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Vegetable & Herb Gardening

Vegetable & Herb Gardening for beginners and beyond.

Vegetable & Herb Gardening

Years ago a company named Ecoscraps reached out to us and asked us to plant a vegetable and herb garden with their products.  We knew NOTHING about a vegetable garden but, it seemed like a great idea. 

My husband and son built a raised bed and we planted a few things.  The tomatoes are all that really worked for us.  But, we were thrilled.  

Ecoscraps has a full line of products, by the way.  They recycle food waste nationwide and re-purpose it into organic, natural and sustainable garden soils and plant food.  You can read more about our first gardening venture here.

The next year, I took the garden over and planted things in the spring and fall and added on more garden space around that raised bed.  Things didn’t go very well – from squash bugs and spider mites, to grasshoppers and snails, to too much rain and not enough rain… and the weeds… oh, the weeds.  My back couldn’t handle it all!

My oldest son texted me a picture of a friend’s raised garden beds one day… they looked like something out of a magazine, mine looked like…. a child’s sandbox with broken toys.  I actually cried when I saw it, because I was so frustrated with my gardening experiments look.

Then my daughter started seeing ideas online (read: Pinterest lol) and sharing them with me, and they seemed doable and seemed to solve my problems.  So, the next year I tried those ideas to see which worked best for our purposes and so it began – my love for learning and growing.

I bought a few planters for the front porch, I planted herbs there so, Hubby (who does most of the cooking) could just step out on the porch and pick just what he wanted to use for each meal.  We love that. 

I have some very strange looking setups elsewhere in the yard – my neighbors laugh each time they see a new experiment I have set up!  lol  But, you would be jealous of them (my neighbors) – I swear to you – they throw anything they want in their yard anywhere and it grows… they don’t weed, they don’t feed… nothing!  PLUS, it’s CLAY soil… It’s incredibly annoying lol

I will be sharing all of my gardening “experiments” and what I learn with y’all in hopes it encourages someone else to give it a go.  It’s certainly relaxing and helps me clear my head on stressful days.  The fresh air and sunshine I get from checking on them 3-4 times a day (that may be overkill, but, I enjoy it) is healthy, too!

You’ll find all of the posts as I add them to the site right here, I hope you enjoy my journey as much I as am:

The backyard has rows of plant beds with vegetables.

Why Backyard Vegetable Gardening Might Be For You

7 Tips To Improve Garden Soil (3)

7 Tips To Improve Garden Soil

The-Different-Composting-Types-You-Didnt-Know-About-3

Ways To Compost

Benefits And Effects Of Weeds In Your Garden (3)

Benefits And Effects Of Weeds In Your Garden

How Nutrient Deficiencies Affect Your Plants (1)

How Nutrient Deficiency In Plants Affects Them

Winter Gardening_ Tips And Ideas For The Colder Months

Winter Gardening: Tips And Ideas For The Colder Months

How To Care For Your Garden While On Vacation (3)

How To Care For Your Garden While On Vacation

The Best Drought Tolerant Plants_ Shrubs, Trees, Perennials, And Annuals (2)

The Best Drought Tolerant Plants: Shrubs, Trees, Perennials, And Annuals

10 Tips For A Successful Tea Garden

10 Tips For A Successful Tea Garden

How To Make Money From Your Garden

How To Make Money From Your Garden

4-of-the-best-companion-plants-to-grow-with-Your-Pepper-

The Best 4 Companion Plants To Grow With Pepper Plants

Perennial Salvias (Sage) Care (1)

Perennial Salvias (Sage) Care

Seed Starting Indoors_ Must Have Seed Starting Supplies (1)

Seed Starting Indoors: Must Have Seed Starting Supplies

Growing Mint (2)

Growing Mint

Tools Every Gardener Needs

Tools Every Gardener Needs

Tools Used For Gardening_ A Beginner's Guide (1)

Tools Used For Gardening: A Beginner’s Guide

Tips For Growing Vegetables And Herbs At Home (1)

Tips For Growing Vegetables And Herbs At Home

Vegetable Container Gardening Ideas For Indoor Or Outdoor Gardening

Vegetable Container Gardening Ideas For Indoor Or Outdoor Gardening

How To Re-Use YOur Compost (2)

How To Re-Use Your Compost

Getting Started Vertical Gardening_ Tools You'll Need (2)

Getting Started Vertical Gardening: Tools You’ll Need

Using Flowers As Natural Pest Control In The Garden (1)

Using Flowers As Natural Pest Control In The Garden

How To Keep Critters Out Of The Garden Without Harming Them (1)

How To Keep Critters Out Of The Garden Without Harming Them

Growing Vegetables In Potting Soil Bags (2)

Growing Vegetables In Potting Soil Bags

Protecting Your Garden In The Winter (2)

Protecting Your Garden In The Winter

How To Harden Off Your Plants Before Transplanting Into Your Garden (2)

How To Harden Off Your Plants Before Transplanting Into Your Garden

Wilted squash plant

The Tell-Tale Signs Of Squash Bug Vs. Squash Vine Borer Damage

How To Store Seeds And Why PLUS Free Printable Chart

How To Store Seeds And Why PLUS Free Printable Chart

How To Feed Your Garden Naturally With What You Already Have

How To Feed Your Garden Naturally With What You Already Have

How To Use Eggshells In The Garden (1)

How To Use Eggshells In The Garden

How To Find The Perfect Rain Barrel

How To Find The Perfect Rain Barrel

All About Ladybugs_ Are They Nuisance of Useful (1)

All About Ladybugs

Early Blight (1)

Early Blight: Identifying & Treating It In Tomatoes, Potatoes, & More

Downy Mildew Diagnosis & Treatment (1)

Downy Mildew Diagnosis & Treatment

How To Start Indoor Gardening

How To Start Indoor Gardening

Growing Parsley (3)

Growing Parsley

Tomato Hornworms_ How To Prevent & Deal With Them In The Garden

Tomato Hornworm: How To Prevent & Deal With Them In The Garden

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

How You Can Get Rid Of Ants Naturally

Powdery Mildew Symptoms Prevention And Treatment (1)

Powdery Mildew Symptoms Prevention And Treatment

How To Attract Birds To Your Garden (1)

How To Attract Birds To Your Garden

The Best Gardening Tools From Weeding To Edging & More

The Best Gardening Tools From Weeding To Edging & More

The Top 10 Fastest Growing Vegetables That You Can Plant In Your Garden

Keeping Critters Out Of The Garden (3)

Keeping Critters Out Of The Garden

Build An Amazing Vertical Garden On A Budget

Build An Amazing Vertical Garden On A Budget

Crates with freshly picked zucchini

The Best Companion Plants For Zucchini (And Why You Should Plant Them)

Spring Vegetable Garden Prep PLUS FREE Printable (1)

Spring Vegetable Garden Prep PLUS FREE Printable

Propagating Plumeria Guide (2)

Propagating Plumeria – A How To Guide

Aphids_ What Are They How To Identify & Get Rid Of Them (2)

Aphids: What Are They How To Identify & Get Rid Of Them

Lets-Grow-Lettuce_-5-Tips-To-Get-You-Started-On-Growing-The-Perfect-Lettuce

5 Tips For Growing Lettuce

Caladium Plants - From Caladium Bulbs To Caladium Care (1)

Caladium Plants – From Caladium Bulbs To Caladium Care

What Are Soil Amendments_ (2)

What Are Soil Amendments?

Planning & Planting A Butterfly Garden (1)

Planning & Planting A Butterfly Garden

13 Gardening Supplies To Purchase Online (1)

10 Gardening Supplies To Purchase Online Check Them Out

How To Use Confrey In The Garden

How To Use Comfrey In The Garden

The-Dos-and-Donts-Of-Composting_-An-Essential-Guide-6

The Do’s and Don’ts Of Composting: An Essential Guide

Garden-Lingo_-A-Glossary-Of-Essential-Gardening-Terms-12

Garden Lingo: A Glossary Of Essential Gardening Terms

How to Grow Berries in Containers (1)

How to Grow Berries in Containers

7 Tips and Ideas To Prepare Your Garden Soil

7 Ideas And Tips To Prepare Your Garden Soil

Hummingbirds-And-How-To-Attract-Them

Hummingbirds And How To Attract Them

How To Grow Garlic Chives

How To Grow Garlic Chives

7 True Low Light Houseplants (1)

7 True Low Light Houseplants

Best Self-Watering Planters

Best Self-Watering Planters

7 Tomato Plant Problems And Solutions (1)

7 Tomato Plant Problems And Solutions

7 Raised Bed Gardening Mistakes

7 Raised Bed Gardening Mistakes

Garden Trellis Ideas (3)

Garden Trellis Ideas

7 Tips For Growing Boston Ferns

7 Tips For Growing Boston Ferns

Easy Raised Garden Beds (4)

Easy Raised Garden Beds

How To Rescue Over Watered Plants (5)

How To Rescue Over Watered Plants

Biennial-Plants-Perennial-Crops-And-More-Gardening-Terms-Explained

Biennial Plants, Perennial Crops, And More Gardening Terms Explained

Kids Garden_ A Beginner's Guide To Gardening For Kids (1)

Kids Garden: A Beginner’s Guide To Gardening For Kids

Indoor Herb Garden Ideas! Get Started Today (1)

Indoor Herb Garden Ideas Get Started Today

How To Get Your Garden In Shape For Spring (1)

How To Get Your Garden In Shape For Spring

11 Spring Gardening Secrets (1)

11 Spring Gardening Secrets To Get You Started

7 Herbs That Grow Well Together In Pots And Containers (1)

7 Herbs That Grow Well Together In Pots And Containers With Free Printable

Making Your Own Winter Garden Plan

Making Your Own Winter Garden Plan

How To Get Your Garden Ready For Winter (1)

How To Get Your Garden Ready For Winter

How To Compost In The Winter

How To Compost In The Winter

Protecting Outdoor Plants In The Winter

Protecting Outdoor Plants In The Winter

7 Garden Chores To Do Before Winter

7 Garden Chores To Do Before Winter

Canna Lily Care_ Everything You Need to Know (1)

Canna Lily Care: Everything You Need to Know

Squash Vine Borer_ How To Prevent, Protect, And Get Rid Of Them (3)

Squash Vine Borer: How To Prevent, Protect, And Get Rid Of Them

Cheap No Grass Backyard Ideas (Or Front Yard) (1)

Cheap No Grass Backyard Ideas (Or Front Yard)

How To Get Rid Of Spider Mites On Plants

How To Get Rid Of Spider Mites On Plants

How to Amend Raised Garden Bed Soil For Growing Successfully (1)

How to Amend Raised Garden Bed Soil For Growing Successfully

How To Start A Hydroponic Garden (3)

How To Start A Hydroponic Garden

Are Plant Watering Globes A Good Idea_ (3)

Ways To Water Plants When You’re Away

7 Homemade Bug Sprays For Indoor Plants (1)

7 Homemade Bug Sprays For Indoor Plants

Growing Thyme_ Everything You Need to Know (2)

Growing Thyme: Everything You Need to Know

Basic Home Gardening Tips, Tricks & Ideas (1)

Basic Home Gardening Tips, Tricks & Ideas

Garden Path Ideas (4)

Garden Path Ideas

Best Gardening Apps Get Started Today (1)

Best Gardening Apps – Get Them Today

Wood Ash In The Garden Everything You Need To Know (1)

Wood Ash In The Garden Everything You Need To Know

Black Spot On Roses_ Prevention & Treatment

Black Spot On Roses: Treatment & Prevention

Must Have Indoor Gardening Supplies For Your Indoor Garden (1)

Must Have Indoor Gardening Supplies For Your Indoor Garden

DIY Vermicomposting With A Worm Bin (1)

DIY Vermicomposting With A Worm Bin

Backyard Small Garden Ideas Or Front Yard, Patio, Etc... (1)

Backyard Small Garden Ideas Or Front Yard, Patio, Etc…

Garden Markers And Plant Label Ideas (1)

Garden Markers And Plant Label Ideas

13 Vegetable Gardening Tips And Tricks (1)

Vegetable Gardening Tips And Tricks

Tools For Watering Your Garden Better - Must Have (3)

Tools For Watering Your Garden Better – Must Haves

Garden Soil_ How To Build It Right (1)

Garden Soil: How To Build It Right

How Much Potting Soil Do I Need For My Container Gardening_ (2)

How Much Potting Soil Do I Need For My Container Gardening?

Pros And Cons Of Raised Bed Gardening (4)

Pros And Cons Of Raised Bed Gardening

Wine Bottle Watering Ideas (3)

Wine Bottle Watering Ideas

Heirloom Seeds_ How To Save And Store (1)

Heirloom Seeds: How To Save And Store

Indoor Gardening Ideas For Vegetables And Herbs (1)

Indoor Gardening Ideas For Vegetables And Herbs

Shade Loving Plants Perennials & Container Plants (1)

Shade Loving Plants Perennials & Container Plants

Vertical Vegetable Gardening_ Why It Might Be Right For You (2)

Vertical Vegetable Gardening & How to Get Started

Rosemary_ Everything You Need To Know (1)

Rosemary: Everything You Need To Know

Leaf Miners_ How To Identify & Get Rid Of Them (1)

Leaf Miners: How To Identify & Get Rid Of Them

How To Get Rid Of Whiteflies Naturally (2)

How To Get Rid Of Whiteflies Naturally

Old Fashioned Gardening Tips & Tricks (2)

Old Fashioned Gardening Tips & Tricks

Hummingbird Gardening (2)

How To Create A Hummingbird Friendly Garden

Ways to Feed Your Garden For Free

Ways to Feed Your Garden For Free

How To Use Baking Soda In The Garden (1)

How To Use Baking Soda In The Garden

Invasive Garden Plants (2)

Invasive Garden Plants

Lavender_ Propagating, Growing, Harvesting, & Uses

Lavender: Propagating, Growing, Harvesting, & Uses

Gardening Tips & Tricks

Gardening Tips & Tricks

How To Intercrop Tomatoes (2)

How To Grow Tomatoes In Pots

Vegetable Garden Ideas (2)

Vegetable Garden Ideas

Vegetable Gardening For Beginners (1)

Vegetable Gardening For Beginners

All About Coneflowers (1)

All About Coneflowers

Lettuce and herbs growing in a raised garden bed

Raised Bed Gardening For Beginners

Vegetables For Winter Gardening (2)

Vegetables For Winter Gardening

Tomato Companion Plants (2)

Best Companion Plants For Tomatoes

What Are The Best Hydroponic Vegetables_ (1)

What Are The Best Hydroponic Vegetables?

A Guide To Growing Fall Vegetables Includes What Vegetables Can Survive A Frost Printable Chart

A Guide To Growing Fall Vegetables Includes What Vegetables Can Survive A Frost Printable Chart

10 Fall Flowers You Need In Your Garden (2)

10 Fall Flowers You Need In Your Garden

7 Homemade Plant Sprays For Your Outdoor Garden (1)

7 Homemade Plant Sprays For Your Outdoor Garden

No Dig Gardening For Beginners (2)

No Dig Gardening For Beginners

Thrips_ What Are They & How To Get Rid Of Them

Thrips: What Are They & How To Get Rid Of Them

Best Vegetables To Always Grow

Best Vegetables To Always Grow

All About Growing Peaches (2)

All About Growing Peaches

How to Revive Old Soil in Containers (2)

How to Revive Old Soil in Containers

Flowers You Should Be Growing In Your Vegetable Garden (6)

Flowers You Should Be Growing In Your Vegetable Garden

Homemade Bug Sprays To Keep Your Plants Happy And Healthy (1)

Homemade Bug Sprays To Keep Your Plants Happy And Healthy

7 Plants That Help Repel Pests

7 Plants That Help Repel Pests

What Vegetables Grow Well In The Shade_

What Vegetables Grow In Shade? No Sun? No Problem!

All About The Hügelkultur Raised Bed (5)

All About The Hügelkultur Raised Bed

All About Squash Bugs

All About Squash Bugs

Cabbage Looper_ How To Deal With This Garden Pest (2)

Cabbage Looper: How To Deal With This Garden Pest

Potato Beetle_ How To Identify & Chemically Free Control Them

Potato Beetle: How To Identify & Chemically Free Control Them

10 Upcycling Ideas For Your Garden (1)

10 Upcycling Ideas For Your Garden

Tree Collards (3)

All About Tree Collards

How To Harvest Worm Castings From Your Vermicompost (3)

How To Harvest Worm Castings From Your Vermicompost

Why You Should Always Grow Marigolds In The Garden

Why You Should Always Grow Marigolds In The Garden

Gardening Books Gift Guide (6)

Gardening Books Gift Guide

How to grow peanuts (6)

How To Grow Peanuts

How To Grow Basil From Seed To Harvest And More (1)

Basil Growing & Plant Care From Seed To Harvest & More

What is Hydroponics And How Does It Work_ (4)

What is Hydroponics And How Does It Work?

Brassicas (5)

How To Grow Brassicas

How To Prune Tomato Plants

How To Prune Tomato Plants

How To Get Rid Of Snails & Slugs (3)

How To Get Rid Of Snails

Container Vegetable Gardening Must Haves To Get Started NOW (2)

Container Vegetable Gardening Must Haves To Get Started NOW

Xeriscaping (3)

All About Xeriscaping

How To Get Rid Of Earwigs (1)

How To Get Rid Of Earwigs

Container Vegetable Gardening For Beginners Indoors Or Outdoors (1)

Container Vegetable Gardening For Beginners Indoors Or Outdoors

All About Growing Cucumbers

Growing Cucumbers From Seed To Harvest

All About Squash Bugs vs Squash Vine Borers (3)

All About Squash Bugs vs Squash Vine Borers

Cilantro (Coriander)_ How to Grow (2)

Cilantro (Coriander): How to Grow

Fun Garden Decoration Ideas (2)

Fun Garden Decoration Ideas

How To Grow Food Year Round From Your Own Family Food Garden (1)

How To Grow Food Year Round From Your Own Family Food Garden

Frogs in the garden (6)

All About Frogs In The Garden

Tools For Keeping Critters Out Of Your Garden (2)

Tools For Keeping Critters Out Of Your Garden

10 Plants That Repel Pollinators In Your Garden (5)

10 Plants That Repel Pollinators In Your Garden

What Not To Plant With Tomatoes

What Not To Plant With Tomatoes

Houseplant Herbs To Grow Year Round

Houseplant Herbs To Grow Year Round

Squash Vine Borer Eggs vs Squash Bug Eggs (1)

Squash Vine Borer Eggs vs Squash Bug Eggs

The Top Tips For Growing Peppers

Tips For Growing Peppers

What spray do I use for which bug_ (4)

What Spray Do I Use For Which Bug?

Garden Water Feature Ideas

Garden Water Feature Ideas

Small Space Plant Varieties (10)

Small Space Plant Varieties

How To Prevent Sunburned Plant Leaves (3)

How To Prevent Sunburned Plant Leaves

DIY Wind Chimes (4)

DIY Wind Chimes

What Herbs Can Be Planted With Sage

Sage Companion Plants

New Vegetable Garden_ What To Plant

New Vegetable Garden? What To Plant

What is Blossom End Rot, What Causes It, and What to Do About It (3)

What is Blossom End Rot, What Causes It, and What to Do About It

All About Growing Fig Trees (5)

All About Growing Fig Trees

Low Maintenance Flower Gardening Year Round (1)

Low Maintenance Flower Gardening Year Round

How to Pick the Right Vegetables for Your Garden (1)

How To Pick The Right Vegetables For Your Garden

Kid's Gardening Tools (2)

Kids Gardening Tools – Must Have

Composting Outdoors For Less

Backyard Composting PLUS FREE Printable

No Till Gardening_ What You Need To Know

No Till Gardening: What You Need To Know

Water Lily vs. Lotus (2)

Water Lily vs. Lotus

Tomato Plants - Propagating, Pruning, And Planting (2)

Tomato Plants – Propagating, Pruning, And Planting

Creating An Indoor Herb Garden (1)

Creating An Indoor Herb Garden

Make Your Own Rain Barrel (1)

Make Your Own Rain Barrel

Understanding Magnesium Deficiency In Plants (1)

Understanding Magnesium Deficiency In Plants

All About Growing Grass From Seed (4)

All About Growing Grass From Seed

Vegetable Gardening For Beginners Let’s Get Started (1)

Vegetable Gardening For Beginners Let’s Get Started

Fairy Garden Ideas_ How To Make A Fairy Garden (1)

Fairy Garden Ideas: How To Make A Fairy Garden

Gardening With Kids From Toddlers To Teens (1)

Gardening With Kids From Toddlers To Teens

What Is The Best Mulch For Vegetable Garden_ (1)

What Is The Best Mulch For Vegetable Garden?

How to Prune Drift Roses

How to Prune Drift Roses

Leaf Mold How To Make & Use It In The Garden (2)

Leaf Mold How To Make & Use It In The Garden

How To Grow Strawberries (Hero)

How To Grow Strawberries & Other Berries

How To Grow Potatoes (1)

How To Grow Potatoes

All About Fertilizer For Plants And Organic Fertilizer

All About Fertilizers

7 Vegetables You Can Grow Indoors In Winter (1)

7 Vegetables You Can Grow Indoors In Winter

Mulching Plants Everything You Need To Know (2)

Mulching Plants Everything You Need To Know

How To Dry Herbs, Freeze, And Preserve Garden Herbs To Use All Year (1)

How To Dry Herbs, Freeze, And Preserve Garden Herbs To Use All Year

All About Square Foot Gardening (2)

All About Square Foot Gardening

Pollinator Garden_ Plants That Attract Pollinators

Pollinator Garden: Plants That Attract Pollinators

How To Deal With Tobacco Mosaic Virus And More (1)

How To Deal With Tobacco Mosaic Virus And More

Hydrogen Peroxide In The Garden_ How & Why To Use It (2)

Hydrogen Peroxide & Root Rot In The Garden And More

Gifts For Gardeners (3)

Gifts For Gardeners

All About Sedums (1)

All About Sedums

How To Care For Gardening Tools From Cleaning To Sharpening (1)

How To Care For Gardening Tools From Cleaning To Sharpening

Ways To Garden Without Breaking Your Back

Ways To Garden Without Breaking Your Back

GrowMax

GrowMax Water Super Grow 800

How To Grow Chives From Seed To Harvest (2)

How To Grow Chives From Seed To Harvest

Garden Furniture Ideas (2)

Garden Furniture Ideas

_Container Gardening Ideas (2)

Container Gardening Ideas

How Much Soil Do I Need_ (1)

How Much Soil Do I Need?

Best Plants to Grow with Kids

Best Plants To Grow With Kids

How to Deal with Spider Mites Naturally (2)

How to Deal with Spider Mites Naturally

How To Grow An Herb Garden (1)

How To Grow An Herb Garden

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Grow What You’ll Eat – Video 5

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Seeds vs Seedlings – Video 4

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What We’ll Learn – Video 2

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Start Where You Are – Video 3

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Intro – Video 1

Garden Edging Ideas (1)

Garden Edging Ideas

Hi! I'm Dian, a wife of 20+ years, Mom to 4 grown kids, and "Nana" to 5. I LOVE reality shows & vegetable gardening & talking about both. I am currently pursuing my Master Gardener Certification.... Read more about Dian & Learning To Grow Your Own Food.

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What’s New Here:

Perennial Salvias (Sage) Care

Seed Starting Indoors: Must Have Seed Starting Supplies

Growing Mint

Tools Every Gardener Needs

Tools Used For Gardening: A Beginner’s Guide

Tips For Growing Vegetables And Herbs At Home

Vegetable Container Gardening Ideas For Indoor Or Outdoor Gardening

How To Re-Use Your Compost

Getting Started Vertical Gardening: Tools You’ll Need

Using Flowers As Natural Pest Control In The Garden

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