Rooting, Replanting, and Reflecting August in Zone 9 is full of contradictions. Your tomatoes are still ripening, your basil won’t quit, and yet—the garden is clearly tired. You might be, too. But what if we didn’t rush this month? What if we moved through August like the garden does—slowly, intentionally, resting in the heat while…
How to plant with hope, tend with patience, and trust what you can’t yet see 🌿 Opening Reflection: The Quiet Work of Rooting Carrots are one of those crops that require more than just good soil—they demand a certain kind of faith. You don’t get much feedback early on. No flashy leaves, no above-ground fruit…
Real reflections from a year of heat, failure, grace, and unexpected growth 🌿 Opening: What I Thought I Knew Every year I step into the garden with a plan. And every year, it humbles me. This one? It stretched me sideways. I fought the heat, learned what bolting really looks like, lost more squash than…
How to Preserve What Grew Well—and Why It Matters 🌿 Opening Reflection: A Harvest Worth Keeping There’s something sacred about saving seeds—especially tomato seeds. Maybe it’s because tomatoes are a garden favorite we tend with such care. We start them indoors when it’s still cold out. We harden them off, trellis them, prune them, talk…
A gentle, intuitive approach to protecting your peppers without panicking 🌱 Introduction: Noticing the First Nibbles You walk out to your pepper plants, excited to check on their growth—and there it is. Tiny holes speckling the leaves. Not enough to ruin the plant, but enough to spark concern. Is it flea beetles? Caterpillars? Something worse?…
A soulful and strategic approach to designing your space for a fruitful season ahead 🍂 Introduction: When the Map Becomes the Prayer By late summer, my garden always looks a little worn and wild—like it’s been through something. And it has. So have I. There’s something sacred about this in-between season. The beans are yellowing,…
