𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝: 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟖𝐭𝐡 Zucchini lovers, beware... your container garden bounty might just overflow this summer—and August 8th is the perfect excuse to do something about it (sneakily, of course). Yes, 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐙𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝐎𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐬’ 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐃𝐚𝐲 is a real holiday, and it celebrates one of the most relatable moments in a gardener’s life: what do you do when your zucchini plant produces like it’s on a mission? The answer? Spread the green goodness—quietly and generously! 🥒 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐄𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 (𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐭) * Zucchini is notorious for its enthusiastic growth. One minute you’re admiring a cute little squash, and the next—bam! It’s the size of a Louisville slugger. * This tongue-in-cheek holiday encourages gardeners to share their harvest... preferably under cover of darkness and with a healthy sense of humor. 🪴 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐧 𝐓𝐨𝐨 * Even if you only have one or two zucchini plants growing in pots, chances are you've harvested more than enough to go around. * Don’t let extra squash go to waste! * It’s a great way to share the joy of growing your own food. * Who doesn't love a surprise delivery of garden-fresh veggies? 👣 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐙𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨 * Pick Your Target Wisely: Neighbors, coworkers, friends, your dog groomer—anyone who looks hungry and unsuspecting. * Choose the Perfect Zucchini: Maybe not your biggest (that’s for bread), but still firm, fresh, and presentable. 𝐀𝐝𝐝 𝐚 𝐓𝐚𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 (𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥): * “Happy Sneak Some Zucchini Day! 🥒 From your mysterious veggie benefactor.” Or include a recipe idea! * Drop and Dash: Place it gently on their porch, doorstep, or mailbox. Knock or ring if you're brave. Then vanish into the night like a garden ninja. 🍞 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐮𝐬 𝐅𝐮𝐧: 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐬 If you’ve got more zucchini than stealth, try: * Zucchini fritters * Chocolate zucchini cake * Stuffed zucchini boats * Classic zucchini bread Then bring the extras and a few printed recipes to your next community event, garden club, or Potted Garden Society discussion thread!

When your container herb garden is overflowing with fragrant sprigs of basil, mint, thyme, and rosemary, it’s time to start thinking about preserving those flavors for later. One of the simplest (and prettiest!) ways to do that? A homemade hanging herb drying rack. Whether you hang it in a sunny kitchen window or a dry pantry corner, this DIY project is a charming and practical way to celebrate your herbal harvest. 🌿 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐃𝐫𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬? Drying herbs is a low-cost, natural way to preserve their flavor and aroma. It also saves space—perfect for small-space and container gardeners. You can use dried herbs in cooking, teas, homemade sachets, and even DIY gifts. 🧰 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐥𝐥 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝: * A wooden frame, old hanger, or small ladder * Twine or jute string * Scissors * Clothespins or binder clips (optional) * Small bunches of freshly harvested herbs * A warm, dry place with good air circulation 🛠️ 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩-𝐛𝐲-𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: 𝟏. 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞 * Repurpose an old wooden hanger, a picture frame, or even a tree branch for a rustic look. * A ladder-style plant stand or wall rack also works beautifully if you have extra space. 𝟐. 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 * Cut lengths of twine or jute and tie them horizontally across the base, creating a simple grid or rows of lines. * Secure tightly so they won’t sag under the weight of the herbs. 𝟑. 𝐁𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬 * Harvest herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, lavender, mint, or basil. * Tie them into small bundles using another piece of twine or a rubber band at the stem base. 𝟒. 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐠 ‘𝐄𝐦 𝐔𝐩 * Hang the herb bundles upside down by tying them directly to the rack or clipping them with clothespins or clips. * Make sure they have good airflow and aren’t too crowded. 𝟓. 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭 * Hang your rack in a warm, dry area away from direct sunlight. * A pantry, laundry room, or sunny window with filtered light is perfect. 𝟔. 𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐭 & 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞 * Most herbs dry in 1–2 weeks depending on humidity. * Once fully dry (crispy, not limp), crumble and store in airtight jars or paper envelopes in a cool, dark spot.

𝐵𝑖𝑔 𝑓𝑙𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑟, 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑡𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑡. Don’t have a lot of space? No problem! You can still enjoy a variety of fresh herbs by growing them all together in a single container. With a bit of planning and the right combination of plants, you can create a thriving, flavorful herb garden right on your patio, balcony, or windowsill. 🪴 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐭? * Saves space * Easy to maintain * Portable—move it to chase the sun or bring it indoors * Convenient for cooking—just snip what you need! 🌿 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐞 When planting herbs together, it’s important to group those with similar needs. Here are three combinations that work well in one container: 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐱 Full sun, well-drained soil, prefers it dry * 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 – Tall and woody, plant in the center or back * 𝐓𝐡𝐲𝐦𝐞 – Low-growing, great for edges * 𝐎𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐨 – Sprawling, adds lushness and flavor * 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐞 – Bushy, aromatic, pairs well with others in this group 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡 & 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐨 (Partial to full sun, moist but not soggy soil) * 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐥 – Needs warmth and frequent pinching * 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲 – Flat or curly, thrives with a little shade * 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 – Upright and hardy, adds height * 𝐂𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 – Prefers cooler weather—great for spring/fall mixes 𝐓𝐞𝐚 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐭 (Full sun, moderate water) * 𝐋𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐦 – Uplifting and stress-soothing * 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞 – Small daisy-like flowers for calming tea * 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐭 – Contain its roots by planting in a sunken pot inside the main container * 𝐋𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞r – Adds fragrance and calm 🌱 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐌𝐢𝐱𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛 𝐏𝐨𝐭 * 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫—at least 12–18 inches wide and deep, with drainage holes. * 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐢𝐱 that drains well but retains moisture. * 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤, with trailing or low-growing herbs around the edges. * 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲, but don’t overdo it—most herbs hate soggy roots. * 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 to keep plants healthy and producing. * 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐲 with a diluted organic fertilizer for best results. 🍴 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐮𝐬: 𝐀𝐝𝐝 𝐚 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐚𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫

Every year, National Urban Beekeeping Day (July 19th) shines a spotlight on the tiny pollinators that play a huge role in our gardening success. While most of us in The Potted Garden Society aren’t keeping backyard hives, we’re still deeply connected to the buzzing, beautiful world of bees. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 Bees are responsible for pollinating a massive percentage of the fruits, vegetables, and herbs we grow in our containers. Without them, crops like tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, and cucumbers would suffer—not to mention many of our favorite flowers. Even in urban and small-space environments, bees are busy at work. And we container gardeners can do our part to support them. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐬 🪴 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫-𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 * Grow blooms bees love—like lavender, calendula, borage, and cosmos. * Use a mix of colors and shapes to appeal to a variety of pollinators. 🚫 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 * Avoid using chemical sprays that can harm bees and other beneficial insects. * Opt for organic pest control methods and invite helpful bugs into your garden. 💧 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐁𝐞𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 * Place a shallow dish of water with pebbles or marbles so bees can land safely and hydrate. 🐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬 * Try to have something blooming from spring through fall to give bees a steady source of nectar. 🌼 𝐆𝐨 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 * Native flowering plants are especially attractive and beneficial to local bee species. 𝐅𝐮𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 * Share a photo of your most bee-visited container plant! * Start a "bee count" and see how many you spot in your garden this weekend. * Try planting one new pollinator-friendly plant in honor of the bees. 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐬 + 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 = 𝐀 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 You may not be harvesting honey, but you’re part of the buzz-worthy movement to make urban and small-space gardens more pollinator-friendly. A few well-chosen blooms can make a big difference. So let’s tip our hats (or garden gloves) to the bees this weekend. They’re small but mighty—and your container garden wouldn’t be the same without them. 🐝💚🌼

You don’t need a sprawling garden to enjoy fresh herbs—just a windowsill, balcony, or sunny corner. Many culinary herbs thrive in small containers, making them ideal for space-conscious gardeners, apartment dwellers, or anyone who loves having fresh flavor within arm’s reach. Here are some of the best edible herbs you can grow in tight quarters. 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥-𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝟏. 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐥 * Perfect for pots 6–8 inches deep. * Loves sun and warmth—ideal for a sunny window or patio. * Pinch off flower buds to keep the plant producing flavorful leaves. 𝟐. 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 * Compact and hardy. * Can be grown indoors or out. * Snip leaves as needed for a mild onion flavor. 𝟑. 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲 * Grows well in 6–8 inch deep containers. * Keep the soil moist and give it part to full sun. * Harvest outer leaves to encourage continued growth. 𝟒. 𝐓𝐡𝐲𝐦𝐞 * A woody perennial that thrives in small pots. * Doesn’t need much water—perfect for forgetful waterers! * Great for both culinary and ornamental use. 𝟓. 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐭 * Vigorous grower—even in small containers. * Best grown in its own pot to prevent crowding out other plants. * Perfect for teas, desserts, and savory dishes. 𝟔. 𝐂𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 * Fast-growing but short-lived. * Succession sow every few weeks for a continuous harvest. * Loves cooler temps—great for spring or fall pots. 𝟕. 𝐎𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐨 * Great for Mediterranean-style cooking. * Grows low and wide, but does fine in small pots with good drainage. * Regular trimming keeps the flavor strong. 𝟖. 𝐃𝐢𝐥𝐥 * While tall varieties need more space, dwarf types grow well in smaller containers. * Give full sun and harvest young fronds for best flavor. 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥-𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 * Use quality potting mix: Avoid garden soil; go for lightweight, well-draining mixes. * Water regularly, but don’t overdo it: Many herbs prefer slightly dry conditions. * Provide at least 4–6 hours of sunlight per day. * Harvest often: Frequent snipping encourages bushier growth and prevents flowering.