Here She Grows

Grow something!

  • About
    • Portfolio
  • Gardening
    • My Garden
  • Videos
  • Food
  • Health
    • SIBO (pronounced See-BO)
  • Virtual Garden Walks
  • Blog
  • Contact Heather

Search Results for: soil

Soil Test Results Say Back Off Organic Matter! What?

May 7, 2021 By Heather Blackmore 4 Comments

Gorilla Wagon full of soil

My soil test results contradict everything a gardener is told to do. As promised, I received a letter in the mail less than two weeks after submitting the soil samples to the lab detailing the shortcomings. As it turns out, both areas are pretty similar despite the fact that one is an established garden, the other hardly touched except for the tricolor beech and two Techny arborvitae that are no bigger than a minute. But there's one significant difference and it's a game changer. The redbud garden, which is no longer home to a redbud on account of verticillium wilt, was one of the first gardens I dug almost 20 years ago. It's seen a lot of compost which explains why it tested "very high" for organic matter. A whopping 10.0! Too much organic matter can be a bad thing. Ummm, wait, what? ...

read more...

Filed Under: Gardening, My Garden Tagged With: soil, soil test, soil test results

No Planting Yet, Get a Soil Test First!

April 2, 2021 By Heather Blackmore 2 Comments

Soil test

I have a confession to make. My garden hasn't had a soil test in 10 years. There are plenty of things in the garden, like the chlorosis on the little lime hydrangea and the groundcovers that never seem to cover any ground, that have been telling me now's the time. I'm finally prepared to listen and only wish I'd done it a whole lot sooner. But with the new side yard bed I told you about last week, I'm determined to do things right. And while I'm at it, I'm going to sample the bed that used to contain my beautiful redbud. It bit the dust last year and nothing in that area, aside from the hosta and solomon seal which could probably survive Chernobyl, is thriving. So I'm double dipping, so to speak. Most states have a university extension office that you can call or look up online for ...

read more...

Filed Under: Gardening, My Garden Tagged With: garden planning, new garden, soil, soil test

Verticillium Wilt: The Soilborne Disease Claiming Victim(s)

May 7, 2020 By Heather Blackmore 7 Comments

Redbud tree

For nearly 17 years, my garden flew under the radar of disease until last year when it was obvious something was wrong with my redbud tree (Cercis canadensis). One of the main branches didn't flower or leaf out. While I remained hopeful, the reality was that I sort of knew what was happening but didn't want to admit it to myself. It was kind of like saying Beetlejuice! three times. Only this was even harder, this was real and attacking my favorite tree. I sawed out the affected branch and waited for another spring, hoping it might bounce back but it didn't. It got worse. Verticillium wilt has consumed two-thirds of the tree and right now, only the branch closest to the gate has flowers. The rest is dead. So I'm enjoying that last branch while at the same time lamenting the loss of the ...

read more...

Filed Under: Gardening, My Garden Tagged With: cherry tree, disease, elderberry, lilac, redbud tree, soilborne fungus, verticillium wilt

Save Precious Topsoil When Removing Grass

April 29, 2020 By Heather Blackmore 4 Comments

Grass in sideyard is gone

So here's the thing about winter. It creates plenty of time to think up ways to add more plants to the garden. But the only way to do that is to dig out more grass. SSHHH...don't tell my husband. Guys and their grass. I find it's better for marital harmony if I dig a new bed while he's at work rather than discuss it with him first and hear a litany of reasons why he needs that area. Especially since he's prone to complaining about having to cut it in the first place! The way I see it, I'm doing him a giant favor while at the same time, assuaging my addiction. It's a win-win. You have three options for grass removal: Cover the area with cardboard and allow the grass and weeds to die, which takes far longer than I care to wait. Spray the heck out of it with turf killer. That's ...

read more...

Filed Under: Gardening, My Garden, Uncategorized Tagged With: grass, how to remove grass, new garden, save topsoil, topsoil

Glow-Up Part 3: Installing a Crisp Border with Edge Right

December 8, 2022 By Heather Blackmore 2 Comments

Bending Edge Right panel

Thanks to Edge Right for partnering with me on this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I feel like I've been in the home stretch of my veggie garden glow-up for several weeks and the fact of the matter is, it's actually been a few months. Budget plays into everything I do, and sometimes things don't happen as quickly as I'd like. Certain kids need new athletic equipment or there's a last minute school fee we overlooked. So I stay flexible, knowing eventually I'll get to it and all will work out. And if it doesn't, well we call that a character building moment. I've had many. I hate to say what I do is affordable because affordability is relative. So I guess the working word is "plan." Which takes several forms when it comes to a glow-up, indoors or out. Planning in advance ...

read more...

Filed Under: Gardening, My Garden, Uncategorized Tagged With: DIY edging, Edge Right, landscaping edging, metal edging, raised bed gardening, vegetable garden

Raised Bed Garden Glow Up Part 2: Staining

September 30, 2022 By Heather Blackmore Leave a Comment

staining a raised bed

Thanks to Vermont Natural Coatings for partnering with me on this post. All thoughts and opinions belong to yours truly. When it comes to staining my raised beds, it's gotta be clean. If you go to any home improvement center looking for exterior wood stain, you'll find shelf after shelf of options that will do the job. Very few however, offer the reassurance I require of anything I use in and around my home. The thought of chemicals invading the soil in my organic garden and infiltrating the fruits and veg I grow for my family creeps me out. I've always been conscious of the foods we eat, especially so following the diagnosis of my daughter's digestive disorder in 2017. I became an even bigger food snob. Quality of life comes down to lifestyle and clean food is a huge part of that ...

read more...

Filed Under: Food, Gardening, My Garden, SIBO (pronounced See-BO), Uncategorized Tagged With: food garden, organic wood stain, PolyWhey Exterior Wood Stain, raised beds, staining wood, Vermont Natural Coatings, wood stain

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 10
  • Next Page »

Hi there!

I'm Heather and I love to grow stuff. LOTS of stuff. Most importantly, a healthy family. I'm a stay-at-home mom with a passion for playing in the dirt. Read More…

Be social

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Get Here She Grows Blog Updates

Never miss a weekly post! Subscribe now. I won't rent, sell, or give away your email address.

Instagram

I’ve never had a garden bag before this beauty f I’ve never had a garden bag before this beauty from @vego_garden arrived today. 

It’s full of all sorts of bells and whistles and will save me trips back and forth to the garage to grab tools and various odds and ends. Built-in hooks make it perfect for hanging on the edge of a raised bed and the five gallon capacity means it can double as a water bucket in a pinch.

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and EVERYTHING is buy one get one 25% off! 

Go to my affiliate link in bio to check out their Let Love Bloom Sale! ❤️🌷

Happy Gardening! 

#vegogarden #sustainabilityyourway #gardengear #gardenbag #toolbags #worksmarternotharder #toughtools #forthegardener #giftsforgardeners #youdeserveit
Let’s eat! Nothing’s better than homegrown! So Let’s eat! Nothing’s better than homegrown! So grow what you love and make the kind of food you’ll never find at the grocery store! #homegrownfood #backyardgardener #organicgardener #raisedbedgardening #growyourown #vegetablegardening #letseat #gardenlife #sustainabilityyourway #potager #happygardener #raisedbeds #homecookingisthebest #canningandpreserving #gyo #zone5b #urbangardens #smallspacegardening #bountifulharvest #chicagogarden #hereshegrows
It’s 1 degree today! And my @vego_garden raised It’s 1 degree today! And my @vego_garden raised beds won’t see seeds or plants for a few more months. Having built and filled them last fall, it’s nice knowing they’re ready to go just as soon as Old Man Winter decides to loosen his grip. Check out my bio for the link to the beds! They’re on sale! 😉#vegogarden #sustainabilityyourway #raisedbeds #raisedbedgardening #backyardgardener #backyardgarden #foodgarden #growyourown #growwhatyoulove #zone5b #chicagogarden #hereshegrows
It’s a great time to butter your branches! Unswe It’s a great time to butter your branches! Unsweetened natural peanut butter spread on your tree branches is a great source of calories and fats for birds at a time when food sources aren’t as plentiful. I do this for them and me as I’ve been an avid bird watcher since I was little. It’s something I inherited from my dad who used to walk around England’s @ntkingstonlacy estate with a jackdaw, a small grey crow, perched on his shoulder. His grandfather was a gardener living on the grounds. I can’t imagine a garden without birds. #forthebirds #birdfood #birdfeeding #backyardbirder #birdwatching #ilovebirds #birdfeedingtips #forthebirds #birdloversofinstagram #winterbirds #birdfeeding #peanutbuttertime #urbanbirding #chicagobirding #feedthebirds #highcalories #birdlover #chicagogarden #hereshegrows
It’s going to be many weeks before I can plant m It’s going to be many weeks before I can plant my @vego_garden raised beds. The soil is frozen solid! But it’s not too soon to think about crops that will germinate in cool soil and extend my growing season into the chilly first weeks of spring. As soon as soil is workable and around 50 degrees F or 10 degrees C, direct sow peas, spinach, arugula, salad greens and radish. With the exception of the peas which take about 70 days to mature, all are quick-turn crops producing delicious, harvestable veg in 35 days or less. It’s a great way to get the most bang for my garden buck! #vegogarden #sustainabilityyourway #coolseasoncrops #earlyspringgarden #raisedbedgarden #vegetablegardening #potager #growwhatyoulove #foodgardening #eatyourveg #urbangarden #directsow #plantseeds #backyardgardening #hereshegrows
Another reason to leave those hydrangea blooms up Another reason to leave those hydrangea blooms up for winter interest! Your snow woman will have the best hairdo. Add to that long arborvitae lashes and a rose hip mouth and she’s one lovely lady. I miss my girls, especially on days when the snow packs so well. Today’s one of those days. If they were home, we’d have the best time making our snow girl. But I built one by myself and was joined by my dear friend and neighbor. #missingyou❤️ #snowman #snowwoman #snowday #momlife #emptynestmom #wintergarden #lovemydaughters #gardenlife #chicagogardener #hereshegrows
Do you grow asiatic lilies? I have a few varieties Do you grow asiatic lilies? I have a few varieties in my garden and they thrive despite my heavy clay soil. The secret is full sun and fast draining soil all year long. Wet soil leads to rot and these beauties are on the west side of my garden, the hottest part next to the house. Things dry out quickly here which is the key to their success. In order of appearance: Forever Susan, Black Beauty and Conca D’Or. #asiaticlily #orienpetlily #lillies #trumpetlily #fragrantflowers #summerbulbs #flowerbulbs #perennialgarden #fullsun #sunnygarden #chicagogarden #zone5bgardening #urbangarden #backyardgarden #hereshegrows #gardenideas #gardendesignideas #bigflowers #turkscap #summergarden
Have you decided what you’ll be growing this yea Have you decided what you’ll be growing this year in your veg garden? I can’t wait to get out here and get growing! My goal last year was to make this small space as productive as possible for 2023. The addition of two 6-in-1 @vego_garden raised beds along the fence means I can take advantage of the narrow space and also use the fence to grow up. Configured in this way, the beds are just two feet wide, allowing me ample room to get a cart in here while still growing plenty of veg. You’d be surprised just how much you can grow in a 6.5’x2’ bed! Follow me and we’ll grow together! #vegogarden #sustainabilitymyway #vegetablegarden #foodgarden #smallspacegardening #smallspacegarden #raisedbeds #backyardgarden #growfood #organicgarden #growwhatyoulove #growyourown #eattherainbow #potager #youarewhatyoueat #gyo #mygardenlife #chicagogarden #urbangardeningideas #urbangarden #zone5b #hereshegrows
Follow on Instagram

2019 Media Award
GWA Media Award logo

Great Garden Reads

Get Here She Grows Blog Updates

Never miss a weekly post! Subscribe now. I won't rent, sell, or give away your email address.

Popular Posts

  • How to Build a Seed Starting Rack on the Cheap
    How to Build a Seed Starting Rack on the Cheap
  • A Traffic Stopping Front Yard Garden
    A Traffic Stopping Front Yard Garden
  • 10 Tough Plants for Dry Shade
    10 Tough Plants for Dry Shade

Quicklinks

  • Blog

Be social

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2023 hereshegrows.com · Sitemap · Privacy Policy · Terms and Disclaimers