Growing In The Darden

Begin harvesting cilantro once the plants reach 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) tall. To harvest, simply snip off the leaves with a pair of scissors. This will encourage new growth and prevent the plant from bolting. Harvest the entire plant at once or pick individual leaves as needed. #cilantro #cilantroharvest #howtogarden #harvesting

Make it a point to observe nature during your daily gardening routine. This doesn’t mean reaching for a spray bottle whenever you see a bug. However, it’s important to know what is happening in your garden. Apps like “Seek” help identify which bugs are in your garden. Look for holes, check the undersides of leaves, check around plants, and check new seedlings. Pay attention to the patterns of pests/beneficial insects throughout the year. #pests #gardeningtips #organicgarden #pests #gardeningtips #organicgarden

Spring is the best time to plant roses in containers. Choose a type suited to containers. I love the roses from @heirloomroses Use discount code GARDENAZ24 for 20% off any rose order now through December 31, 2024

Gardening vertically has so many benefits, and some of my favorite warm-season crops love to climb -Many grow easily from seed. Here’s what I’m planting right now.⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #howtogrowyourownfood #growinginthegarden #gardeningtips #vegetablegarden #growyourownfood #organicgarden #desertgarden #arizonagarden ⁣

Anemone (say that 5 times fast...) Harvest Guide: Harvest your anemones when the gap between bloom and plant collar is 1/4 to 1/2 inch (.6 - 1.2cm) for peak freshness and vibrant colors. This small gap means they’re just right for cut flowers #GardeningTips #AnemoneHarvest #FlowerArrangements

Growing Texas Mountain Laurel? Here’s what you need to know: 1. Gets these beautiful blooms each spring - smell like grape punch 2. Drought-tolerant and tough plant 3. Slow-growing small multitrunked tree 4. You might see genista caterpillars - hand pick, leave them for the birds or if the infestation is severe, treat Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a bacterial insecticide that only kills the caterpillars. #texasmountainlaurel #genistacaterpillar #arizonagarden #desertblooms #desertgarden #landscapeplant

🌱 Fresh Cilantro Storage Hack–Stop tossing out wilted cilantro! 🚫 For herbs that last, place cilantro stems in a jar of water 🌿💦—just like flowers! Keep it in the fridge or store it on the counter. This simple trick keeps your cilantro fresh and vibrant for longer, ensuring you always have the freshest flavors for your dishes. #CilantroHack #FreshHerbs #KitchenTips #SustainableCooking

Learning how to grow sweet potatoes is surprisingly easy – just a few plants provide a plentiful harvest. Sweet potatoes aren’t grown from seed–they are started from slips – rooted sweet potato shoots grown from a mature sweet potato. Sweet potatoes need a long, warm growing season, are heat-tolerant and drought-resistant, and have very few pests or diseases. #howtogrowyourownfood #growinginthegarden #gardeningtips #vegetablegarden #growyourownfood #organicgarden #desertgarden #arizonagarden

My favorite way to grow cantaloupes is on ladder mesh trellises - Stick one end in the ground and the other. • Grow one plant per trellis. • Pay attention as it’s climbing to tuck in the vines. You’ll probably need to prune some suckers. • Allow 2-3 fruit per vine - any more than that, and they won’t be as sweet. • They support themselves but keep a close eye on them, once they are ripe, they slip easily from the vine. #verticalgardening #cantaloupe #verticalfarming #desertgarden #arizonagarden

For the longest vase life (10-12 days!) harvest when ranunculus buds are colored and “squishy like a marshmallow” but not yet open. If they are harvested after opening, the blooms last about a week. #ranunculus #flowergardening #cutflowers

Replying to @The Baker Over Yonder To remove the sprout/slip, gently pull it off. If the potato was immersed in water, it may have already formed roots and be ready to plant. ⁣ ⁣ If no roots are present, put it in water for a few days and roots will form. Then plant in warm soil. ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #sweetpotatoes #howtogrow #howtogrowyourownfood #growinginthegarden #gardeningtips #vegetablegarden #growyourownfood #organicgarden #desertgarden #arizonagarden ⁣

How to Water Hanging Baskets - No more HYDROPHOBIC soil! Soil in containers can become hydrophobic, which means that it will repel water rather than aborb it. This is bad news for your plants roots! Soak containers in a bucket of water to make sure it gets absorbed rather than just passing through the soil. This is a great way to make sure your containers don't dry out as quickly. #Hydrophobicsoil #containers #wateringtip

Grow potatoes in Grow Bags! • Place a 3-4 inch layer of loose soil, amended with compost, in the bottom of the container. (Roll down sides of container if desired). Potatoes prefer slightly acidic soil. • Plant seed potatoes with sprouted-side up in soil, and cover them with 2-3 inches of additional soil. • As potatoes sprout, cover the sprouts halfway when they are about 6 inches tall. • Continue this process until the top of the container is reached at which point the plant will continue to grow without being covered up. (Hilling the potatoes ensures that determinate potatoes are not exposed to sunlight and turn green and ensures a larger harvest of indeterminate varieties.) • When you are ready to harvest the entire container, gently dump it out into a wheelbarrow, being careful not to damage the potatoes. Let potatoes cure for a few hours outside. Brush loose soil off the potatoes, and store them in a cool, dry place until you are ready to use them. #potatoes #growbag #growbaggardening #growbags #containergardening

Grow potatoes in Grow Bags! • Place a 3-4 inch layer of loose soil, amended with compost, in the bottom of the container. (Roll down sides of container if desired). Potatoes prefer slightly acidic soil. • Plant seed potatoes with sprouted-side up in soil, and cover them with 2-3 inches of additional soil. • As potatoes sprout, cover the sprouts halfway when they are about 6 inches tall. • Continue this process until the top of the container is reached at which point the plant will continue to grow without being covered up. (Hilling the potatoes ensures that determinate potatoes are not exposed to sunlight and turn green and ensures a larger harvest of indeterminate varieties.) • When you are ready to harvest the entire container, gently dump it out into a wheelbarrow, being careful not to damage the potatoes. Let potatoes cure for a few hours outside. Brush loose soil off the potatoes, and store them in a cool, dry place until you are ready to use them. #potatoes #growbag #growbaggardening #growbags #containergardening

Do you prune pepper seedlings? There isn’t a right or wrong way to garden, and whether or not to prune peppers is a perfect example of this. We have different climates, sized gardens, and goals.⁣ ⁣ Topping pepper seedlings is often done to encourage pepper plants to have more of a bush habit with stronger stems. To prune your seedlings, cut the main stem to just above a leaf. ⁣ ⁣ Depending on the type of pepper plant you are growing, this may or may not be necessary. ⁣ ⁣ Experiment with different kinds of plants in your garden to see if it improves your yield. ⁣ ⁣ I generally “top” most of my pepper plants. I’ve had the best results with pruning large peppers like bell peppers. ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #howtogrowyourownfood #growinginthegarden #gardeningtips #vegetablegarden #pruningpeppers #peppers #desertgarden #arizonagarden

Begin harvesting cilantro once the plants reach 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) tall. To harvest, simply snip off the leaves with a pair of scissors. This will encourage new growth and prevent the plant from bolting. Harvest the entire plant at once or pick individual leaves as needed. #cilantro #cilantroharvest #howtogarden #harvesting

Mistakes are often the best teacher, but I'd love for you to learn from others' mistakes instead of making your own! ⁣ ⁣ • Not having a plan - take the time to make a plan before you install that first raised bed. It's hard to move them! ⁣ ⁣ • No watering system - watering is key in raised beds. I use the Garden Grids from @gardeninminutes in all my beds (Use code Angela10 to save)⁣ ⁣ • Not filling raised beds all the way up - raised beds already limit the amount of soil for plants. Take advantage of all the room in your raised beds. ⁣ ⁣ • Skimping on soil - soil is the most important part of your garden. I used the Raised Bed Mix from @azwormfarm in all my raised beds and containers. ⁣ ⁣ • Planting at the wrong time - find a planting guide for your area and use it. If you live in the low desert (zone 9b), I have calendars, blog posts, seed labels, and more to help you out. ⁣ ⁣ You've got this! Raised bed gardening is a wonderful way to be successful at gardening. Happy planting, and keep growing! ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #howtogrowyourownfood #growinginthegarden #gardeningtips #vegetablegarden #growyourownfood #organicgarden #desertgarden #arizonagarden

Did you know you could grow your own sesame seeds? I first tried growing these last year and was hooked! Sesame thrived in Arizona’s long hot summers. ⁣ ⁣ Thinking about adding sesame to your planting list? Head to my blog or YouTube for detailed growing instructions. ⁣ ⁣ #sesame #sesameseeds #howtogrowsesameseeds #howtogrowyourownfood #growinginthegarden #gardeningtips #growyourownfood #desertgarden #arizonagarden

Learning how to grow sweet potatoes is surprisingly easy – just a few plants provide a plentiful harvest. Sweet potatoes aren’t grown from seed–they are started from slips – rooted sweet potato shoots grown from a mature sweet potato. Sweet potatoes need a long, warm growing season, are heat-tolerant and drought-resistant, and have very few pests or diseases. #howtogrowyourownfood #growinginthegarden #gardeningtips #vegetablegarden #growyourownfood #organicgarden #desertgarden #arizonagarden

Worm composting directly in the garden bed simplifies the process of vermicomposting. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ The worms live, work, reproduce, and make worm castings in the garden bed where they are needed. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ If you live in the low desert, now is the perfect time to add them to your beds.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ It's been shown that worm castings in the garden help plants grow larger and stronger. They also get more and better-quality flowers, fruit, and vegetables. It can also increase a plant’s resilience to pests, drought, heat, disease, and other stress. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ In-bed vermicomposting solves the problem of what to do with the worms during extremes of hot and cold. For example, vermicomposting in hot weather places like the low desert of Arizona is difficult unless you bring the worms inside during the summer months. With in-bed vermicomposting, the worms simply burrow deeper in the beds during the heat of an Arizona summer and then emerge again in the fall. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ #vermicompost #wormcastings #inbedvermicomposting #redwigglers #compost