Quick Summary: Starting a vegetable garden begins with assessing your space, sun exposure, soil quality, and water access. Begin with easy crops like lettuce, herbs, bush beans, and radishes. If yard space is limited, many vegetables grow well in containers. Read time: 12 min | Experience level: Beginner Jump to: Planning your Garden Space | …
Quick Summary: Mini vegetables like ‘Tom Thumb’ peas, ‘Patio Baby’ eggplant, ‘Bambino’ carrots, and alpine strawberries are ideal for balcony and patio container gardens. Most need pots at least 10 to 12 inches in diameter and 8 to 12 inches deep, depending on the crop. Read time: 6 min | Experience level: Beginner Jump to: …
I grow most of my vegetables in the ground at HeathGlen Organic Farm in Minnesota, but I’ve spent years testing container setups to help gardeners with limited space. Growing vegetables in pots works when you get six things right: pot size, drainage, soil, watering, fertilizing, and plant selection. This guide covers each one. Quick Summary: …
Quick Summary: Most garden fruits and vegetables need bee pollination to produce crops. Attract pollinators by planting nectar flowers near your vegetables throughout the growing season. For indoor gardens, hand-pollinate using a small brush to transfer pollen between flowers. Read time: 10 min | Experience level: Beginner to intermediate Jump to: |Why Pollination is Needed …
Quick Summary: Grow blueberries in wide pots (at least 20 inches) with acidic soil (half peat, half potting mix). Choose half-high varieties for cold climates (Polaris, Northland, Chippewa). Plant at least two different varieties for cross-pollination and larger harvests. Full sun (6+ hours) is essential. Expect a few handfuls the first year, increasing to about …
Quick Summary: Grow tomatoes in hanging baskets using small, determinate varieties like Tumbler, Tumbling Tom, or Tiny Tim. Use a sturdy basket at least 12 inches wide and deep with drainage holes. Water daily in summer heat. Fertilize regularly since nutrients leach with each watering. Choose a sunny spot protected from strong wind. Read time: …
Quick Summary: A complete guide to starting a balcony herb garden. Covers which herbs grow best in containers, design ideas for small spaces, care basics (light, water, soil), and troubleshooting common problems. Perfect for urban gardeners and apartment dwellers with limited outdoor space. Jump to: Which Herbs to Use | Starting from Seed | Design …
Quick Summary: Grow bags offer excellent drainage and air pruning for tomato roots. Use 7-10 gallon bags for determinate varieties, 15-20 gallons for indeterminate. The porous fabric dries out faster than plastic pots, so check soil daily in hot weather. One plant per bag for best results. Read time: 12 min | Experience level: Beginner …
We’re all well aware of the benefits of growing your own food: it’s tasty, it’s cheap and it’s fun. But what if you don’t have a big garden to grow your vegetables, fruits or herbs in? Although I am able to grow my own produce on our 23-acre farm, my son is an apartment dweller …
You don’t need land to grow food. A balcony, deck, or small patio can produce vegetables, herbs, and even fruit if you grow vertically. I’ve helped customers at the Twin Cities farmers markets set up vertical gardens, and the results are always better than they expect. This guide covers design options from simple hanging baskets …
A salsa garden is one of the simplest and most satisfying container projects you can grow. Two pots, a few plants, and by late summer you’re making salsa from ingredients you grew yourself. I’ve been growing the individual ingredients at HeathGlen Organic Farm for over 20 years: heirloom tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, onions, and garlic. This …
Quick Summary: Attract butterflies by planting nectar flowers (milkweed, aster, coneflower, black-eyed Susan) and host plants for caterpillars (milkweed for monarchs, fennel for swallowtails). Herbs like lavender, basil, and mint also attract butterflies when allowed to flower. Avoid pesticides, install a butterfly watering station, and leave some overripe fruit out for species like red admirals. …
Guide for the beginner on growing strawberries at home, whether in a container, raised bed, or in the garden
Quick Summary: Group container herbs by growing conditions for success. Sun-loving herbs: basil, rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme, lavender. Shade-tolerant: parsley, cilantro, mint, chives. Moisture-loving: basil, mint, cilantro, parsley, chives. Drought-tolerant: rosemary, sage, thyme, lavender. Combine by cuisine theme: Mediterranean (rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme), Mexican (cilantro, oregano, chile peppers), tea garden (mint, chamomile, lemon balm, lavender). …
Growing tomatoes in pots can be tricky. Here are some tips to help make your container gardening of tomatoes more successful