Gardening Guides & Tips
A Native Garden Designed for Pollinators
Bring on the pollinators! Six years of gardening in this space and we FINALLY got around to this empty patch of grass in our backyard. For the last few years I've been interested in CA native plants, so when the opportunity came to create a new garden space in our...
How to Test Seed Viability & Germinate Seeds Quickly
It's seed starting season! What an exciting time of year for gardeners! Today I'm going to share a quick and easy way to kickstart the germination process using a paper towel or coffee filter. This is also a simple test for seed viability if you aren't sure your seeds...
Tips For Creating a Garden Crop Plan & Layout
How do you decide where to plant your crops? Each year I seem to come away from the past season with a new idea for a garden layout or a specific combination that I didn't like very much and don't wish to repeat. The beauty of this process is that each season gives us...
Watering & Irrigation Basics ~ Insights From our Garden
How do I water my vegetable garden? This question fills my inbox frequently and I've always planned to write up how we have tackled watering our backyard homestead but never sat down to summarize this incredibly involved topic. I hope this rambling guide gives you...
DIY Fabric Garden Covers
From the very beginning of my gardening journey, I'd managed to need very few tools or supplies to grow. I'm typically a "use what you have" gardener, but I'm always grateful for the tools that I do purchase that make my life easier. These DIY garden covers are simply...
Cold Hardy Annual Herbs for Southern California
It's January, and the "cool season" isn't over yet here in Southern California. There are many herbs that prefer to be grown October-March in climates that stay mild through the Winter, so I thought I'd share some of the herbs are growing in my Winter garden right now...
The Easiest Way to Grow Celery + Have a Steady Supply
How many of you use celery all the time? We do! While I tend to not eat celery on its own, I use it year-round for soups, stir fries, stews, stuffing, chicken salads, and more. Celery is one of those vegetables that I never really think about, but then realize that it...
Let’s Talk Mulch! Mulching a Backyard Vegetable Garden
I'm excited to talk about mulch! Ah the life and interests of a gardener! Much like the earthy smell of compost and the sight of a freshly dug, soil-covered carrot, mulching my garden brings so much satisfaction. Read on for all the reasons your garden needs mulch and...
Meet Randi
