Summer Garden Cleaning for Fall Planting #Gardening

It has been a very productive summer growing season. I have tried some new vegetables like Okra and a new cucumber variety. A few vegetables did not make it, but I will try again next year, like the Black Beauty Eggplant, which did not like the heat so much, it was too hot a little too soon for the plant. I had a fantastic season of sunflowers and will be planting more for the Fall, just in time for Halloween and a little bit into November, with our late November first frost date. My zinnias lasted the entire season and dropped SO many seeds that they are growing again, along with some transplants I picked up at the garden center, not knowing they were coming. I am starting my Fall vegetables indoors and will share more with you as the weeks go by. 

I hope you are doing well and feeling well and enjoying your garden or getting some fresh air out in nature.

In the video below, I am Summer cleaning the garden to prepare for fall planting. This year, I will be ready to plant my Brassicas on time.

Nice Gifts for Gardeners, available now on Amazon

The Old Farmer's Almanac Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook (Old Farmer's Almanac (Paperback))

Garden Kneeler and Seat, Foldable Garden Stool Heavy Duty

Worm Factory 360 Black US-Made Composting System for Recycling Food Waste at Home

Solar Lights Outdoor Garden Decor, Large Hanging Lantern Waterproof Watering Can

Replacing Front Porch Wooden Railing #Diyprojects

I hope all has been well. I have been super busy this summer and I'm still completing DIY projects as they come along into the fall season. In this video, I am replacing the front porch railing. The wooden banister could no longer be repaired with wood filler. I decided to use redwood because it is rot-resistant and hopefully will hold up to the hot sun and rain that's coming this Fall. It was a pretty straightforward project, but getting those screws lined up to screw in the ballisters was the toughest part of this DIY project, but I did it and you can too if this is a project on your to-do list. Be patient with yourself and grab a helper if you need to. Your project will be completed before you know it! 

Laying Vigoro Mulch in the Garden #GardeningTips

It's finally time to lay Vigoro Mulch in the garden to complete the landscaping in the central area of my garden. I decided to use Vigoro because it was available at my local hardware store and they were also having their Spring sale so I had to take advantage of a good deal. I purchased approximately 65 bags. Now that I am enjoying gardening I look for deals. I wanted to use a local business, but I couldn't find a company working on my specific project and timeframe. Since I laid the landscape fabric first, the Vigoro mulch was a breeze to put down. I decided to purchase their brown mulch, but it comes in other colors, red and black also. I wanted to remain as natural as possible. I'm not going to be watering my mulch so I wasn't worried about it discoloring so I'm expecting it to maintain its color for some time. Overall, I am happy with the Vigoro mulch and will be purchasing again next year to refill some areas that may need a touch-up. At the end of this video, I show a panoramic view of the end result. It feels good to now have a nice space to continue to grow more fruits and vegetables. 

Home Landscaping Resources

California Home Landscaping, 3rd Edition (Creative Homeowner) Over 400 Color Photos & Illustrations

Flower Gardening for Beginners: The Essential 3-Step System on How to Plant Flowers, Grow from Seeds, Design Your Landscape, and Maintain a Beautiful Flower Yard

Encyclopedia of Landscape Design: Planning, Building, and Planting Your Perfect Outdoor Space

Ultimate Guide: Walks, Patios & Walls (Creative Homeowner) Design Ideas with Step-by-Step DIY Instructions and More Than 500 Photos for Brick, Mortar, Concrete, Flagstone, & Tile (Landscaping) 

Northeast Home Landscaping, 3rd Edition: Including Southeast Canada (Creative Homeowner) 54 Landscape Designs, 200+ Plants & Flowers Best Suited to CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT, NB, NS, ON, PE, & QC

Southeast Home Landscaping, 3rd Edition (Creative Homeowner) 54 Landscape Designs with Over 200 Plants & Flowers Best Suited to AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, & TN

Laying Landscape Fabric in the Garden

Before getting into the garden, I have to feed my pet babies, two dogs, two cats, two guinea pigs, two goldfish, and a bunch of cichlids. Once they are satisfied, I can enjoy my day in the garden. In this case, it took me two days to completely cover my garden area with landscape fabric, but I'm SO glad I did it. I love it! I purchased the landscape fabric from Amazon and it arrived fast. I was surprised since it was so heavy and bulky, but it is a nice woven fabric. I wanted to try this type of fabric this time to see how well it holds up to the weeds. The wind was blowing pretty hard on this day and I was doing this project by myself so rocks definitely came in handy. So far I like the landscape fabric I purchased and would recommend it to others. I know other YouTubers who garden in-ground use it too, but it's working out nicely for me.  The video below shows my process for completing this task, laying landscape fabric in the garden.

Are you working on a garden this year? If so, how has it been going?

Products I Used in This Video

Weed Barrier 6.5 x 300 FT Garden Landscape Fabric 

Ashman Landscape Staples, 200 Count Heavy Duty & Anti Rust 

Visting Ojai, CA for My Birthday Trip

In this video below, I am visiting Ojai, CA for my birthday trip. I was SO busy during the week on my actual birthday, June 9th, that I had to celebrate during the weekend and explore then too. I like to do something new and different when my birthday comes around. I enjoy learning new things and discovering new places, so I decided to visit Ojai, CA. My good friend enjoyed her visit so I thought that I would make it my travel destination for this year. First, I took a hike in Rose Valley Falls, which led to a beautiful waterfall, hidden in the woods. It was the most memorable part of my trip. Then we ate at a vegan restaurant, checked out some of the shops, and the day was fast approaching evening so we had to get on the road to head back home. I had a pleasant birthday and am very thankful to see another year.

Have you been to Ojai, CA? What did you think? Share in the comments below.

Thanks for watching! Stay safe and well.

Planting First Vegetable Transplants in the Garden

In this video below, I am planting my first vegetable transplants of the year. I have been growing lots of vegetables indoors, but I felt that it was time to get some out in the raised beds to see if it was an ideal time to start growing. I am growing some vegetables that I didn't have much luck with last year during my first-year gardening experience. So, you'll see if I had better results and I also include a recent update on how the vegetables are doing, now in June. Hopefully, you are starting to grow your own vegetables. If so, share some of your favorite vegetables and how they are doing in the comments below. The only insect that I'm really looking out for right now is the earwig. That bug is out and on a mission...lol, but I am ready for him and mention a Bonide product that I have been using to keep him away from my leafy greens.

Product I'm using for the earwigs in addition to Diatomaceous Earth - Bonide Bug & Slug Killer Bait, 1.5 lbs, Granules

Red Russian Kale and Sugar Baby Watermelon seeds among others were purchased from  @CaliKim29 Garden & Home DIY Seed Store at: https://calikimgardenandhome.com/seeds

 

Planting Sunflowers in the Garden

In the video below, I am planting sunflower seeds in the garden. I purchased my seeds from Eden Brothers and another vendor, mentioned in the video. Overall, the sunflowers germinated nicely in my garden. However, earwigs decided to nibble on many of my baby sunflowers in the ground so I had to grow more indoors and fill in the areas where the earwigs had their feasts. I left some Bonide pellets for organic gardening down which seems to be working. Many sunflowers bounced back from the nibbling and are growing taller and taller every day. It really seems to be perseverance and consistency that keeps the garden growing. It's starting to pay off now. This video shows you how I planted the sunflower seeds and a quick update on their status after planting. I'm hoping to show their huge blooms on a future garden tour. It should be a sight to see.

Planting Hosta Roots in Containers Before Transplanting

I planted my Hosta roots in containers before transplanting them in my designated garden area. I decided to do this so that they could have a good start in a controlled environment, free of too much insect pressure. I added Plantone and earthworm casting to my soil and moistened the soil thoroughly and then I planted them. I did soak the hosta roots overnight to wake them up, but they have been on their way. I do provide an update on my hosta plants in this video as well. They are really easy to grow and start from bare roots.

Are you growing hostas this year? Share any tips you have in the comments below.

How-To Video

The product I used in the video

Espoma Organic Plant-tone 5-3-3 Natural & Organic All Purpose Plant Food

How to Use Vigoro No-Dig Landscape Edging Kit #intheGarden

I am progressing even more in my garden, as I get it ready for more fruits and vegetables. I decided to use the Vigoro No-Dig Landscape Edging Kit in the garden to prepare the area for placing landscape fabric and then mulch. I also needed to define the spaces within my garden for planting sunflower seeds and my zinnias. The product comes with everything you need and if you need to purchase more stakes that's possible too. I used what was provided in the box. The instructions recommended using a rubber mallet, however, I just used a hammer and it worked nicely. The job was a quick one so this video is pretty quick as well. I will keep you posted on the next steps in this project as I continue to prepare the space for this year's growing season. I found this Vigoro product in my local hardware store, but you can find it on Amazon as well.

60 ft. No-Dig Landscape Edging Kit

EasyFlex Heavy Duty No-Dig Edging Kit - 100 ft., Black

Planting Strawberries in Containers for Spring #Gardening

I planted three varieties of strawberries for this year in March. I wanted to try again and plant some strawberries in a large container versus my raised beds. Last year, they really didn't do that well in that area. I have added chicken manure, fertilizer, and moist-control potting mix so we'll see together how they do this year. I do provide an update on their growth so far as of May 1, 2022, in the video below. I purchased some Ozark bare roots, Sequoia, and Seascape strawberry transplants as well, all from my local garden center. I'm still crossing my fingers for the bare roots to wake up, but if not this year, maybe next year. They were pretty dry so I soaked them overnight to hopefully give them a refresh. So far, I have been lucky with the Sequoia and Seascape transplants. They are making strawberries. I even had the opportunity to try one from each plant. They were sweet, which is a plus for strawberries. I'm hoping for an even larger crop of both varieties as the weather warms up, even more, this growing season. It's wonderful to grow your own fruits and vegetable. The learning process has been great for me and the relaxation I feel while working in the garden is amazing.

Questions for you:

Are you growing strawberries this year? If so, what varieties are you growing? 

Do you have a favorite type?

Garden stake tags mentioned in the video are available on Amazon

100 Pcs 4 Inch Plastic Nursery Garden Stake Tags  

100 Pcs T-Type Plant Labels with a Gel Pen, Waterproof  

Espoma PT4 4-Pound Plant-Tone Organic 5-3-3 Plant Food - 2 Pack

DR EARTH Natural Wonder Fruit Tree 5-5-2 Fertilizer 4LB Bag

Building a Cattle Panel Fence For The #Garden

I successfully built a Cattle Panel Fence for my 47ft x 24ft garden area. I purchased my cattle panels, T-Posts, post pounder, and other tools from Tractor Supply. I did purchase some gate adapters for T-Posts on Amazon (see image below). In the video below, I used some stakes and mason line to establish my fence area, surrounding the garden. It was my first time using the pole-pounder so I had to get some tips from another YouTuber here. Initially, I attached the cattle panels to the T-Posts with zip-ties and then went back on the second day to permanently attach them with the fence clips, provided complimentary with my T-Post order. The gate was installed quickly with the gate adapters I learned about on Amazon. There are many different types of adapters, but I like that the ones I chose had a screw component as well that latches to the T-Post for added support of the gate over time. On the second day, I added the T-Post clip and the project was finished. About a week later I did come back with 2ft rebars to support the center of the 16ft cattle panels a little more, from swaying with the wind. Overall, I am happy with this DIY project and the decision to use cattle panels instead of the roll of fencing. I didn't have the capability to stretch the roll of fencing in place so these worked great because they were already pretty sturdy. If you're thinking about establishing your own garden space, you can do it too! Take your time, plan it out, gather your supplies and a helper and start your DIY project. 

Share your experience in the comments below. I look forward to reading about it.

T-Post Hinge Pins - Gate Hanger on Metal T Post with 5/8 Pin

Replenishing Soil in my Raised Beds for Spring and Summer #Gardening

It's time to start putting some vegetables in the garden, but the soil from the last growing season needs more nutrients added to it. I decided to try some chicken manure, mixed with the raised bed soil I usually purchase from my local garden center. I also added some worm castings to each bed. I will be adding more when I actually plant my vegetables, along with some slow-release fertilizer. I'm happy that the weather is warming up in my part of southern California. The weather forecast has been unpredictable already this year, a couple of days are warm, and then it takes a dive back down to the lower 60s. It was the perfect day to put on a hat and get this garden task completed. It's a quick and simple process once you have selected the products that you like. This will be my second year gardening so I have definitely learned a thing or two from my experiences last year. I hope to have even more growing success this year, fingers crossed...lol. In the video below I show how I replenished my raised beds for this growing season.

Question for You! Are you getting started with your Spring and Summer gardening tasks? If so, share your tips below with everyone. Thank you!

Highly Recommended for Worm castings and Worm Tea 

VermisTerra products can be purchased on Amazon if you are limited on supplies in your local area.

VermisTerra Organic Earthworm Castings 10 LBS 

VermisTerra Vitality - Earthworm Tea 16oz 

VermisTerra Vitality - Earthworm Tea, Gallon 

Video: Planting a Washington Navel Orange in the Ground #GardeningTips

I enjoy eating a nice, cold, orange. It's especially good to pick one off the tree and eat it. I want to be able to do that from my garden so I decided to add a Washington Navel Orange Tree. It's supposed to be easy to grow and great for juicing and salads. Hopefully, if all goes well, I will have oranges this year in the wintertime. The tree was purchased from Tractor Supply and I purchased my earthworm castings and fertilizer from Home Depot. The tree was easy to remove from its growing container, which was nice when I had to transfer it to the ground. I mixed earthworm castings in with the native soil to add nutrients and also some Citrus fertilizer. The hole was dug twice the size of the pot and it was instructed to leave some of the roots showing above ground. I watered the Washington Navel deeply and added straw mulch, but eventually, I pulled back the mulch and added landscape fabric because the weeds were starting to pop up due to the rain we were getting. So far, the orange tree is settling in well. I have white flowers as discussed from the tag in the video and I'm hopeful for oranges in the winter. I will keep you posted!

Citrus Fertilizers to start your tree off right, available on Amazon

Jobe's 4 Lb Organic Fruit & Citrus Granular Fertilizer 3-5-5

Dr. Earth Organic 9 Fruit Tree Fertilizer In Poly Bag, 4-Pound

Espoma 4 Lbs Citrus-Tone 5-2-6 Plant Food

Jobe’s Organics Fruit & Citrus Tree Fertilizer Spikes, 3-5-5 Time Release Fertilizer for All Container or Indoor Fruit Trees, 6 Spikes per Package (3)