. It can be improved, but usually requires long-term attention and hard work.
  • Clay– Clay particles are extremely small and tend to clump together. The result is a soil that has very little pore space, meaning the spaces between the soil particles. The pore space is important to hold water and air, and make it available to a plants’ root system. As a result, clay soils typically contain low amounts of air, and water drains slowly through them. The positive side of clay soil is that it erodes less quickly than sand and has a high capacity of retaining water and nutrients.
  • Sandy– Sandy soil provides good aeration and drainage, but the pore space might be too large to hold water against the force of gravity, and therefore can be prone to drought. Though it is easy to work, and warms up quickly in the spring, sandy soil does not retain water and nutrients well for the plants to utilize.
  • Loamy– Loam is a term generally used to refer to a soil with a mixture of sand, silt, and clay particles. In a good loam soil, 40- 60 percent of the soil is pore space that is filled with either air or water.

Start with soil testing

Once you’ve identified what type of soil you’re working with, then most definitely have your soil tested. There are home testing kits available, but they won’t give you the results that the lab at your state university will. Most cooperative extension offices accept samples (usually for free) and have them sent off to the state lab.

Lab testing tells you the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in your soil, as well as the ph. These are important factors to consider when planting, since it can keep you from adding fertilizers and amendments your soil really doesn’t need. Search for your local cooperative extension office.

How to improve soil

Use mulch, etc.

Mulching around your plants with organic matter (meaning material that was once living, such as wood chips, pine straw, bark, leaves, etc.) has many benefits in improving your soil. The mulch layer helps retain moisture, regulates temperature, and deters weed growth. Another benefit is that over time the mulch decomposes and adds nutrients to the soil. That being said, it is a good idea to add a new layer of mulch annually.

You can use the organic matter from your own yard, and can usually get wood chips for free from a local arborist or county dump site. Disclaimer: Avoid dyed mulches, and many fall into the category. Here in the southeast, pinestraw is the mulch of choice for many reasons, but mainly because it’s abundant and is literally raked from the ground and placed into beds. Hear Mike McGrath’s explantion from You Bet Your Garden all about crummy mulches and how they can be harmful.

Avoid tilling and compaction 

Too much tillage can break down the natural structure of the soil, and be harmful to the beneficial microbes that live there. Will once a year tilling kill your soil? Probably not, but raised beds and no till gardening methods have been shown to be effective for growing and for soil preservation.

Compacting the soil reduces the available pore space between soil particles and causes a number of problems. Maybe you’ve experienced this trying to dig down into hard, compacted soil. How can you combat this? Try to avoid working with soil when wet, and use mulch or cover crops to protect the soil during the rainy season. (Here are some cover crop ideas!)

Add compost

Compost is a wonderful amendment to improve both the physical condition and the fertility of your soil. The organic matter in compost can bind soil particles together which makes clay soils easier to work. Other benefits are improved aeration, root penetration, and water infiltration. Compost can be made from your own kitchen scraps and yard waste which helps reduce the amount of trash going into our landfills. So learn how to compost and begin adding it to your soil to reap all the benefits!

three wooden bin compost system on green lawn

Add Vermicompost (aka worm poop)

Worm composting or worm castings is another great way to improve soil. It basically takes backyard composting to the next level by using earthworms (usually red wigglers) to help break down your kitchen scraps and newspaper and produce a “black gold” called vermicompost.

The microbes found in vermicompost can help protect seedlings and plants from disease, and make a fabulous, living soil amendment. For more info or to learn how to get started with worm composting check out this link from the NC State extension. Worm castings can also be purchased in bulk if you’d like to avoid making your own at home. No judgement!

Use Cover Crops (green manure)

As mentioned above, using a cover crop is another way to improve your soil naturally by adding organic matter. This method is easy and inexpensive because you simply plant a grass (annual ryegrass for example) or other crop in your garden after harvest time, and turn it under in early spring. If the crop grows tall, it is a good idea to mow it before you incorporate it back into the soil. (Can you imagine turning under three feet stalks?) Turn your cover crop under about 3 or 4 weeks before planting your garden in the spring.

cover crop of collards in wood raised bed garden
Our collard and arugula cover crop

Use Natural Amendments (plants that can improve soil)

Planting root crops such as longer daikon radishes or turnips can improve your soil by breaking up soil particles and creating spaces for air and water. Legumes are also great for amending soil since they fix their own nitrogen from the atmosphere. (How amazing is nature??) After your beans stop producing (or any plant in your garden for that matter) simply treat them as a green manure by cutting them into pieces and incorporating the plant back into the soil. (See my complete guide for growing beans.)

Soil FAQ’s

Can clay soil be changed/improved?

Unfortunately, no, but raised beds are a great idea. If you are determined to change your clay soil and have the patience, cover crops incorporated into the soil for several years may show some improvements. But, it might just be easier and more affordable to build some raised beds.

Can soil be tested at home?

Yes, though I prefer the lab test, but we can just reference a few sites here that have instructions: 

3 Simple DIY soil tests from the Old Farmer’s Almanac

DIY Soil Tests A Gardener’s Guide to Soil Testing (importance of testing and how to read soil testing done at the extension)

So fear not if your soil is not what you hoped it would be. There are plenty of ways to improve garden soil either by adding amendments, avoiding tilling, and planting valuable cover crops. I’d love to know if you’ve had success in improving soil and if so, share your garden wisdom in the comments below!

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How to Start a Garden Bonus

This is just a quick bonus lesson for those of you thinking about what type of garden you’d like to have. You’ve already chosen a spot for your garden in Lesson One, so now, exactly what kind of garden will you grow?

types of gardens

Watch my video below for some help on knowing what kind of garden may work best for your space and also your gardening goals:

Row Garden Pros and Cons

Row garden pros:

  • Less expensive to start (if your soil is good)
  • More space for larger crops
  • No construction needed

Row garden cons:

  • Weeds and grass easily creep in
  • Soil testing is necessary
  • Watch for compacting soil

Raised Bed Garden Pros and Cons

Raised bed garden pros:

  • Less weeding
  • Good drainage
  • Can be hip height for less bending over
  • Easy to freshen up soil
  • Great for root vegetables that need loose soil

Raised bed garden cons:

  • Cost of bed construction
  • Beds must be filled with soil
  • Smaller growing area
  • Garden beds may break down over time

Hopefully, this information will help you make an informed decision, and if you were simply considering a container garden, then I lump that in with the raised garden bed. The components are similar since you’d need to purchase soil and materials.

Here are some helpful instructions for those wanting to build their own raised bed:

DIY Raised Bed Garden

Simple Cedar Raised Bed Garden

DIY Self-watering Planter

Feel free to ask any questions you may have in the comments below! I’d love to know what type of garden you’ll be growing this year!

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How to Start a Garden: Plants and Seeds

As a beginner gardener, if you’re wondering when to use plants and when to use seeds, then you’re not alone! What are the benefits to using seeds in the garden? What are the benefits of plants? And are there drawbacks to plants and seeds?

Before you dive into this lesson, did you miss lesson one or lesson two? Be sure to catch up!

how to start a garden plants or seeds

I’ll cover all of these beginning gardener questions for you in my video below!

Seeds vs. Plants

Benefits of using seeds:

  • Less expensive
  • More for your money
  • Easy to find a greater variety of plants
  • Easy to have seeds shipped to your home
  • Can be saved and stored for years

Cons of using seeds:

  • Some varieties are difficult to germinate
  • Getting from seed to established plant can take a while
  • More supplies needed to begin seeds
  • When starting indoors, certain temperatures and conditions are needed

Benefits of using plants:

  • Plants are already established
  • In some cases, you can begin harvesting immediately
  • Easy to see what you’re getting

Cons of using plants:

  • More expensive than seeds
  • They may be diseased or have pests already on them (which could infect other plants in your garden)
  • Less variety available

Should you use plants or seeds?

The answer it, it depends. That’s such a classic gardener answer, but as I mentioned in the video, there will be some crops that you’ll have to use seeds. For example:

  • carrots
  • peas
  • beans
  • radishes

But there are plenty of other plants out there that can be grown either from seed or plant, and you’ll have to decide which method suits your gardening style best. If you want to be in control of what you grow and exactly how it’s grown from the beginning (and have time), then opt for seeds. If you are just trying out a small garden this year and aren’t confident, then use more plants than seeds.

There’s no right or wrong, except for the short list above. Feel free to leave any questions you may have below for about using plants or seeds. Our next lesson will be the final one, and it’s all about planting and watering!

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How to Save Basil Seed

Saving seeds is one of the easiest way to make your garden self-sufficient and to save money! Gardening can be an expensive if you’re not careful, so why not take advantage of all the free seeds that plants give off at the end of their season? Basil is one of the easiest plants to harvest seed from, and saving basil seeds will give you the ability to grow basil for years!

Why save basil seeds?

Basil seeds are so easy to save, that there’s really no good reason not to. They’re incredibly small, so storage isn’t an issue, and think of all the basil that you can grow from your very own seed. I like to think of my ancestors when it comes to saving seed. That’s what most of them did, not just to save money, but because seed companies and Amazon weren’t just dropping off packages on their doorstep in two days. Ha! Saving seed helps me to feel more self-sufficient, and that’s always a good thing. 

Basil seed can also be use not just for growing more basil, but there are health claims about consuming basil seed. I’m clearly not a doctor (and I’ve never played one on tv), but the Faddy Eater at the Guardian tried some popular methods of consuming basil seeds, and you can read his trials here. 

How to save basil seeds

There are two different ways to save basil seeds. The first involves letting your plants go to seed and dry out outside. This is easy for us to do since we live in the hot south. For this, I simply let our basil plants bolt (bloom) and once those blooms turn brown, I’ll harvest the seeds. To do this, I run my hand down the stem, collecting the seed heads. Then break them open to reveal the tiny black basil seeds inside. It’s very low-key and simple. (See the video at the bottom for how to do this.)

dried basil blooms on plant

You can also cut your long basil bloom stalks off and bring them indoors. Set them on a paper plate or a paper towel. Give them several days to a week to completely dry out on your counter or table. Once the blooms are dried, remove the seeds as mentioned above and store. I have a video below showing you how to remove the tiny black basil seeds for the flower heads. hand holding dried basil blooms and seed

How to store basil seeds

As with most seeds, basil seeds should be stored in a cool dry place. This usually means a paper envelope or small plastic container that seals well. If using plastic, be sure your seeds are completely dry before storing. Moisture will negatively affect your seeds, so also be sure your container is completely dry. 

If your basil plant has gone to seed and there’s still plenty of growing season left, then plant a second harvest of basil. Simply take those seeds from your bolted basil plants and sprinkle them in an area of the garden that’s ready for something new. Your basil plants should emerge within a few weeks. I’ve done this when we’ve had particularly hot summers, since excessive heat will cause basil to bloom more quickly. 

Fun Ideas for Basil Seeds

Other than planting, you can use basil seeds as a fun gift for friends and neighbors. Know someone who is getting married? Basil seeds in tiny sachets would make a delightful wedding favor! 

Want to keep track of your seed inventory? Grab my FREE Printable Seed Inventory Tracker; I hope it helps you out!

Other Basil Articles

Basil is one of the world's most popular herbs. Find out all you need to know about basil!

How to Root Basil from Cuttings

How to Dry Fresh Basil

How to Prune Basil for Larger Yields

Basil and Sage Butter (Compound Butter)

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How to Care for Azaleas

Azaleas are one of the all-time favorite spring flowering shrubs. An established azalea can live for decades and produce colorful blooms from late winter till early summer, depending on the variety planted. Learning how to care for azaleas is an important part of their success, so find out how to proper azalea care for your spring bloomers.  

How to Care for Azaleas

Hummingbirds, bees and butterflies are all attracted to the sweet nectar and pollen of the azalea. The evergreen shrub looks great in the landscape year around, though the 2 to 3 weeks of blooms each spring are definitely the highlight of growing azaleas. Use these planting and azalea care tips so you can enjoy the beauty of azaleas in your landscape. affiliate link policy

Where to Grow Azaleas 

Azaleas are understory plants, meaning they prefer to grow under taller shrubs and trees and/or along your home in flower beds. They will need a little shade from the afternoon sun, so if you can’t plant them under a taller plant, place them in a location where they will be shaded in the afternoon. We have most of our azaleas along the front of the house, where they receive good morning sun and are shaded from 1pm on. If you’ve never considered the parts of your yard that get the best sun for growing azaleas, then consider creating a Sun Map to help you assess your yard. It’s an easy way to know what areas of your yard receive the best sun for growing certain plants. 

blooming azalea bushes growing under trees

Best soil for Growing Azaleas

Azaleas also love acidic soil, and all species of conifer trees increase the acid level of soil. Under the shade of pine trees is the perfect location for a grouping of these flowering beauties.
But, any well-draining soil with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5 that is well shaded is an ideal location. Soil acidity can be raised with the addition of compost and/or pine straw. If you’re not sure what your soil pH is, then I recommend having a soil test done. This is a (usually) free service from your local cooperative extension office, and it will give you results on your soil pH, nitrogen, and phosphorus levels. This is invaluable to any gardener who is wondering about the best place to put plants and whether the soil is right for that plant. So be sure you have ideal soil Ph for growing azaleas.

Planting Azaleas

Azaleas have high-growing roots and will not tolerate being planted deeply. So beware to plant azaleas at the top of the root ball right at ground level and not lower. 
The planting hole should be shallow, but twice as wide as the original container.

Gently remove the shrub from the container. Loosen roots with your fingers and place in the center of the planting hole. Back-fill the planting hole with 50% original soil and 50% compost. Water well.
Space azaleas 3-4 feet apart as they can get quite large once they’re older and more established. How you plant your azaleas is one of the most important components of azalea care, since it will help determine your plant’s future success.

Mulch and Fertilize Azaleas

Azaleas must be kept mulched year around due to their shallow root system. A 3-inch layer of pine straw, hay, or other organic matter will keep roots cool, protected and moist. (Avoid mulch, since many are dyed and prohibit moisture from getting to the plants and roots beneath.)
The pine straw or organic matter will slowly decompose and add nutrients into the soil, but a little springtime feeding is also a good idea for azaleas. After the shrub has finished blooming, add a garden trowel of compost around the plant base and water well.

An acidic fertilizer specifically formulated for azaleas can be used instead, but good, rich compost is the best choice. My recommendation for an acidic fertilizer is Espoma’s Holly Tone; it’s great when you don’t have fresh compost on hand. 

Pruning Azaleas

Keeping azaleas pruned properly is an important part of healthy growth and maintaining an attractive shape. (See my full post on How to Prune Azaleas to see how we brought our 50 year old azaleas back to “life”.) Prune azaleas immediately after they have completed their blooming cycle, if needed. All azaleas set their blooms for next season right after they finish blooming this season. If you wait too long to prune, you will be cutting off next year’s blooms.

new azalea growth

Knowing how to care for azaleas will give you consistent blooms each year and a healthy plant overall. And healthy plants are much less susceptible to diseases and pests. Plants that are struggling to survive actually attract pests and have weakened defenses against disease. So, caring for azaleas by planting them in the proper location and soil type will give you the upper hand in having healthy shrubs. 

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Other posts to enjoy:

How to Prune Basil for Larger Yields

Plants that Repel Mosquitoes

How to Prune Hydrangeas

 

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How to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles

There’s no more disappointing feeling as a gardener to come outside to check on your plants, only to find them riddled with holes and suffering. And while there are many different types of garden pests out there, one of the most aggressive can be the Japanese beetle. These plant-loving bugs can devour a plant if given the opportunity. So what’s a gardener to do to learn how to get rid of Japanese beetles?

 

japanese beetles eating a leaf

How to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles

If you have ornamentals or vegetables in your yard or garden then chances are you have experienced the wrath of the Japanese beetle. I distinctly remember growing up and going to a friends house to play. Hanging in her backyard was this hourglass-shaped bag hanging on a stick that would occasionally move. We would scream because of course that’s what girls do. I knew there were bugs in that bag, but that’s as far as my nerve would let me get.

Now as a gardener, I easily recognize a Japanese beetle trap. Japanese beetles originated in Japan, and like other things, made their way to New Jersey in 1916. Now, they’re pervasive all across the United States. They can be a highly invasive species that loves ornamental plants and certain types of vegetables. Understanding these invaders is a good start to getting rid of them, all without chemical pesticides. (Interested in a complete guide of Natural Pest Control for the Home Garden? Click here.)

The Life Cycle of Japanese Beetles

To learn how to get rid of Japanese beetles, you have to first understand how they live. Once you begin to see them on your precious roses the truth is they have already been around for a while. In fact, Japanese beetle larva over winters in the ground. (They look a lot like grubs.) In the summer, as the weather begins to warm, they slowly make their way up to the surface and emerge early to mid summer. And your plants and flowers are ripe for the eating. (photo credit: David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org)

japanese beetle grub

 

Japanese beetles can inflict double-damage. The larvae can feed on the roots of plants beneath the ground, and once the beetles emerge, they can devour leaves and fruit in no time. In fact, Japanese beetles can simply leave skeletons of leaves after they’re finished snacking. So now that you know that Japanese beetles can be year-long pests, what can you do to take care of this problem without covering your yard with harsh chemicals and pesticides?

Natural Pest Control for Japanese Beetles

As with all natural pest control methods, keeping your Japanese beetle population in check is a multi-step process. In my Master Gardener class, we learned that all pest control is referred to as Integration Pest Management. It’s virtually impossible to rid your yard of certain pests entirely, but you can manage them. Since adult female Japanese beetles do lay eggs in your yard or flower bed for next year’s generation, you want to prevent them from making it that far. If you can help eliminate them before they have a chance to repeat the cycle then your next season will be that much easier. So what are some ways you can do this?

When you begin to see the Japanese beetles on your plants and flowers, apply Neem oil spray. Neem oil is a natural product from the neem tree, and if you can spray the bugs early enough, you can prevent them from being able to complete their life cycle and go into the ground. The bugs must come in contact with the neem oil. (Wondering about other uses for Neem oil in the garden? Check out my post here:) uses for neem oil

Another technique that you can use to try to get rid of Japanese beetles is to use companion plants to repel them. Never underestimate the power of companion planting. Several plants that seem to repel Japanese beetles are catnip, garlic, garlic chives, and chives. In our front flower bed where we have several rosebushes, I actually planted onions and garlic this fall. It was more of an edible landscape plan than a pest control plan, but it has worked double duty. We haven’t had any issues with Japanese beetles so far, and the garlic growing in the front flower bed actually looks attractive. Chives are a beautiful herb to grow, and it’s a bonus that they repel multiple varieties of pests. They blossom with a beautiful purple blooms that would complement any shade of rose. So consider these companion plants as a method of preventing Japanese beetles. 

Another method you could implement is hand picking the beetles. This is time-consuming, but virtually guarantees the beetles are unable to lay eggs in the ground. Keep a bucket of soapy water nearby, put on your garden gloves, and simply pick up the beetles and drop them in the soapy water. This definitely prevents them from being able to reproduce and go back into the ground.

What about those hanging beetle bags?

And what about those beetle bags that I remember from my childhood? Are they a good technique for getting rid of japanese beetles? Well, it seems that trapping those beetles in a bag does stop their life cycle, but unfortunately, it also can draw more Japanese beetles to your yard. This is surely not what you want. So I suggest leaving the bag at the store and instead of grabbing that bottle of Neem oil and a good pair of garden gloves. 

Japanese beetle bag from spectracide

But if time is limited and you’re overrun with Japanese beetles, there’s no shame in using a bag to help get a head start on next year. You can snag one from your local hardware store or from Amazon and call it done. There are several varieties out there, so choose what’s best for you. 

Natural Pest Control for the Home Garden

Are you interested in other ways to keep garden pests away without the use of harsh chemicals? My complete guide Natural Pest Control for the Home Garden has tips, prevention, and natural pesticides to help you have a thriving garden while still protecting your backyard ecosystem.  I love the fact that there are so many options available to gardeners to help us control pests and can do so in a way that doesn’t hurt pollinators, our soil, and other animals that are a benefit in the garden. 

I’d love to know if you’ve used a different method to deal with Japanese beetles in the garden. Have a great weekend and happy gardening!

Need More Gardening Info:

How to Start a Raised Bed Garden

How to Make a Sun Map

5 Tips for Growing Tomatoes

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How to Attract Pollinators to the Garden

Do you remember the days of being afraid of bees (you may still be if you’re allergic) or thinking they were inconvenient pests? Whether you’ve just started gardening or have been digging in the dirt for years, then you probably understand the importance of those buzzing bees and other pollinators. Pollinators are incredibly important for any garden, no matter if you’re growing vegetables, flowers, fruits, or herbs. These powerful insects and birds can make or break your harvest, so what’s a gardener to do to attract pollinators to the garden?

black and orange butterfly on orange zinnia

Pollinators are vital to the production of foods and flowers. Without bees, birds and other insects visiting plant blooms and spreading pollen among the plants, our food sources would severely dwindle. And while hand pollination is certainly an option for some fruits and veggies, attracting pollinators to the garden is the easiest (and most beautiful) way to see nature produce its best. affiliate link policy

Attracting pollinators to your vegetable garden is an easy way to keep plants producing and the pollinator community thriving. It’s definitely a mutually beneficial relationship! All you need to do is plant a few specific plants that pollinators can’t resist. For me, this would be chocolate, but for pollinators, think beautiful blooms and berries!

How to Attract Pollinators to the Garden

Bring on the bees of all varieties, birds, and butterflies, too. These hard working garden helpers will be drawn to your garden space if you help to provide them with valuable food sources. This looks different at different times of year, so let’s dive into food for pollinators. 

Year Around Food Source

Pollinators need to eat year around, so by having an attractive meal growing in your garden year-round the bees and birds will come.

An available year-round food source will also encourage pollinators to stay in your area and have families of their own. What food sources would be considered year-round? Part of this depends on the zone you’re gardening in. While cut flowers and blooms usually have a season and then they’re spent, consider a hedgerow of native plants that produce food for your pollinators. This may include berry producing shrubs or low trees that bloom at varying times. Not only will a hedgerow with food for pollinators serve as a food source, but some varieties of birds may even take up residence. If you’re a bird-watcher, then this is a win-win. Check out the American Horticulture Society’s information on creating a hedgerow for your local pollinators. You can also reach out to your local cooperative extension office to help develop a plan for bushes and shrubs that will feed your local garden pollinators year-round. 

Spring Food Sources for Pollinators

Crocus are one of the first food sources to show up in the spring and can provide a nectar-rich meal while snow is still on the ground. Plant crocus, snowdrop, and forsythia to attract pollinators to your landscape, and give you a break from a bleak winter landscape. Once pollinators arrive, they will hang around and see what else is on the menu. Have other bulbs planted in succession to provide an ongoing spring feast. Think of daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips as well.

purple crocus with ladybug on petal

All fruit trees that bloom in the spring are an irresistible attraction for pollinators. Plant a couple apple, pear, peach or plum trees in your garden to increase food production, landscape beauty and feed the pollinators. Smaller fruit bushes, such as blueberry are also perfect for feeding your pollinators. Our blueberry bush, which is currently blooming (it’s late March here), has a constant buzz around it from all of the bees getting to work on pollinating. I love that sound! 

Summer Food Sources for Pollinators

It’s summer, and that means vegetable gardening! Attract pollinators to your vegetable garden by growing plants that have yellow blooms. This seems to be the favorite bloom color of bees and many other pollinators. You’ll probably notice that you’re also drawn to the bright yellow blooms when you look at your garden. 

Tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and melons all produce nectar-rich yellow blooms and will attract various pollinators that will dart in and out of each bloom.

Increase the yellow bloom color by planting marigolds in the vegetable garden. These fragrant flowers attract pollinators to the garden while repelling harmful garden pests such as nematodes. Zinnias also come in a variety of colors and are a favorite of butterflies in our garden. And since they offer blooms with height, they’re a great vertical addition to your garden space. orange and yellow zinnias

Fall Food Sources for Pollinators

Nectar producing plants are winding down as fall begins, and the pollinator’s food source is dwindling. Allow some of the basil you planted during the summer to go to seed and produce nectar-rich blooms to keep pollinators in your garden. While the flavor of basil after it blooms isn’t quite as good, I still find that I can dry many of the leaves later in the fall and use them in the winter months.

white flowers on a basil plant
Flowering basil plant

Sweet alyssum is a flower that produces white blooms in the fall and will provide a good meal for hungry pollinators. Pineapple sage will also produce beautiful red blooms in the fall that could give you quite a few hummingbird visitors, and if you have some space in your yard for goldenrod, then this incredible yellow blooms will draw the pollinators in. (It’s the yellow color, right?)

Winter Food Sources for Pollinators

Grow a few plants in your garden that will be a winter food source for pollinators in your area. By attracting pollinators to your garden in winter with a free meal, they will stay around until spring and help your garden grow. The plants will also enhance the appearance of your winter landscape.

These winter food sources for pollinators may include Japanese camellias, winter jasmine, or Chinese witch hazel to provide a fresh meal for birds and bees. Seed heads from summer flowers are also a good winter food source for pollinating birds. So don’t worry about cleaning up all of your spent plants from the summer and fall. Leave some for your neighborhood pollinators, and your yard and garden will reap the benefits of a pollinator-friendly environment.

how to prune camellias

Avoiding Chemical Pesticides

Did you know that went sprays and other “pest control” measures are used in the garden, pests aren’t the only ones who suffer? Pollinators can also be affected by these chemicals, and our gardens so desperately need pollinators. So, what’s a gardener to do? Natural pest control methods are another way we can encourage more pollinators in the garden. For a home gardener’s guide to natural pest control, check out my newest book. It’s a wonderful and easy-to-use resource for preventing, treating, and getting rid of garden pests without the use of harsh chemicals and poisons. Protect the pollinators!

natural pest control ebook in the garden

I’d love to know what you grow to encourage pollinators to visit your yard and garden. I know these suggestions will vary by zone, but I find that we gardeners can learn so much from each other, so please share by commenting below. Have a great week and happy gardening!

 

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How to Root Basil from Cuttings

how to root basil

Free plants!! If you’re a gardener or a plant lover, then the offer of free plants is something you can’t turn down very easily. I’ll be honest. I can’t usually turn down the offer of reduced price plants either. I always think I can make them bloom again or nurse them back to health. This doesn’t always work out (the poor clearance lime tree could attest to this if it was still alive.) However, free plants, as in those from cuttings, are a fantastic way to increase your harvest! 

Why Root Basil?

You could simply let your basil plant grow, enjoying the fresh leaves in your summer dishes. But why not share the love with others and create more plants for your own garden space? And if you’re pruning your basil plants, which will give you a more abundant harvest, then you already have the perfect cuttings for rooting. So rooting basil from cuttings gives you a way to use those cuttings if you aren’t planning to use the pruned off pieces in a recipe immediately. affiliate link policy

The Process of Rooting

Recently, my master gardener class had an entire lesson on the topic of propagation, which is what rooting is technically called. Propagation means the process of growing new plants and this can be from a variety of sources, including cuttings, seeds, or other plant parts. For propagating basil, all that’s needed is a basil stem with enough length to be able to submerge in water, without the leaves getting wet. And when you use one part of plant to create a new plant, you’re guaranteed that the plant will be exactly like the parent plant. 

While that may seem obvious, in some hybrid plants, seeds that are saved from the plant to be used the next year will not necessarily have the same traits as the parent plant. So, if you like the variety of basil you’re growing, snip off a bit and get to rooting!

 


 

How to Root Basil

  1. Begin by using a well developed basil plant. If your basil plant is large enough to prune, then it’s large enough to take cuttings for rooting. You’ll want to take a cutting that has a good stem length on it. basil cut
  2. Take your cutting and place it in a jar of clean water. I usually only fill the jar up enough so it’s covering the bottom 1/2 inch of stem. 
  3. Keep your stem submerged for 5-7 days, replacing water every other day to keep it fresh. You should begin to see small roots forming after just a few days.how to root basil
  4. Once the roots have reached 2 inches long, you can remove them from the jar of water and plant them in moist potting soil, or take them as they are to a friend! 

Rooting basil is a simple garden task that can yield fantastic rewards for both you and your gardening friends and neighbors. It’s also an easy way to get into plant propagation. Even if you’ve had difficulty propagating plants from seed, trying rooting will give you success and perhaps a confidence boost. I think rooting this way is much easier than starting seeds at home! 

And rooting basil (or other plants) this way is a fun project to do with kids. It could even lend itself toward a science fair project if you have a child who is at that age. Perhaps consider rooting in water versus moist potting soil (there are some plants that actually do better going straight into soil). Or add a little rooting powder to one and not another. The possibilities are endless!

I’d love to know if you’ve rooted plants in the past, and what has worked well for you! Comment below and let me know if there’s something I should be trying out. Have a great week!

 

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5 Tips for Growing Tomatoes

.tips for growing tomatoes

Need some tips for growing tomatoes? I’ve got you (and your garden) covered!

Chances are if you’ve ever grown a garden, whether a traditional in-ground row garden, raised garden bed, or patio garden then you have tried to grow tomatoes. They seem to be a garden staple and for good reason. What other fruit can give you a juicy, red, plump tasty fruits in the span of one summer? Many kinds of fruit trees take years to produce, but the humble tomato, which is a staple in our summer kitchen for thick sliced tomato sandwiches with Duke’s Mayonnaise, are easy to grow in a span of months. But they can also be one of the biggest heartaches of the summer garden. affiliate link policy

Tips for Growing Tomatoes

So, to save you from the fate of having beautiful plants and no fruit, or a lackluster plant with some fruit, here are my suggestions for how to get the best bang-for-your-buck when it comes to tomatoes. I have grown numerous varieties over the years, and tomatoes were a recent topic of discussion in my master gardener class. There have been great successes and great failures by all, so know that this these tips I’m about to share with you have been tested and tried by not only myself but other die-hard tomato gardeners like myself. Now, on to the tips.

Tip 1: Variety is Key

Choose your variety well. In plain English this means if you can start your tomatoes from seeds you choose yourself, then do it. The varieties of tomato you are able to purchase at your local hardware store or big-box store are going to be severely limited. There’s a chance you may be able to snag some quality varieties if you go to your local Cooperative Extension plant sale. However, choosing your own seeds and beginning them at home from a reputable seed company such as Baker Creek seed or Southern Exposure Seed Exchange will be your best bet for getting exactly the kind of tomato that works well for your garden.

Last year I discovered my tomato plants twisting and wilting. After some research I discovered that my plans were infected with fusarium wilt. As devastating as this may sound, I also learned at the same time that there are certain varieties of tomato seed I can purchase that are resistant to this particular disease. So guess what I’ll be buying this year?

Purchasing your own seed gives you the ability to choose the type of tomato you want. This isn’t just for disease resistance but also size, shape, and color. If you have super aggressive squirrels that love your big beefsteak tomatoes, then maybe you’re better off growing something smaller that you can harvest sooner and beat the squirrels to them.  Maybe you’re interested in having a determinate tomato, which grows for a set number of weeks and then it’s done. This is perfect if you like to take vacation in the summer and aren’t home to water your plants. A determinate tomato grown when you know you’ll be home is perfect for you. And determinate varieities can be quite hard to find at the hardware store, so ordering your own seed is a great way to get exactly the type of tomatoes that you need.

Tip 2: Plant Them Well

This means planting tomatoes in rich soil and also planting them with the roots to the side. Be sure your soil has compost and is well draining. My DIY potting soil is perfect for containers or raised beds of tomatoes. As far as roots pointing to the side, this was something that my dad always did in his garden. I continued to do it because that’s the way I had been taught. I had no idea why. But it turns out turning the roots to the side when you place your tomato in the soil is logical. Tomatoes are a vine, and if grown in the wild, they would trail along the ground, not grow straight up as we have trained them to do. They can also be planted quite deep, only an inch or two below the lowest set of leaves. So plant tomatoes well for a good start to the rest of the growing season. (See my video snippet below. This was before I knew the science behind planting with roots to the side.)

Tip 3: Prune Your Tomatoes

Pruning your tomato plants initially allows them to focus on fruit production instead of getting bigger and bushier. I have a whole tutorial on how to prune your tomato plants.  For determinate type tomatoes, you only need to prune the lower limbs, and then you can leave the plant alone to produce fruit. For indeterminate tomatoes, continually prune all season long, taking off suckers (rooting them for new plants), and trying to keep their size in check. Pruning these larger indeterminate types also helps for air flow to your plants and makes it easier to check for pests. Nobody has time for pests in the tomato bush. And be sure to use a good set of pruning shears or a sharp knife for pruning. 

Tip 4: Water Consistently

If you have an irrigation system setup in your garden, then you’re probably good to go. But if you’re like me with no irrigation system and a reliance on hand-watering and good old mother nature, then there are a few rules you need to abide by. First is when you water your tomatoes, don’t wet the leaves. Water right down at the base of the plant so the water can get to those roots and not sit on the leaves of your tomato plant. You also want to avoid giving your plants excessive amounts of water and then letting them try out completely. This will contribute to your tomatoes splitting. Splitting tomatoes not only look unpleasant, but they can leave your tomatoes susceptible to pests. So be consistent in your watering and keep it contained to the bottom of the plant. Clearly the exception is rain… mother nature sends water where she wants, and that includes the leaves of your tomato plants.

tips for growing tomatoes

Tip 5: Stake ‘Em

At your home and garden centers, you’ll see tomato cages in abundance. However, if you’re growing indeterminate-type tomatoes, then you may quickly discover that your tomatoes outgrow these cages quickly. For the past five or six seasons, I’ve been using long, 8-foot poles to support my tomato plants. These poles are driven into the ground near the plant. As it grows, the main trunk line of the tomato plant is then gently tied to the pole.

This serves two purposes. The first is you’re forced to prune your tomato plants so that there is only one trunk line, which is a good idea. Secondly, your plant has more room to grow up on this pole than a cage can provide. Remember that tomatoes are vines, so they will get tall (unless they’re determinate). It is possible to grow tomato plants that are 10-15 feet tall, and if you have the space and a ladder, great. But once your tomato plants reach the top of your pole, you can allow them to gently bend and start growing down toward the ground. A pole simply gives you more vertical space to grow your juicy tomatoes. 

tips for growing tomatoes

 

So as you embark upon your tomato growing season, I wish you all the luck and success! Whether you’re growing cherry tomatoes perfect for salads and/or large fruits for all those tomato sandwiches, with Duke’s Mayonnaise of course, these tips will help you be fruitful (pun intended). As for what I’ll be growing this year, I’ll be sticking with Jelly Bean tomatoes which have performed well for me over the last three or four years. I’ll also be picking up some Marglobe determinate tomatoes to see how they perform in pots on my patio. And I’m also using a Homestead which should be perfect for those tomato sandwiches. Let me know what you’ll be growing in the comments below! Happy Gardening!

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How to Grow Potatoes at Home

Learning how to grow potatoes in your backyard vegetable garden is easy and a huge asset to the garden. Potatoes can be simple to store for use for months, and they’re not complicated to grow. This post for learning how to grow potatoes are home applies to almost all types of potatoes, except sweet potatoes. They’re a bit different, and should be grown starting in late summer. 

how to grow potatoes

Why grow potatoes?

Potatoes, taters, spuds, tots… well, maybe not that last one. Knowing how to grow potatoes in your backyard garden is one of the first lessons I learned as a gardener. And since potatoes are easy to grow and require no complicated trellises or indoor seed starting, they’re the perfect crop for beginner gardeners. Potatoes can also be stored after harvest in a cool and dry place for use months afterwards. There aren’t many garden vegetables that can boast that easy kind of storage. affiliate link policy

How to Grow Potatoes

Potatoes are easy to grow in a home garden and one plant will produce a multitude of potatoes. (Take it from me, I know.) All varieties of spuds are easy to grow and can be grown in containers or raised beds. Here are some tips to help you know how to grow potatoes. Follow these and you’re almost guaranteed an abundant harvest this year!

Where to grow potatoes

This isn’t just for realtors, y’all. While the actual potatoes grow beneath the soil, there is a green plant (a vine for sweet potatoes) that grows above the soil which needs plenty of sunlight. Select a location that is in full sun (6+ hours per day) for best results. Not sure which areas of your yard get the best sun? Try making a Sun Map of your yard, and you’ll always know the best place to grow full sun, low sun, and shade loving plants. 

Growing potatoes in containers

Potatoes can be successfully grown in traditional in-ground gardens, in buckets, stacks of tires (though I have reservations about what’s in those tires), special grow bags, barrels, raised beds, or any type of container that can hold soil and is at least 1 foot deep. Get creative when you consider how to grow potatoes. For the past several years, I have grown mine in containers instead of directly in my raised beds. This saves me space in the raised beds for plants that don’t do as well in containers.  In fact, there are special bags just for growing potatoes, so they can be harvested as the plant grows. Amazing! I haven’t tried them yet, but my neighbor has enjoyed using grow bags for her tomato plants. If you’ve used them, comment below and let me know what you thought about them. potato grow bag

Starting potato plants

Seed Potatoes

The type of potatoes you use for planting are called seed potatoes. While I have had some friends who have had success using potatoes from their grocery store bagged variety, I like to head to our downtown hardware store and see the different varieties available there. Some varieties purchased at your local grocery store have been treated with growth retardant to prevent them from sprouting. (If you want to try those from the grocery store, stick with an organic variety, since they shouldn’t have been treated.) For your other seed potatoes, start with organic, certified disease-free seed potatoes purchased from a garden supply center or seed catalog. Southern Exposure Seed Exchange is one of my favorite places to purchase seeds, and they have a great variety!

how to grow potatoes

How to cut and cure potatoes

Seed potatoes need to be cut and dried prior to planting. When you pick out your seed potatoes, choose the ones that have the most eyes. Eyes equal plants. Cut large tubers into 3-4 pieces, making sure each piece has at least 1 ‘eye’ (sprout).  Any tubers that are smaller than a golf ball can be left whole.

Place cut pieces in a single layer in the sun so they can cure. Or if the weather isn’t cooperating, leave cut potatoes on a paper towel on your kitchen counter for a few days. The cut sides develop a hard covering called a ‘callous’ during the curing process and will prevent the seed tuber from rotting after planting. This is important. Nobody has time for rotting tubers in the ground, am I right?

Preparing soil for potatoes

Potatoes grow best in loose, well-draining soil. A mixture of 50 percent soil and 50 percent compost is ideal to provide drainage, nutrition, and prevent soil compaction for growing spuds. My DIY Potting soil is perfect for in-ground gardens, raised beds, or any type of container you may be using. The potatoes need the loose soil for growing those new spuds!

How to plant potatoes

Plant potatoes 3 weeks prior to last predicted frost date for your area. Potatoes need a bit of cool weather to grow well, since they don’t produce as well in the sweltering days of summer. To plant your potatoes, dig a hole 6 inches deep and place 1 seed potato cut side down (eyes facing upward) into hole. Gently cover tuber and water well. Space planting holes 2 feet apart. If you’re working with a container, don’t fill it all the way up. Instead make sure your container has 6-8 inches of space at the top after the tuber has been planted. This will give you room to “hill” your potato plant as it grows. You can also make potato towers, like Garden Know How, for a larger harvest. 

Hilling potatoes

Developing spuds must be protected from sunlight and ‘hilling’ accomplishes this and promotes a larger harvest. When the plant is 8 inches tall, create a 4 inch hill around it by raking loose soil around it. You can also top that off with 2 inches of straw or leaves. It’s important to hill to protect those topmost potatoes from  being exposed to sunlight. If you’ve ever seen green potatoes, then those are spuds that broke through and were exposed to sunlight too soon. Don’t eat green potatoes. 

Repeat the hilling process again when plant grows another 8 inches.

How to harvest potatoes

Small, new potatoes can be harvested when the plant flowers. To dig up the plant and potatoes in one large harvest, wait until plants die for large, mature potatoes. Harvesting new potatoes is a great way to enjoy some of your labor while the plant is still growing. My grandmother would always do this so we could have some new potatoes in with a pot of fresh green beans. Delicious!

How to store potatoes

For storing long term, allow your potato plants to completely die back before digging up the spuds. It’s totally fine to dig up some of the potatoes to eat before this point though. Once your plants have died back and the taters are all out of the ground, lay them out to dry out the skins. 

For long term storage, the potatoes will need to be cured. This requires a few weeks in a dark, moderate temperature environment (65 degrees), with higher humidity if possible. We place our potatoes in paper bags for this process as well. The curing should thicken up the skins so the potatoes will store for a longer period of time. After a few weeks in the dark, humid environment, potatoes should be ready for long term storage in a cool, dark place. 

Thicker skinned varieties of potatoes, such as russets, will be able to store for longer than thinned skinned varieties like red potatoes. So if you’re looking for long term storage, select a hardier variety. 

Common Pests of potatoes

The Colorado potato beetle is one of the most common pests that likes to destroy your potato plants. They arrive in the summer and lay yellow eggs on the underside of leaves of your potato plants. The striped backs of adults give them a very distinctive look, so be on the look out. 

colorado potato beetle

How to handle potato beetles:

  • For small gardens, seek and destroy is the best option. If you see a beetle, pick it up and put it in a jar of soapy water. Use a wet cloth to wipe the eggs off of the backs of leaves. 
  • Be sure to check the backs of all leaves. A female can lay an enormous amount of eggs in her lifetime… who has time for that?! 
  • Use Bacillus thuringiensis var. tenebrionis (BT), a naturally occurring bacterial disease. This will only be effective for the young larvae, not adult bugs. It’s the same spray I use to keep cabbage worms from destroying my brassicas. 
  • Check out my book Natural Pest Control for the Home Garden for a complete guide on how to handle pests in the garden without harsh pesticides. 

And that’s it! All you need to know from start to harvest on how to grow potatoes. I can’t wait to see what kind of harvest you will yield and what type of potatoes are your favorites! Share below and tips you have and happy gardening!

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