Once you know this, you'll probably never buy a pre-mixed bag again. 😉 I was mixing a fresh batch of seed-starting mix for my fall seeds yesterday and wanted to share my process with you so you're well-equipped to head into this planting season! 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟯 𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: 🥥 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗶𝗿 – This is the base of the mix. It's the fluffy, fiber-based stuff coconut husks are made of. It's sterile (no bug eggs or fungal spores hiding in it), affordable, and way better for the environment than peat moss, which comes from bogs that take centuries to reform. 🌋 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲 – These are little white volcanic rock pieces. They keep the mix from compacting so water (and air) can move through it. 🪨 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲 – a mineral that soaks up moisture and nutrients like a sponge, then releases them slowly so your seedlings get a steady supply. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝗺𝗶𝘅 𝗶𝘁: Hydrate your dry coco coir with water until it passes the 𝘀𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗲𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 — if you squeeze a handful, it should hold together but not drip. Think wrung-out sponge. For every 𝟰 𝗰𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗶𝗿, add 𝟭 𝗰𝘂𝗽 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲 and 𝟭 𝗰𝘂𝗽 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲. Mix it all together with your hands (or a trowel if you're fancy) and fill your trays. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁: - It's cheaper (so I have more money for seeds 😜) - I can make up a batch whenever I want (no relying on the store or making a trip out) - I know exactly what's in it (yay, transparency!) - I can control the quality (not sure what to put here, but all the other bullet points have parentheses, sooo... 🙃) 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗼-𝘁𝗼?

I'm going live Saturday, August 15th at 2 PM Central, and if you’ve ever thought gardening season basically ends when summer does… You’re about to see things very differently. 👀 𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁: 🌱 Why fall can actually be one of the BEST times to grow food 🥕 Cool-season vs. warm-season crops ❄️ What frost and freezing temps actually mean for your garden ☀️ Why “days to maturity” gets a little trickier as daylight decreases 📅 How to think about your frost dates and your own climate 🌎 Why your USDA zone does NOT tell you everything about your growing season 🏡 Frost cloth, row covers, cold frames, poly tunnels + other ways to extend your season 🍂 And how to start getting your garden ready for fall even if it still feels ridiculously hot outside Most importantly, I’ll be taking questions LIVE, so if there’s something you’re wondering about, come ask me! 👇 You can also drop your questions below ahead of time, and I’ll keep an eye on this thread as I prepare. 𝗔 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀-𝘂𝗽: the replay will only be available for 72 hours after the workshop, so if you can join me live, I definitely recommend it! Click HERE to add the workshop to your calendar and come hang out with me on Saturday! 🌱

Dear Future, Wiser Self: You are the only person in your family who likes okra. You do not need 8 okra plants. Sincerely, Eating Okra Daily and Still Drowning in Okra

You voted, and the results are in! Our next live workshop will be all about Fall & Winter Gardening! 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘀: 📅 Date: Saturday, August 15th ⏰ Time: 2:00 PM Central (View it in your timezone here) 📍 Where: Live right here in the community Fall is one of the absolute best times of the year to garden (think: fewer pests, cooler weather, and sweeter veggies!), but transitioning seasons can feel confusing if you don't have a plan. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲’𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿: - Which veggies to grow in cooler temps - How to transition your beds from summer to fall - Protecting your soil and plants through the winter - Season extension tools for a longer harvest And so much more! 🗨️ 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄: What questions do you have about fall & winter gardening? I’ll be sure to include as many as I can in the workshop! I can’t wait! 💃 Who's excited?!

You need a lot of land to grow a serious amount of food. 🍅 ​Reality: Vertical trellising, healthy soil, and succession planting can yield hundreds of pounds of produce in just a few beds. ​You don't need a farm. You just need a system that maximizes your square footage. ​How big is your current growing space? Do you think you're using it to its full potential?