Epic Gardening

Found this kneeling device for bricklayers last year and had to give it a shot in the garden. It’s a bit bulky to walk around in, but honestly, it made weeding and harvesting way easier than I thought! 🙌🏼 Still believe it could be a game-changer for us gardeners. What do you think—would you give it a try? 🤔

If you’re behind on planting seeds, here’s a little trick that might help.

Growing wasabi has been one of our toughest challenges. To date, we’ve yet to pull off a successful harvest. A big part of that struggle is trying to cultivate this cool, shade-loving plant in San Diego’s warm, sunny climate (Zone 10b). Wasabi thrives in temperatures between 45-70°F, hates direct sunlight, and is part of the cabbage family. It’s so difficult to grow that what you typically find in stores or on restaurant menus is often a blend of horseradish, mustard, food coloring, and other additives. For the real deal, look for Wasabi japonica as the first ingredient on the label—or better yet, try growing your own!

Meet Inga edulis, also known as the ice cream bean tree. Native to Central and South America, this fast-growing legume belongs to the Fabaceae family and thrives in tropical and subtropical regions. Its oversized, pod-like fruits can grow over 2 feet long. Crack one open and you’ll find a sweet, cottony pulp wrapped around shiny black seeds. The flavor? Think vanilla ice cream meets cotton candy, with some varieties even throwing in a hint of cinnamon. It’s easy to see why it’s a favorite among kids and foragers alike. But this tree isn’t just about sweet treats. Indigenous communities have long valued Inga edulis for more than just the fruit. Its nitrogen-fixing roots enrich the soil, making it a popular agroforestry species for regenerating degraded land. The wood is also used for fuel and construction, while the dense canopy provides shade for crops like coffee and cacao. Locally, it goes by many names—guaba in Ecuador, pacay in Peru, and cuaniquil in parts of Mexico. However you say it, the ice cream bean tree is a delicious and multifunctional gem of the tropics.

Thinking of growing your own saffron? 👀 Farmers in the US have been growing saffron crocus since the 1600s, when the Pennsylvania Dutch first brought over these little bulbs. Grown from corms (not seeds), the plant is easy to grow in raised beds or containers. But the real work? Harvesting those tiny red threads in the center—that’s the saffron, and it’s worth more than gold (literally). Saffron is pricey not because it’s hard to grow, but because picking and drying the spice is super labor-intensive. Each flower produces just three bright red stigmas, which need to be harvested fast and by hand. You’ll want to harvest in the morning on a dry day, about 6–8 weeks after planting. Wait until the bloom is partially open, snip the flower at the base (leave the leaves), then gently pull out the stigmas by hand or with tweezers. Small flower. Big flex.

If you’re lucky enough to have a loquat tree in your backyard, you’re in for a treat. These tropical beauties are not only super tasty but also packed with nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber. Plus, they bring some serious style with their fragrant blooms and golden-orange fruit. Loquats thrive in warm climates and make for a stunning ornamental tree year-round. 🌳 Fun fact: loquats go by a bunch of different names depending on where you’re at – Japanese plum, Chinese plum, or even Pipa in China. The tree’s leaves and fruit have a long history in traditional medicine, with the fruit being used to ease coughs and the leaves believed to help with skin conditions and respiratory issues. 💊 If you’ve got the right climate, go ahead and plant one—it’s definitely worth it. 💯

Paprika isn’t one spice. It’s a whole range... sweet, spicy, smoky, depending on the pepper you grow and how you dry it. In Spain and Hungary, they’ve dialed this in. But you don’t need to live there... you can grow and dry your own! Want sweetness for stews? Grow a sweet variety like a Hungarian pepper. Need heat? Pick a spicy one. That deep smoky flavor? That’s all in the drying. When you grow it yourself, you control everything. Flavor, texture, color. Drying takes a few months, so stick them in a cool, dry, shaded spot with airflow and forget about them for a while. Once they’re brittle, grind and sift. That’s it. You’ve got fresh, deep red paprika straight from the garden. One of the easiest ways to start making your own spices. And yeah, it’ll blow the store-bought stuff out of the water.

Even though we own a seed company (@Botanical Interests) and we print specific plant spacing guidelines on the back of our packets, we still wondered… what if you ignored them? 🤔 So we did. And we found that spacing at maximum recommended distance or further resulted in the heaviest cabbages on a per cabbage basis, but cramming tighter resulted in more OVERALL yield. 💡 If you're a small space grower, this is a key finding. You can get a lot more overall mass out of your garden by spacing tighter, BUT you're also increasing pest / disease pressure (due to increased moisture, density, and contact between plants) and you're also removing more organic matter from the soil, so will need to supplement with more fertilizer. 🌱 What do you think - have you tried something like this in your garden?

First few weeks of spring harvest check-in: fresh eggs, a monster beet, and a garden bursting with promise. I went through the usual rounds, and everything’s coming along... some ready to pick, others taking their time. What're you harvesting right now? ⬇️

You can grow potatoes pretty much anywhere, and honestly, it’s way easier (and more fun) than you think. They are a top staple in the human diet, along with wheat and rice. In fact, it’s the most common non-cereal crop grown worldwide and holds such significance that it’s been nicknamed the Apple of the Earth. This year, I went all in and tried eight different ways to grow spuds. I did the classic trench method, threw a frost blanket over some to see if a little extra warmth would make a difference, planted a few in buckets for a small-space approach, went twice as deep to see if depth really matters, messed around with the straw method, started some from actual seeds, added more soil as the plants grew to encourage more production, and even tested grow bags. If you decide to grow these terrific tubers, you’ll find yourself with a delicious harvest and definite bragging rights. After all, not many people can say they grow their own french fries! Follow along to see which method yielded the best results. 🥔

More gardeners need to consider adding mushrooms to their garden plans. Not only are they absolutely delicious, but they help improve your garden in a myriad of ways. For example, adding a species like wine cap to your garden pathways, which might be made of straw, woodchips, or some other organic matter, helps break down material MUCH faster, and gives you a rare edible mushroom you don't often find at stores. They can boost your plant yields, too - @jacquesinthegarden is testing this out with a tomato experiment based on a study we found. Best of all, they're actually easier to grow than most plants 😂 especially when you do something as simple as the buried block technique demonstrated in this video.

We’ve learned two simple ways to grow bigger strawberries and keep them coming longer through the season. These methods might seem a bit unusual, but they’ve worked well for us over time. The first is removing flowers, but only at the right time. If you’re growing June-bearing strawberries, remove the flowers until early May, then let them grow. This helps the plant focus on building strong leaves first, then flowers and fruit later in the season. If your strawberries are everbearing, you can keep removing the flowers until about mid to late May before allowing them to bloom. The second method is about runners. If you’re growing vertically like we are, those runners won’t root as they’ll just hang there. So go ahead and trim them off. You can place them in water to root and save them for next season if you’d like. Fun fact: strawberries aren’t actually berries in the botanical sense. They’re classified as “aggregate fruits” because they form from more than one ovary.

Tomato planting tip: Don’t mess up your timing 🍅 Most gardeners do the first part right - starting 6-8 weeks before the last frost where they live. But they miss the second step… The secret is waiting until soil temps hit around 60°F or higher consistently. 65°F is even better! You can get transplant shock and a struggle to thrive if temps are too low, EVEN if there's no more frost in your area. Use a soil thermometer to check - they're about $10 at the local garden center. Get it right and watch those tomatoes thrive 🌱

If you want your citrus to thrive, you need to fertilize it and NOW is the perfect time. Right when winter breaks and spring starts to creep in. Use a slow-release organic fertilizer, clear out a circle roughly the circumference of your tree's canopy and sprinkle over the soil, then cover with mulch. This is what I've done for 4 years with my 15-tree citrus hedge and it's EXPLODED with growth. 🍋

Forgot to harvest your artichoke? No worries, you’re still in for a show. When left alone, those heads bloom into one of the most striking flowers in the veggie garden. We’re talkin’ bold purple blue vibes that totally steal the spotlight. Bees go nuts over it too. 🐝 If you do want to eat them, make sure to harvest the heads before they open up. Once it flowers, it’s game over for your dinner plate, but hey, it’s still a win for your eyes. Artichokes are actually a type of thistle, so that flashy bloom is just nature showing off. ✨ Not seeing any buds yet? Don’t stress. Some artichokes take a year or more to really kick off. Just make sure they’re getting plenty of water and nutrients. If your plant’s all leaves and no action, try cutting back some of the extra stalks. Sometimes they just need a little tough love to get things going. 💪🏼🌱

Borage is the MVP of chill, low-maintenance plants. You plant it once, and boom.. it comes back every year (which can be part of the problem). Those bright blue flowers? Absolute bee magnets. 🐝 Predatory insects such as hoverflies and wasps also love to feast on the nectar of the borage flower making it a great companion in the vegetable garden. Borage flowers have a subtle flavor of cucumber and make a perfect garnish for salads or candied decorations for cakes. But if you really want to impress your guests, try freezing flowers in ice cubes and adding them to cool summer drinks. 🍹 The #1 problem you'll run into growing borage is its untidy and sprawling appearance as it grows bigger. Trim it up now and then so it doesn’t turn into a floppy mess. Keep it standing tall, and it’ll keep your garden looking fresh. ✨

Herbs are one of the easiest wins in the garden. They don’t ask for much, they smell amazing, and they save you cash at the grocery store. Plus, there’s nothing like tossing fresh basil or thyme into your cooking. Tastes better, hits different. If you want to keep your herb plants thriving and producing more, it’s all about how you harvest. Each herb grows a little differently, so trimming the right way makes a big difference. More growth, less waste, and no sad stick-looking plants. Take basil for example. Don’t just chop randomly. Look for where two little side shoots are popping out and snip just above that spot. It will encourage your basil to bush out instead of growing into a tall, thin stem with nothing going on up top. For chives or green onions, the lawnmower method works best. Just grab some scissors and cut a few inches off the top. The key is to leave the central base alone so the plant keeps growing strong. Go too low and you risk slowing things down or damaging the regrowth point. Thyme and oregano are a little different since they like to spread out low across the soil. These herbs are tough and bounce back fast, so feel free to trim stems down near the base to keep things tidy. If you want more plants, stick those fresh cuttings in water or soil and let them root. Easy way to multiply your herb game.

Artichokes don’t get nearly enough credit. These unique plants aren’t just vegetables—they’re unopened flower buds that, if left to bloom, transform into striking blue-violet thistles. Whether you’re growing them for their beauty or their flavor, artichokes make an excellent addition to any garden with plenty of space. 🏡 To get started, plant artichokes in early spring or late fall, ensuring the soil temperature is between 50-85°F (10-29°C). Seeds should be planted half an inch deep and thinned to six feet apart, while transplants need three to four feet of space. Compost boosts their growth, and a layer of mulch helps retain moisture. With the right care, these perennials can keep producing for 5-7 years, making them a long-term investment in your garden. 🪴 When it’s time to harvest, artichokes bring a rich, nutty flavor with a meaty texture. They’re delicious steamed and dipped in butter, added to soups, or even tossed on pizza. While their relatives were once used medicinally, today we simply enjoy their one-of-a-kind taste. Give them a try, you might just find a new favorite crop. 💯

We’ll never get tired of growing (and eating!) tomatoes. Hands down, our garden favorite. This time, we used ‘Fortamino’ rootstock seeds from @Botanical Interests and they delivered: • Better leaf coverage • More blooms per truss • Heavier fruit • Stronger tolerance to heat and stress • And solid disease resistance, including against root knot nematodes What varieties are you growing this season? 🍅

This is my 1/3 acre suburban homestead which I built to see how far you can take sustainability in a normal home. Automatic garden watering? Check. Chickens for eggs and fertilizer? Yup. Solar everything? You know it. It took me five years to figure this out. Want to learn it quicker? Look up ‘Epic Homesteading’ wherever you buy books. 📚