One little seed starting trick I have in my bag of gardening tricks is to start seeds in plastic cup greenhouses! I shared a picture of this about 2 weeks ago on the Facebook page and I thought today I would share with you the progress of the seedlings. How to Start Seeds In Plastic … Read more
This past Saturday I went to the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show. The weather outside was a snowy overcast mess so what better way could there be to spend the day than to go somewhere with gardens and plants? We brought the whole family up and had a great time perusing the garden displays, playing … Read more
Everyone starts somewhere with a vegetable garden. You can’t instantly have the garden of your dreams. That dream garden has to come together bit by bit, a little each day. That goes for experienced gardeners as well as those just starting their first vegetable garden. It’s just the nature of gardening. You don’t receive instant … Read more
If you plan to sell plants you have to have plants to sell right? So how does one go about getting a supply of plants for a nursery business? As plant retailers we really have only two options: produce the plants on our own or buy them from someone else and resell the plants. Both … Read more
By far my favorite plant from the vegetable garden is the tomato. I don’t buy them from the stores if I can help it as there is very little flavor to be found in store bought tomatoes. Fresh from the garden is how a tomato should be. Today on a gray overcast winter day I’m … Read more
It is inevitable. You will find a weed somewhere in your lawn or in your garden. As things begin to grow this spring you’ll notice weeds coming up where you don’t want them. In fact that is the general definition of a weedy plant – a plant that grows where you don’t want it! Any plant can … Read more
A couple weeks ago my wife stopped an bought us some croissants at the grocery store for dinner. The croissants came in a clear plastic box container. It was a little over a foot long and a little less than that wide, but the dimensions don’t really matter. The plastic box was tall enough to … Read more
Have you ever used a kids toy to plant seeds? It might be worth a try! While out in the garden planting rainbow chard and spinach I used a hula hoop as a planting aid. Inside the hula hoop I planted the rainbow chard and in the outside ring I planted spinach. When the plants … Read more
We have three children in our household who love to be outdoors. It’s extremely hard for this gardener to sneak outside without someone tagging along. That’s a good thing! I’m thrilled that they love to be outside in the open air experiencing what all kids should have the opportunity to experience. It’s important though that … Read more
Before you really get into producing plants for sale it is very important to come up with a way to get the plants to the customers. I don’t have a place where costumers could just come by and browse the plants since I do all my production from my own garden. One day perhaps, but … Read more
The Nashville Lawn and Garden Show is coming up very soon! Here are some of the details. Nashville Lawn & Garden Show February 28 – March 3, 2013 Tennessee State Fairgrounds Come enjoy Jardins du Soleil – “Gardens of the Sun” The 24th annual show will feature internationally-inspired garden designs! Amazing live gardens Thousands of spring … Read more
Wouldn’t you know it? The day after I post a review on the Harbor Freight Greenhouse I just installed in our backyard a storm system with strong winds comes though to give it a test. I spent most of the evening worried that I would be wandering around our neighborhood searching for plastic window panels. … Read more
Back in the fall I took advantage of a sale at the discount retailer Harbor Freight and bought myself a greenhouse. It was a small greenhouse at only 6’x8′ in size which would be about 48 square feet of space. I’ve always heard gardeners say that no matter what size greenhouse you have you will … Read more
It’s been a while since I joined in with Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day so I thought I’d share you a little of what is blooming in the gardens around our home. For our garden this year it’s the usual suspects who are in flowering. Daffodils, crocuses, and winter jasmine are coming along strong while other … Read more
When I made the decision to begin my micro-nursery (Blue Shed Gardens/HomeGardenBox) I had to figure out first what kind of plants I wanted to produce. This was a very difficult decision since I like pretty much anything there is to do with the garden. Selecting one type of plants or one area seemed just wrong because … Read more
I have a goal in mind for my vegetable garden this year. I have a similar goal every year but this year I think it’s especially important. I want to make our garden into our grocery store. I’m being realistic with this and in no way think I can completely eliminate the grocery store trips … Read more
The other day strong winds blew through Tennessee. They were not just your normal winter winds, these were March winds – in February. The kinds of winds we normally get in spring when the weather changes more frequently between warm and cold fronts. Unfortunately I wasn’t prepared for the high impact of the winds. Two … Read more
The economy is still in disarray and all of us are trying to find ways to do things cheaper and more efficiently even in the garden. Fortunately gardeners are experts at finding ways to be cheap. Let’s look at some easy to do ideas that can help keep your garden budget as low as it … Read more
Last year I embarked on a quest to start my own nursery business. One of my dreams for a long time has been to own my own nursery and I began putting plans together around a couple business ideas that I could do from home. I researched all over the internet to find resources and … Read more
Plant propagation sounds like something very complicated. A lot of gardeners are intimidated by the idea of getting something to root. It looks challenging but in reality there are a great number of plants that are very easy to propagate. That’s not to say that a cutting will grow roots each and every time. In … Read more
A few weeks ago Mr. Brownthumb posted an interview with the inventor of Rootcups on Treehugger. Rootcups are an easy to use propagation device that the home gardener can use to help propagate some of their favorite plants. I contacted Mr. Brownthumb because I was curious about the product and and then got in touch … Read more
I’ve talked a lot about raised beds over the years here and there’s no doubt that I’m a fan but are raised beds perfect for everybody? Does everyone need a raised bed? Should you used raised beds in your garden? Anyone could utilize raised beds to have a great garden, but you don’t have to … Read more
You’ve probably noticed that there’s a lot of talk these days about self-sufficiency. People are striving to reduce their impact on the environment by improving how things work. Self-sufficiency is a great goal to have for your garden as well. Not only does being self-sufficient help the environment but it makes a cheaper and healthier garden. … Read more
When to plant your vegetables is very important knowledge for all gardeners. It can mean the difference between a great harvest, a late harvest, or no harvest! It’s critical to know certain facts about the plants before you plant them. A little knowledge can go a long way to creating a great garden so let’s … Read more
Spring will be here before you now it. Which means all that fun garden time for us gardeners. In order to maximize the productivity of your garden and minimize the maintenance required we need a plan. We need a spring preparation garden plan. We need a plan of attack to get all those chores done, … Read more
It’s January and my garden is a mess. That’s OK because it’s January! My garden could be the perfect mixture of evergreen conifers and winter color landscape plantings specifically designed to brighten the gloomiest winter day, but it’s not. I would love that, but my garden was never put together for the winter color. I’m … Read more
Below you will find six plants that are some of the easiest to care for and grow in the garden. All are drought tolerant and are very seldom bothered very little by deer or rabbits (two of my greatest nemeses!) In addition to their drought tolerant and pest resistant properties these plants are very good at … Read more
I mostly use raised beds for my vegetables but the truth is almost any plant can do great in a raised bed. Herbs, flowers, and ornamentals can all thrive in raised beds. What makes a raised bed an awesome growing method is the soil that it uses. You can mix the perfect soil mixture for … Read more
On a cold morning such as this you might be wondering “what can I do in the garden?” Or you might be wondering “why does he know what I’m wondering?” Or…maybe not, whatever the case is cold winter days are good for the garden and the gardener. The garden needs those cold winter days to … Read more
I’ve written several times before about raised beds. I’m a fan, a huge fan of raised beds. With a raised bed you can control the soil, control the moisture, and garden virtually anywhere. It makes sense that raised beds are a great option for every homeowner (here’s why: 8 Benefits to Gardening in Raised Beds). … Read more
It’s not just a box. Really it isn’t. It’s so much more than that. You built it in your backyard, sideyard, or even front yard. You filled it with soil. You tended that box and nurtured every single tiny seed you planted in it. That box is your garden. That box with the untreated wood … Read more
Every year I show off the first daffodil to bloom in my garden. This year, I have to say, my first daffodil is less than impressive. The cold and wet weather has put a damper on the beauty of this little yellow flower. So far it’s the only one in bloom that I have seen … Read more
From time to time I’ll be posting some new graphics about specific plants with a little important information about them. Today I share a few echinacea or coneflower planting facts. Echinacea is one of my favorite choices to plant in sunny areas that don’t receive a lot of moisture. Coneflowers love the sun, are drought … Read more
Homesteading has seen a resurgence over the last several years which is very cool. More people are opting to build a strong connection with the land and are moving toward mini-farms and homesteads to raise their families. Before beginning a homestead future farmers should do one thing: learn to garden! The garden is one major … Read more
It may not be obvious, or maybe it is, but I think in 2013 vegetable gardening will be more important than ever. There are a myriad of reasons why I believe this and you can pretty much observe it everywhere you go, some sign that points to the importance of gardening. Let’s examine a few … Read more
Since I posted the other day on my Metal Sided Raised Bed I’ve received several questions about raised beds in general as well as questions about the metal raised bed itself. For today’s post I’ll answer those questions as many other people may be wondering the same thing – or may not have but may … Read more
Recently I put together my newest raised bed. I was inspired by some pictures I’ve seen lately where metal roofing materials were used for the sides. It was a very cool look that I wanted to see if I could replicate for my garden. Plus metal materials tend to last longer than lumber for raised … Read more
My daughters from 2009 – Ages 2 and 4 My kids are kind of strange. Of course I know what you’re thinking, all kids are a little weird. They have their quirks, their unique traits that will eventually turn them in to unique adults. That’s not the kind of weird I’m talking about. While visiting … Read more
I’ve been looking back at my photo albums lately. Looking back at old photos helps to get a perspective of where the garden is going by remembering where it’s been. I can see how effective my efforts are at developing a garden, how much things have grown, and remember old plants I might not have … Read more
Every year I write down my ideas for gardening projects. It helps me to put down some thoughts and map out where my garden needs to go throughout the season. I won’t be able to accomplish every project on the list but it does give me some direction. At the end of the year I’ll … Read more
