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October Garden Book Club: Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life by Marta McDowell
September Garden Book Club: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver
August Garden Book Club Pick: Night Magic by Leigh Ann Henion.
July Garden Book Pick: Down to Earth by Monty Don
June Garden Book Club Pick: Grow Your Soil by Diane Miessler
Zone 7b Gardening Guide: Year-Round Plan is Coming Soon
Organic Garden Pest Guide
May Garden Book Club Pick: The Well Gardened Mind
April 2025 Garden Book Club Leaves Roots and Fruit

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Slate gray aluzinc steel Birdies raised garden beds in a home garden space with healthy soil and surrounding plants

How We Upgraded Our Wooden Raised Beds to Durable Birdies Raised Beds

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17 Top Gifts for Gardeners
How We Upgraded Our Wooden Raised Beds to Durable Birdies Raised Beds
October Garden Book Club: Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life by Marta McDowell
September Garden Book Club: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver

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Follow @Michelles Garden Grows

Happy Earth Day 2026 🌍 Your garden is more than pl

Happy Earth Day 2026 🌍 Your garden is more than plants it’s a whole ecosystem.

✅Hoverflies
✅lacewings
✅ladybugs,
✅parasitoid wasps
✅Soldiet beetles,
✅caterpillars
all play a role in keeping things in balance.

The more we allow plants to flowers, plant pollinator friendly flowers, avoid sprays, and make space for nature… the more help shows up.
🌼🐞🪰🐝

🌺Michelle @michellesgardengrows

#earthday2026 #insects #beneficialinsects #pollinatorfriendly #beginnergardener

🫐 Blueberries are acid-loving plants, and grow bag

🫐 Blueberries are acid-loving plants, and grow bags make it easier to maintain the right soil environment for my blueberry bushes year after year.

Right now I’m in bloom stage with my year-three bushes, so instead of doing a full soil reset, I’m just doing a light seasonal refresh.

✅ I added their new fertilizer for acid-loving plants (composted poultry manure, fish bone meal, lobster & crab shell meal, worm castings, and kelp meal) and lightly worked it into the top layer before watering everything in.

✅Then I gently top-dressed with Coast of Maine Organic’s Soil for Acid-Loving Plants made with sphagnum peat moss, composted manure, and aged bark to help maintain soil structure and acidity without disturbing active blooms.

✅The goal at this stage is support, not disruption but keeping the plant stable while it focuses on flowering and fruit set.

👉 Follow along @michellesgardengrows to see these blueberry bushes journey to harvest🫐

Happy growing!
~🌺Michelle

#coastofmaineorganics #blueberries #springgarden #growbaggardening #acidlovingplants

Happy National Gardening Day 🌿🎉 If you’ve been th

Happy National Gardening Day 🌿🎉

If you’ve been thinking about adding native plants, this might be your sign. 🌱

🌼 Celebrate National Gardening Day with 15% off native plant kits and new arrivals from Garden for Wildlife!

Shop the sale April 14–19 using my link: https://gardenforwildlife.com/?sca_ref=9192306.v022x2wN1vUnto4b
👉Or comment the word “MILKWEED” and I’ll send the direct link to your DM’s

🦋 Milkweed is one of my favorites & it’s essential for monarch butterflies and brings so much life to the garden. The variety I’m showing in this video is swamp milkweed which is native to part of Virginia.

🔗 Affiliate link: I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my work!

🌺Happy Gardening,
Michelle

#nativeplant #gardenforwildlife #swampmilkweed #monarchbutterfly #gardening

It’s Bloomscroll time 🌸From seed packet to harvest

It’s Bloomscroll time 🌸From seed packet to harvest 🌱✨ It’s truly a miracle to watch tiny seeds turn into beauty, food, and abundance in the garden.

Red Burgundy Okra has become one of my favorites to grow. With deep crimson pods and stunning hibiscus-like yellow flowers, it is just as beautiful as it is productive. It is also part of the Malvaceae family, just like hibiscus, which gives such beauty to the veggie garden.

Even though it can grow pods up to about 6 inches, I have found the best texture comes from harvesting young at around 2 to 4 inches. For me that is the sweet spot for tender pods with no slime, especially when you catch them early and cook them quickly over high heat with olive oil.

If you want to grow it for yourself you can direct sow after your last frost date passed & you save with my affiliate link : https://www.botanicalinterests.com/MICHELLE
👉Use code: MICHELLE

Happy growing
🌺Michelle

#botanicalinterests #seedtoharvest #packetvsplant
#okra #growwhatyoueat

I always wanted this type of seed packet storage b

I always wanted this type of seed packet storage because it looked tidy & organized but kept resisting because I didn’t think I really needed it. I resisted for a long time…6 years to be exact.

I finally understand the benefit now. First, I started storing them in a binder with plastic covers, and I shifted to an ammunition box which I still used to store seeds that I save and I also still use the silver flowers & garden container for the seeds that I’m getting ready to sow.

Let me know your favorite way to store your seed packets in the comments👇

🌺Michelle

#seedstarting #seedpackets #storagebox #gettingorganized

Last Day to SAVE! We’re Swapping out the last of

Last Day to SAVE!
We’re Swapping out the last of our old wooden beds for these round raised beds 🌱✨
These are actually our 7th and 8th Birdies beds from @epicgardening and we’re placing them on a slope.

What I love most about these round tall beds is how easily they fit into a space that isn’t perfectly flat or “grid-like.” The round shape makes them feel like a unique focal point in the garden instead of trying to force a traditional layout into an awkward spot. Another plus is their 29” height I won’t be bending as much with these.🎉

Excited to continue adding these more durable, long-lasting, low-maintenance beds to our garden and they’re working perfectly in a space that needed a little creativity.

I am an Epic gardening ambassador so if you purchase with my link I get a small commission at no extra cost to you, but these two beds we bought ourselves.

🎉Best of all I have a discount code for you👇

💸 SALE DETAILS details:
With my CODE:MGG5
✅Up to 45% OFF Raised Garden Beds
✅45% OFF Talls (29” extra tall - small, medium, large)
✅30% OFF Shorts (15” tall beds - small, medium, and large)
✅30%OFF Seed and Seed Starting
✅20%OFF Greenstalk Vertical Planters
💸All with coupon code: MGG5
🔗 Affiliate link: https://shop.epicgardening.com/MGG5?q=round-tall-metal-raised-garden-bed
⏳ Sale though April 7

👉Let me know if you have any questions and follow along @michellesgardengrows to see us fill these bed
🌺Michelle

@epicgardening #epicgardeningspringsale

I’ll be a guest on “Let’s Get Growing LIVE show ho

I’ll be a guest on “Let’s Get Growing LIVE show hosted by Enoch Graham @theurbangardener1 on The Urban Gardener Live YouTube channel.

DATE/TIME
Saturday, April 4, 2026
Show starts at 11:00 PST / 2pm EST

SEGMENT
I’ll be on the segment “Are you Folllowing Me” at 11:20a.m PST /2: 20p.m EST

WHERE:
You can watch it live on YouTube on
The Urban Gardener channel or catch the replay.

I’d love for you to support their YouTube channel by tuning in & joining us!

🌸Looking forward,
~Michelle @michellesgardengrows

Sale through Tuesday, April 7th 🌺SPRING SALE DETA

Sale through Tuesday, April 7th

🌺SPRING SALE DETAILS🌺
Raised Garden Beds are up to 45% OFF if you stack my Discount Code MGG5 and shop my Affiliate link: [https://shop.epicgardening.com/MGG5]

🚨I am an epic garden ambassador and earn a small commission if you purchase through my link at no extra cost to you.

Good News! Even without my discount code you still save! 🎉
✅40% OFF Talls (29” extra tall - small, medium, large)
✅25% OFF Shorts (15” tall beds - small, medium, and large)
✅25% OFF Seed and Seed Starting
✅15% OFF Greenstalk Vertical Planters

If you’ve been eyeing a few upgrades for your garden or something’s been on your list, this is a great chance to grab them & save a bit while stocking up.

I pulled together the ones I use that have made things easier, more efficient, and just more enjoyable overall. I like sharing sales on things I already use so you know it’s actually coming from experience.

🎗️Don’t forget to stack my 5% discount CODE: MGG5 for additional savings.

🌺Michelle

@epicgardening
#epicgardeningspringsale

Hey garden friends, Tired of wrestling tangled hos

Hey garden friends, Tired of wrestling tangled hoses? Me too. 🙋‍♀️

That’s why I’ve been using a @giraffetools retractable hose reel in our backyard garden space for 3 years and we just added a new 100ft retractable one to the front yard now. 💦

No kinks, no mess just smooth pull, lock, and auto-retract every time. Total game changer for easy watering 🌿

Having the right garden tools makes gardening so much more enjoyable🔨

🔗 Grab yours here: [ https://giraffetools.com?sca_ref=10919223.yvwLpjRKpn] or COMMENT “Hose” & i’ll send the link straight to your DM‘s and get 10% off with my discount code: Michelle

💦Happy watering!
Michelle

#ad #hosereel #gardening #gardeningtools #giraffetools

Horseradish: Did you know it is part of the cerem

Horseradish:
Did you know it is part of the ceremonial meal during a Passover Seder?

Horseradish is a perennial in the brassica family so if any of the roots are left behind, it can regrow again in the same spot.

This gardening adventure started in our metal raised bed garden with 2-3 sets and turned in something we didn’t expect!

Some of the leaves were massive, creating shade, attracting Harlequin bugs and even providing a home for a little frog above ground. It looked like a jungle above ground but underground the roots were growing & we were patiently waiting all season for those roots to develop.

After months of growth Karl finally dug it up, cleaned the roots and made fresh horseradish just in time for Passover!

Growing something like this really reminds you how much happens when you’re not looking.

Have have you ever grown horseradish before?
👉Follow along @michellesgardengrows
for more lessons and adventures from my backyard garden!

#gardengals #gardeningtip #horseradish #raisedbedgarden #horseradishroot

Horseradish ⬇️ A perennial in the brassica family

Horseradish ⬇️
A perennial in the brassica family so if any of the roots are left behind, it can regrow again in the same spot.

This gardening adventure started in our metal raised bed garden with 2-3 sets and turned in something we didn’t expect!

Some of the leaves were massive, creating shade, attracting Harlequin bugs and even providing a home for a little frog above ground. It looked like a jungle above ground but underground the roots were growing & we were patiently waiting all season for those roots to develop .

After months of growth Karl finally dug it up, cleaned the roots and made fresh horseradish just in time for Passover! 👏🎉

Growing something like this really reminds you how much happens when you’re not looking.

Have have you ever grown horseradish before?

👉Follow along @michellesgardengrows for more lessons and adventures from my backyard garden!

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#gardengals
#gardeningadventure #horseradish #raisedbedgarden

🍅⬇️Determinate vs Indeterminate tomatoes. Knowing

🍅⬇️Determinate vs Indeterminate tomatoes.
Knowing the difference between indeterminate and determinate tomatoes before you plant can save you so much frustration mid-season. It directly affects how you plant, support, harvest, and even plan your garden space.

Once I started matching the type to my actual space and goals a determinate supported by a tomato cage and indeterminate trained up a trellis in the ground, my harvests got so much more enjoyable.

Are you growing tomatoes this year?

Drop your type & variety below. Most gardeners plant a mix of both indeterminate and determinate.

👉Follow along @michellesgardengrows to hear more gardening tips for beginners & all I’m learning in the garden so you can learn alongside me🌱

#tomatoes #indeterminatetomatoes #determinatetomatoes #growyourowntomatoes #gardeningtipsforbeginners

Helmet head ⬇️ Has this happened to your seedling

Helmet head ⬇️

Has this happened to your seedlings? It happens to mine often. Sometimes they fall off on their own but sometimes they get really stuck and can hinder the growth of the seedling.

Apparently, this happens when the seed coat sticks to the cotyledons (first leaves), usually due to low humidity, inconsistent moisture, or the seed coat drying out before it can naturally shed.

If you run into this, don’t panic like I did my first time and don’t yank it off dry (also me😬)

Best practice is to gently moisten the seed shell first, then carefully stabilize the seedling at the base with one hand while easing the shell off with the other. The key is SUPPORT without it, you can accidentally tear the delicate leaves right off (guilty 🙋🏻‍♀️).

I have learned s little patience + a little moisture goes a long way here.

Do you try to remove the stuck seed or do you let it try to fall off on its own?
🗂️Save this for seed starting season and share it with someone who’s growing seedlings right now 🌿

#seedlings #seedstartingtips #helmethead #beginnergardener

Air Circulation ⬇️ No airflow = weak, leggy stems

Air Circulation ⬇️
No airflow = weak, leggy stems + damping off.

Why it matters:
🌱 Stronger stems – gentle breeze makes plants grow thicker cell walls
🍄 Prevents damping off – keeps stems dry & stops fungus
💨 Better CO₂ exchange = faster growth
🌍 Easier transition outdoors

Fix: Small fan on low, a few hours a day. Indirect breeze only.

Your seedlings will thank you with sturdy stems ready for the real world! 🌱

(This is the number 2 most important thing after good light.)

#seedlings #seedstarting #gardentips #growingfood

🌹Happy Spring! Just started my tomatoes this week.

🌹Happy Spring! Just started my tomatoes this week. Once I started growing tomatoes from seed I’ve never gone back.

More variety, more savings, more control and honestly just so much fun.

If your in the market for more sturdy seed trays the trays I’m using here can be found at @epicgardening. I’m also an ambasssador and discount code:MGG5 will get you 5% off the trays.

Drop a 🍅 if you’re starting tomatoes this year & your favorite variety.

👉Follow along @michellesgardengrows to watch these tomatoes grow from seedling to harvest!

#gardeningforbeginners #tomatoseeds #growyourowntomatoes

Wait… potatoes and sweet potatoes aren’t even rela

Wait… potatoes and sweet potatoes aren’t even related?! 👀🥔🍠

It sounds wild, but regular potatoes and sweet potatoes come from completely different plant families. And this is something I did not know before I was a gardener.

🥔 Regular potatoes are part of the nightshade family (Solanaceae) the same family as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.

🍠 Sweet potatoes belong to the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae) like those beautiful vining flowers you see climbing fences.

So even though they both grow underground and show up on your dinner plate… botanically, they’re distant cousins at best.

✨ Different families
✨ Different growth habits
✨ Totally different plants

Did you already know this?

Are you growing sweet potatoes this year?
If yes, Which Method are you doing to grow sweet potato slips ?

Think all sweet peas need a trellis? Think again!

Think all sweet peas need a trellis? Think again! 🌸

Knee-high sweet peas stay compact, bushy, and full of fragrance perfect for borders, containers, or small garden spaces. These sweet peas are from @sweetyards seed company.

Sweet Peas are a cool season flower so that is very important to remember. I wasn’t very successful with them last year because I waited too late to plant them.
This year, I started mine in toilet paper tubes to protect their delicate roots and give them a strong start without transplant shock. 🌱

Some gardeners use root trainers for the same reason …anything that helps those roots grow strong means happier, healthier blooms.

Do you grow knee-high or climbing sweet peas in your garden?

Let me know which variety you’re planting this spring!

#gardeninginspiration #sweetpeas #kneehigh #coolflowers

If you used seed starting mix don’t forget to fert

If you used seed starting mix don’t forget to fertilize your seedlings.

Most traditional organic fertilizers rely on soil microbes to break nutrients down first before plants can actually use them. That process can take 2–6 weeks, which is why seedlings sometimes struggle in the early stages.

What makes AgroThrive different is that it’s pre-digested. Their Progressive Digestion Process breaks down organic inputs before the fertilizer ever reaches your plants so nutrients are already in a form plants can access much faster. That’s why growers often see results in less than a week.

It’s also:
🌱 OMRI-listed for organic growing
🌱 Made from recycled organic food waste using a solar-powered facility in California
🌱 Trusted by USDA-certified organic farms across the country
🌱 Pathogen-free and safe for home gardens

General feeding guide:
• Seedlings — every 2 days
• Starter plants — once per week
• Mature plants — every 1–2 weeks

I’m testing it on my seedlings this season and will share updates as they grow. 🌱

Also I have a Coupon Code: MGG10 that will save you 10% on your own AgroThrive fertilizer at the following link:
https://agrothrive.com/?ref=XvbmsZ-UeIXTP9

What’s your go to fertilizing method?

#seedlingcare #gardeningtips #organicfertilizer

👉Follow along to watch me fill these trays with to

👉Follow along to watch me fill these trays with tomato & flower plants over the next week. 🌱

🌱 Seed starting just got an upgrade!

Can’t wait to fill these PINK @botanical_interests Epic 6-Cell Seed Starting Trays this weekend with tomato and flower seeds.

Great for getting strong, healthy seedlings right from the start.
These trays are built tough (seriously they’re so much thicker than typical trays!) but still have just enough flexibility to make transplanting easy.

If you’re starting seeds this season, these are definitely worth trying 🙌

🌼 Use my coupon code MICHELLE to save
🔗 to shop & save https://www.botanicalinterests.com/MICHELLE

#botanicalinterests #gardensupplies #seedstarting #seedtrays #gardeninginspiration

Trying out grow bags for the first time with my Re

Trying out grow bags for the first time with my Red Norlands! 🥔 I went with @coastofmaineorganic because I knew I needed that light, airy texture of the Bar Harbor Blend for the grow bags so my potatoes can actually expand. Also, I’m a grateful @coastofmaineorganic Ambassador & I really value their products & mission. 👏

The Quoddy Blend Lobster Compost mixed in the middle for those essential micronutrients.

Keeping the nitrogen lower in a general purpose bio-fertilizer to focus all that energy on the tubers! I still have several bags yet to fill with various varieties of potatoes that I purchased from @rockcoopgc in Troutville, VA which is also where I got the @coastofmaineorganic products.

Can’t wait to see these break the surface. 🌱✨

👉Follow along @michellesgardengrows to see them grow & harvest in my suburban garden! 🥔

#coastofmaineorganics #growbags #suburbangardening #growingpotatoes

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