We’re into January, and here in New Jersey, the frosty nights have begun, officially bringing to a close the vegetable-growing season. I have a few plants still kicking, but I want to document the year – and hopefully make this an annual event to keep a more detailed record of what went right and wrong (expanding on my Garden Log spreadsheet with dates and notes). Let’s go through everything I grew in 2021! Basil START DATE: 3/7/2021 HARVEST DATE: N/A Basil is a yearly staple that is essential for tomato sauce and pesto. I only grew green basil by seed. Two years prior (2019), I grew green a ..read more

New Jersey is known for growing some of the best tomatoes in the US. It’s also a top favorite for home gardeners around the country. Let’s set you up for success this season with ten tomato growing tips that I’ve learned throughout the years. 1) Start Tomatoes Indoors Tomatoes take a long-time to produce fruit and require warm-to-hot temperatures. If you start seeds outdoors, you may not take full advantage of the growing season. That’s why it’s a good idea to start your tomato seeds indoors around the beginning of March here in New Jersey (Growing Zone 7). Of course, if you miss this window ..read more

Making your own compost at home is a great way to reduce waste and put nutrients back into your soil. You can do it regardless of the size of your living space. If you have a large yard, go ahead and make a nice compost pile. If you’re in an apartment, just use a small bucket and you won’t need to buy bags of potting soil anymore! What is Compost? Composting is the natural process of organic matter decomposing into a fertile “humus” that has many of the nutrients your plants and vegetables need to thrive. Microorganisms and little critters like earthworms break down larger scraps and waste int ..read more

You probably know that you need to provide support for your tomato plants, so you drive to the hardware store and buy tomato cages. I’m here to tell you that’s NOT the best way! Over the years, I learned a few lessons after many failures. Why Avoid Cheap Tomato Cages If you’re planting tomatoes in a pot, you may be able to get away with a cage. You can see above I made a makeshift cage with some leftover bamboo stakes. However, if you are planting them directly in the ground in a spot that gets full sun, they will easily outgrow even the largest store-bought cage. In my first year, I used a ..read more

My yard was 100% grass when I made the decision to start a backyard garden. There were three main factors that pushed me into action: My property has full sun I enjoy simple & fresh food I hate mowing my lawn If I’m going to be working outside weekly all spring and summer, I want some fruits for my labor – literally! Here is a picture of where the garden currently is located before this project began. You don’t need to go big immediately. I eased into the first year with one green pepper plant only. However, I quickly realized it would take much more space to get the harvest I had in m ..read more

Have you always wanted to start a backyard garden? I encourage you to do it this year. Make use of whatever space you have, whether it’s an area for a raised bed garden or a few small pots on your back porch. Cedar Raised Bed Kit Start your garden today with this raised bed kit - no tools required! Buy Now We earn a commission if you purchase using the link above which helps support this website. It takes sunlight, good compost, water and giving the plants space. If you get them all right, you’ll have an abundance of vegetables and greens! Here are my top 7 reasons why everyone should bu ..read more