I’m always looking for ways to be more sustainable. An outdoor composting bin has become a natural part of my routine, but sometimes it can be a hassle, especially int he the winter.

So when Vego Garden reached out to ask me if I was interested in their Vego Kitchen Composter, I knew I had to give it a try! This compact, sleek, and smart appliance helps turn food scraps into a nutrient-rich soil amendment in no time, and I think you’re going to love how it works.

In this post, I’ll share what you’ll need to know about the Vego Kitchen Composter, from its specs to how it works and why it’s such a great option for anyone wanting to reduce food waste.

DISCLOSURE: First off you can find the companies information on the product here. They have a plethora of information on their website to help you have the best success with your composter. What I’m sharing in this post is my experience an overview of the product, its specs, how it works, and why it’s a great option.

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: This post also contains affiliate links. When you are shopping through my links, I potentially earn a small commission on your purchases, but at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting my work here by shopping my links!

What is the Vego Kitchen Composter?

The Vego Kitchen Composter is a sleek, electric composter that allows you to process food scraps from your kitchen into a soil amendment quickly and efficiently. Unlike traditional composting methods, which take weeks to break down food waste, the Vego composter can turn those scraps into nutrient-rich soil amendment in less than 24 hours. It’s compact, easy to use, and perfect for urban dwellers, gardeners, or anyone trying to reduce their environmental impact.

What’s Included?

• One Vego Kitchen Composter Device (comes in black or white)
• Top Lid (I love that it’s clear so you can watch the whole process)
• Inner Bucket
• Power Supply Cord
• Carbon Filter Box
• Carbon Filter Refill Kit
• Vego Tabs (These are not required, but help speed up the process
• Vego Composter User Manual
• Cheat Sheet of what you can compost (I hang mine on the fridge)
• Vego tabs

Why Should You Use the Vego Kitchen Composter?

Okay, let’s talk about why you might want to add the Vego Kitchen Composter to your kitchen. Here are a few reasons:

1. It Reduces Food Waste
   We’ve all been there—tossing out leftover vegetable peels, coffee grounds, or uneaten leftovers. According to the EPA food waste accounts for a huge chunk of what ends up in landfills, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. By composting, you can reduce that waste and contribute to a more sustainable planet.
2. Nutrient-Rich Garden Soil Amendment
   The best part? The “compost” called Vego Meal is valuable for your garden. It’s a natural, chemical-free way to enrich your soil, improve plant health, and reduce your reliance on store-bought fertilizers.
3. Sleek, Space-Saving Design
   Whether you live in an apartment or a house, the Vego Kitchen Composter is designed to fit right in. It’s compact enough for small kitchens and doesn’t take up a ton of space and looks nice.
4. No Odors
   One of the biggest concerns with composting is the smell. Thankfully, the Vego composter comes with activated carbon filters to trap any odors, so your kitchen stays fresh.
5. Whisper Quiet Operation

How Does the Vego Kitchen Composter Work?

You may be wondering, “How does this thing actually work?” Here’s the rundown:

1. Add Your Kitchen Scraps
   Just add your food scraps, like vegetable peels, coffee grounds, eggshells, and more, into the composter. (You’ll want to avoid meat, dairy, and oily foods, but we’ll get into that in a second.)
2. Choose a Mode
   The Vego Kitchen Composter has four composting modes to choose from, depending on how quickly you want your compost to be ready:
   • Vego Mode (9-24 hours/cycle ): Enables continuous loading of kitchen scraps to create a rich soil amendment. You can open the lid to add kitchen scraps at anytime, without needing to remove the contents before the cycle is done.
   • Express Mode (2-8 hours/cycle): This is a non-compost mode designed to quickly process our kitchen waste, which allows an eco-friendly solution for green waste. This can be tossed into your outdoor compost bin, or Worm composter for secondary composting.
   • Fertilize Mode (9-22hrs/cycle): Produces a semi-composted material quickly and efficiently for garden use.
   • Grass Mode (11-24hrs/cycle): This provides additional grinding speeds up biodegradation, creating nutrient-rich, ready-to-use organic matter for your lawn.
   • Clean Mode: (0.5hrs/cycle): Designed to keep your device maintained.
3. Wait for the Cycle to Complete
   Once you’ve added your scraps and selected your mode, the composter gets to work. It uses aerobic composting technology to break down food scraps quickly and efficiently.
4. Use the Compost
   After the cycle is finished, you’re left with a batch of nutrient-rich compost that can be used for your garden, lawn, or even your houseplants.

Vego Kitchen Composter Features You’ll Love

Now, let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of the specs. The Vego Kitchen Composter comes with some impressive features that make it a standout product for anyone interested in composting:

• Smart App Control
  This isn’t a requirement, but if you’re interested in tracking your progress, adjust settings, and check the status of your compost from your phone, you’ll enjoy this feature. It will even show you how much in weight you are composting and your carbon Offset.
• Four Composting Modes
  Whether you need compost fast or you’re looking for an eco-friendly, slower process, there’s a mode for everyone. I think the Vego Mode is an impressive feature as it allows me to keep adding scraps to a cycle, which is very useful in our household. Here’s a break down of the modes:
  • Vego Mode (9-24 hours/cycle ): Enables continuous loading of kitchen scraps to create a rich soil amendment. You can open the lid to add kitchen scraps at anytime, without needing to remove the contents before the cycle is done.
  • Express Mode (2-8 hours/cycle): This is a non-compost mode designed to quickly process our kitchen waste, which allows an eco-friendly solution for green waste. This can be tossed into your outdoor compost bin, or Worm composter for secondary composting.
  • Fertilize Mode (9-22hrs/cycle)
  • Grass Mode (11-24hrs/cycle): This provides additional grinding speeds up biodegradation, creating nutrient-rich, ready-to-use organic matter for your lawn.
  • Clean Mode: (0.5hrs/cycle): Designed to keep your device maintained.
• Built-in Weighing System
  This feature ensures that the correct amount of food waste is added, optimizing the composting process.
• Activated Carbon Filter
  The Vego composter uses an activated carbon filter to trap any odors, so your kitchen doesn’t smell like compost.
• Quiet Operation
  If you’ve ever used a noisy kitchen gadget, you’ll appreciate how quiet the Vego composter is. It runs smoothly without disturbing your household.
• Buttons and Lights
  • On/off Button: Press button to turn on the device and press for three second to turn off.
  • Light Button: Press once to turn the light on or off. The light will turn off after one minute.
  • Wi-fi Indicator
  • Progress Bar Indicator:
  • Vego Mode Button
  • Express Mode Button
  • Fertilize Mode button
  • Grass Mode Button
  • Clean Mode Button

Technical Specifications

Here’s the nerdy details from the user manual and/or website. This list is not exhaustive, but will give you a good start. You can find the exhaustive list here.

Pay close attention to the dimensions so you know how much space it takes up on your counter.

Here we go:

• Dimensions: 14.37″ × 11.22″ x 12.64″
• Product Weight (Out Of The Box): 16.64 lb
•  Color: Black and White
•  Capacity/Volume -4 L
• Noise Level: < 50dB
•  Waste Volume Reduction 85% -95%
•  Power Input 120Vac, 60Hz, 400W
•  Materials RoHS compliant, FDA compliance
• Rated Power: 400W
• Bluetooth 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi
• Safety Regulation & Certification: ETL & CETL, FCC, IC

What Can You Compost with the Vego Kitchen Composter?

Now that you know how the Vego Kitchen Composter works, let’s talk about what you can (and can’t) compost:

What You Can Compost:

• Fruit and vegetable scraps (think potato peels, carrot tops, apple cores)
• Coffee grounds and filters
• Eggshells
• Bread, grains, and pasta
• Nuts and seeds

What You Can’t Compost:

• Meat, fish, or dairy products
• Oily or fatty foods
• Bones
• Non-organic materials (like plastic or glass)

Composting the right materials ensures that the process works efficiently and that you get the best compost for your garden.

PRO TIP:

Don’t leave your food scraps in the bucket for more than one day. I learned the hard way and my scraps got moldy. If you need to continuously add food scraps or will be away, this is a great time to use the Vego Mode.

How to set up your Vego Kitchen Composter

Initial Set-up

• Unbox the Composter and check that all products are intact. Once you remove the lid, you’ll find the carbon filter refill kit inside along with the power cord from the inner bucket.
• Place Composter on dry flat surface near a power source. They recommend placing it 6 inches away from walls to maintain sufficient air flow during the operation.
• Install the Carbon Filter (this can by a little finicky)
• Set up the App using the app you can download and install this on your smartphone to manage and monitor your composter.

Operating Your Composter

1. Plug in your Device
2. Press the on/off button to turn on the device
3. Open the lid by turning towards the arrow and remove the bucket. (This part I find a bit finicky too). It involves holding the handle and turning it counterclockwise until the triangle symbol on the lid aligns with the “unlocked” position.
   • NOTE: You can leave the inner bucket in the machine and just add kitchen waste directly into it, which is what I do. But, you’ll have to remove the inner bucket for sure once the compost cycle is done so you can take it out to your garden to dump out the compost amendment. When you are ready to replace the inner bucket you will line those triangles up again. Again this part takes some finagling.
4. Add Kitchen waste and VegoTabs into the bucket (you can chose whether or not you want to add the VegoTab though)
5. Close the Lid and start your selected Mode

Where to Buy the Vego Kitchen Composter

If you’re ready to start composting in your kitchen, you can get your hands on the Vego Kitchen Composter here This Vego Kitchen Composter is an investment in sustainability and a great way to reduce your food waste without taking up much space!

Final Thoughts: Is the Vego Kitchen Composter Worth It?

After using the Vego Kitchen Composter for several months at the writing of this post, I can say it’s definitely worth considering if you’re looking for a way to reduce food waste and create valuable soil amendment for your garden. The app integration, odor control, and different composting modes along with it’s sleek aesthetic design make it a versatile and user-friendly choice. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just someone trying to make a more sustainable choice, the Vego Kitchen Composter is a smart addition to any kitchen. I highly recommend giving it a try!

The post The Vego Kitchen Composter: Your New Favorite Kitchen Gadget for Reducing Food Waste appeared first on Michelle's Garden Grows.

The Best Homemade Chicken Soup

There’s nothing quite like a steaming bowl of homemade chicken soup when you’re not feeling well. This particular soup is often called “Jewish penicillin,” for its healing properties and comforting flavors. This recipe takes the classic to the next level with the rich addition of sweet potatoes, parsnips, and allspice. I’ve made it multiple times over the past months as I’ve been dealing with some digestive issues.

Ingredients

To create this comforting soup, you’ll need the following:

Main Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (about 3-4 lbs, giblets removed) or 4-5 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and breasts
• 8-10 cups of water (enough to cover the chicken)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Vegetables, Herbs, and Seasonings

• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 bunch dill
• 1 bunch parsley
• 3 celery stalks
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 leeks, diced
• 1 medium parsnip, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks (optional)
• 3 whole peppercorns
• 3 whole allspice berries
• 1-2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1-2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Optional:

• 1 lemon (for a zesty finish)
• Fresh dill for garnish

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken

• If using a whole chicken, rinse it and place it in a large stockpot. Cover with water and add dill, parsley, salt, pepper, onions, and garlic.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the chicken is fully cooked and the broth is flavorful.

Step 2: Skim and Debone

• Skim and discard any foam that rises to the surface.
• Remove the chicken from the pot, set it aside to cool, then shred it into bite-sized pieces, discarding the skin and bones.

Step 3: Strain the Broth (Optional)

• For a clear broth, strain it through a fine mesh sieve. Return the broth to the pot.

Step 4: Add the Root Vegetables

• Add parsnips and sweet potatoes to the broth. Simmer for 25 minutes or until tender.

Step 5: Sauté the Vegetables

• In a separate pan, sauté the celery, carrots, and leeks in olive oil until softened.

Step 6: Combine and Season

• Add the sautéed vegetables and shredded chicken to the pot.
• Stir in fresh dill and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness.

Step 7: Final Simmer

• Simmer the soup for an additional 10-15 minutes to meld flavors.

Serve and Enjoy!

• Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh dill, and serve hot. Pairs well with crusty bread or challah

Pro Tips for Perfect Chicken Soup

1. Make It Ahead: The flavors deepen when the soup sits overnight in the fridge.
2. Storage: Freeze individual portions for quick, comforting meals anytime.
3. Custom Additions: Add egg noodles or matzo balls for extra heartiness.
4. Layering the vegetables in stages helps extract their flavors properly. Starting with aromatics like onions,, garlic, carrots, and cel

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Two-Ingredient Low-Calorie Dessert Recipe: Watermelon Sorbet

I’ve always loved watermelon, but little did I know how much I’d love frozen watermelon!

For years, I searched for the perfect low-calorie dessert that was simple yet satisfying. I wanted something refreshing and light without a long list of ingredients or complicated steps. But nothing ever hit the mark—until I found this recipe.

At a dinner party two years ago, I discovered an easy watermelon sorbet recipe, and it was a game-changer. Just two ingredients—watermelon and lime—created a low-calorie dessert that tasted like summer in a bowl. After tweaking the freezing time and texture, I found the perfect smooth, delicious blend that’s now my go-to treat! For the smoothest consistency, I use this food processor .

This dessert is incredibly light, refreshing, and has just the right balance of natural sweetness from the watermelon and a hint of tartness from the lime. And with only two ingredients, it’s low-calorie, easy to make, and guilt-free. Besides watermelon is a great addition to a healthy diet.

One challenge is that watermelons aren’t available year-round. To solve this, I buy them in bulk during the summer, cut them into chunks, and store them in freezer bags. While you can only store so many bags, this makes it possible to enjoy this summer treat even after watermelon season ends.

This vibrant pink sorbet isn’t just delicious—it’s also visually stunning. Serve it up with a garnish of fresh mint leaves for a little extra flavor and elegance.

Watermelon Sorbet Recipe: The Best Two-Ingredient Low-Calorie Dessert Recipe

If you’re looking for a low-calorie, two-ingredient dessert that’s refreshing and simple, try this easy watermelon sorbet!

Ingredients:

• Frozen watermelon chunks
• 1 tsp lime juice (or to taste)
• Fresh mint leaves (optional)

Instructions:

1. Remove the rind from a large watermelon and cut it into chunks.
2. Place the chunks in a 1-gallon freezer bag and freeze for at least 24 hours.
3. When ready to make the sorbet, let the frozen watermelon sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes to soften slightly.
4. Add the watermelon chunks and lime juice to a blender, starting with a teaspoon of lime juice. Blend until smooth.
5. Pour into a bowl and garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired.

Enjoy this two-ingredient low-calorie dessert recipe whenever you crave something refreshing and naturally sweet!

Michelle Mardian

Michelle is a self-taught gardener with a passion for inspiring and guiding others on their own gardening journeys. With a background in healthcare as an RN, BSN, she combines her knowledge of well-being with her love for cultivating beautiful, thriving gardens.

Learn More about Michelle’s Garden Grows here

The post The Best Two- Ingredient Low Calorie Dessert appeared first on Michelle's Garden Grows.

Harvesting your first broccoli is exciting for any beginner gardener. Everyone likes simple and easy so in this post I’ll share 5 simple and easy tips to help you successfully harvest your first crop of broccoli.

5 Tips To Harvest a Head of Broccoli Successfully

• Timing is key
• Size Matters
• Cutting method matters
• Harvest in the morning (optional)
• Don’t forget the side shoots

Let’s dive right in.

1. Timing is Key

Broccoli is usually ready to harvest 50-70 days after planting. The best time to pick broccoli is when the head is fully developed but before the florets start to open or turn yellow. This typically happens when the head is tight and compact.

2. Size Matters

Look for a broccoli head that is 4-7 inches in diameter. However, the size can vary depending on the variety, so also pay attention to the tightness and color of the head.

3. Cutting Method Matters

A sharp non-serrated knife works best because it will make a more precise cut which is important along with cutting at an angle about 5 inches below the head. The reason you should cut at an angle about 5-6 inches below the head is to prevent to water pooling on the cut which could cause the plant to rot. The angled cut allows any water to easily drip off. Lastly, be sure to leave some of stem and leaves attached to encourage side shoots to develop. More on side shoots below. Watch a video of me harvesting broccoli here

You can watch me cut broccoli from harvest to plate in the You Tube video below.

4. Harvest in the Morning:

The best time to harvest broccoli is in the morning when the temperatures are cooler. This helps maintain the crispness and flavor of the broccoli.

5. Don’t Forget the Side Shoots

After the main head is harvested, the plant will often produce smaller side shoots. These side shoots often taste better than the head. Keep an eye on these and harvest them regularly for a continuous supply of fresh broccoli.

Follow these tips, you’ll enjoy delicious homegrown broccoli!

And Remember:

• Timing is key
• Size matters
• Cutting method matters
• Harvest in the morning (optional)
• Don’t forget the side shoots

About the Author

Michelle Mardian

Michelle loves nature, content creation, and gardening. She is a self-taught home gardener and enjoys educating and encouraging others on their own gardening journeys through her blog and social media, Michelle’s Garden Grows. Additionally, she holds an RN, BSN degree.

Learn More about
Michelle’s Garden Grows here

The post How to Harvest Broccoli: 5 Easy Tips For Success appeared first on Michelle's Garden Grows.

Disclosure: If you make a purchase through our links we are compensated at no cost to you.

What Exactly Is Involved With Seed Starting?

To have the best experience and success with seed starting it’s helpful to have an overview of all the stages. In this post I share the 7 stages.

Having this knowledge will help you:

• Know the supplies needed
• Know what to expect with each stage so your not caught off guard
• Improved success rates

Let’s Dive right in.

7 Stages of Seed Starting Indoors

I’ve divided the process of indoor seed starting into 7 stages:

• Stage 1 Preparing Supplies
• Stage 2 Planting the Seeds
• Stage 3 Germination
• Stage 4 Initial Growth
• Stage 5 Potting Up
• Stage 6 Hardening Off
• Stage 7 Planting Out

Stage 1-Preparing Supplies

Gather the following supplies:

• seeds of choice
• seed starting mix
• water
• spray bottle for misting
• seed trays
• heat mat
• grow lights

Here’s some of my favorite supplies in this photo!

Four Cell Seed Trays 6 Cell Seed Trays

1020 Universal Flat Trays

Stage 2-Planting the Seeds

It’s important to remember that your seedlings will need to be potted up to larger pots before being planted out in the garden. Once they are potted up, they will still need time under the grow light. For this reason, it’s important to not sow more seeds than you have space under the grow lights.

Here’s some of my favorite seeds

1. Label Trays with the plant type. I like to do this first, so I don’t forget.
2. Dump seed starting mix into a big plastic dishpan. I add a few tablespoons of worm castings (optional). I then moisten the seed mix by pouring in about a cup or so of water. I stir until consistently damp, but not waterlogged.
3. Fill the seed trays with the seed starting mix.
4. Follow the seed pack for the recommended sowing depth and spacing for each type of seed.
5. Place the seeds on the surface of the mix and gently press down if needed. I often use a chopstick to help me with this process.
6. Cover and mist the seeds with a thin layer of seed starting mix according to seed packet instructions.
7. Mist the surface with water to settle the mix and provide initial moisture.
8. Cover trays with a plastic humidity dome or plastic wrap to create a mini greenhouse effect. This helps retain moisture and warmth.
9. Place on heat mat. This encourages germination. I leave mine on about 12-16 hours and turn off when I go to bed. You can also use a timer for this.
10. Monitor the moisture levels regularly. The mix should remain consistently moist, but not soggy. Mist if needed.

My Favorite Seed Starting Mix

Stage 3-Germination

Most seeds take anywhere from 7-10 days to germinate. Once  seedlings have sprouted it’s time to remove them from the heat mat and transition them underneath  grow lights. I also take off the humidity dome cover or plastic wrap to improve air circulation. 

Stage 4-Initial Growth

This stage begins after the seeds have germinated. During this time, it’s important that the seedlings get plenty of light. This generally means the seedlings be about 3-6 inches from the grow lights around 12 hours a day. They also will need water during this time. I prefer bottom watering. For details on bottom watering [read here]. The seedlings will develop their first and consecutive true leaves at this stage and their seed leaves (called cotyledons) will turn yellow. This initial growth stage last anywhere from 2-3 weeks. 

Stage 5-Potting Up 

This stage involves transferring the seedlings from their original seed trays to a larger container before planting out in the garden.  I usually pot up to 4 inch trays or larger.

A note regarding fertilizing: Fertilizing before the seedlings have grown their first set of true leaves is not recommended. True leaves look different than the cotyledon or seed leaves. Choose a mild fertilizer.  Chose a mild fertilizer with a formulation like 10-10-10 or similar. Ensure it’s diluted to half or a quarter of the recommended strength or follow the fertilizer instruction for young seedlings. 

Stage 6-Hardening Off

It’s essential that indoor plants have a gradual acclimation to the outdoor environment for a period before planting out in garden.  Learn details and tips of Hardening off seedlings [in this blog post.]

Stage 7 -Planting Out

 Congratulations! It’s the big day! Proper timing of transplanting your seedlings in the garden is essential based on your weather forecast. 

Here’s what to do they day of transplanting to the garden:

• Choose a day when the weather is mild and overcast if possible
• Early morning or late afternoon is often the best time, as it reduces stress on the plants from intense sunlight. 
• Ensure that your garden bed is prepared with well-draining soil and remove any weeds or debris.
• Dig individual holes spacing them according to the size of the plants. The depth of the hole should be similar to the depth of the pots.
• Remove seedlings from pots by gently tapping the bottom and sides to loosen the seedlings. Carefully remove each seedling, holding it by the leaves to avoid damage to the stem. 
• Place each seedling in its respective hole and backfill with soil. Press the soil gently around the base of seedling to secure it in place. 
• Gently water the transplanted seedling immediately after planting to help settle the soil around the roots. 

Conclusion

So there you have it, all the stages of seed starting indoors:

1. preparing the supplies
2. planting the seeds
3. germination
4. initial growth
5. potting up
6. hardening off
7. planting out

While not fool proof, knowing the different stages of seed starting will help set you up for success!

While not fool proof, knowing the different stages of seed starting will help set you up for success!

Michelle’s Garden Grows

Michelle is a backyard kitchen gardener, content creator, and RN,BSN. Her goal is to bring you one step closer to the garden and the nature-inspired lifestyle you are searching for.

Join MichellesGardenGrows.com for curated garden and lifestyle content, including gardening tips, education, inspirational garden moments, and resources for your garden, home, and everyday life.

The post How to Navigate the Stages of Indoor Seed Starting appeared first on Michelle's Garden Grows.

Disclosure: If you make a purchase through my links I am compensated at no cost to you.

Why Should You Start Seeds?

Well there’s quite a few reasons. In this post I’m going to discuss why should learn to start your own seeds both indoors and outdoors.

Some gardeners say seed starting indoors is for the more experiences gardener. However, I was able to pull this off my second year in gardening. Although I was a little overwhelmed at first because I was still learning to garden altogether. That’s okay, because I learned from all the mistakes I made so I can share them with you now!

To learn the exact details about how to start seeds read this post!

Ok, let’s chat about all the benefits of growing your plants from seeds vs. buying them.

1. You Can Grow A Greater Variety of Plants

You can grow a much broader variety of plants not available at garden centers. To give you an example, I grew Loofah sponges my first year seed starting. That’s something you don’t often find in your local nursery or garden stores. You can also grow interesting varieties of tomatoes that you can’t find at your big box store.

2. More Cost Efficient

When you break down the cost per plant, purchasing seeds is more economical. A single seed packet often contains numerous seeds, allowing you to grow multiple plants for the price of a few seedlings at a store. As your garden expands, this cost effectiveness becomes even more evident.

3. You Have Control Over the Entire Process

You have total control over the entire germination and growing process. You can choose organic sees, control the type of fertilizer used and avoid harmful pesticides that could be present in store bought seedlings.

4. You Get a Head Start On The Season

By germinating seeds indoors, you can extend the time your plants have to mature before being transplanted outdoors. This can lead to earlier harvest and providing more yield over the course of the growing season.

5. It Is A Great Learning Experience

Seed starting is not just about saving money; it’s also a valuable learning experience no matter your age.

Understanding the life cycle of plants, from seed to maturity, enhances your gardening skills and knowledge. This hands-on approach gives a deeper connection with your garden and environment and increases self-confidence.

Have I convinced you to start your own seeds? Leave a comment and let me know!

Michelle’s Garden Grows

Michelle is a backyard kitchen gardener, content creator, and RN, BSN. Her goal is to bring you one step closer to the garden and nature-inspired lifestyle you are searching for.

Join MichellesGardenGrows.com for curated garden and lifestyle content, including gardening tips, education, inspirational garden moments, faith and resources for the garden, home, and everyday life.

The post 5 Benefits of Seed Starting appeared first on Michelle's Garden Grows.

I hope these seven tips are helpful to get you started! You can read the post on my whole seed starting process from beginning to planting out here.

This post contains affiliate links. When you are shipping through my links, I potentially earn a small commission on your purchases, but at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting my work here by shopping my links!

Is starting your own seeds hard?

It depends… for many beginner gardeners, the thought of starting plants from seeds can seem daunting. However, with the right guidance and a few essential tips, you can successfully grow your own plants from seed stress free. In this post, we will explore seven crucial tips to help you get started on your seed starting journey, making the process straightforward and enjoyable.

• Have an introductory overview of the whole process
• Gather seed starting supplies
• Choose the right soil
• Pre-moisten your seed starting mix before sowing seeds
• Water immediately after sowing your seeds
• Utilize a dome or plastic wrap over your seeds in the early phase of seed germination

1. Have an Introductory Overview of the Whole Process

Knowing what supplies are needed for the different stages the seed will go through is one of the first things that will help you in your seed starting journey. You can read my post on the whole process here.

2. Gather Seed starting supplies

Before you plant your first seed you need to have your heat mat and grow lights ready. There are some people who have managed to grow plants without a heat mat and in a south facing window. But from my research this is rare. Here’s an article to the supplies I use to get started. (link)

3.Choose the Correct Seed Starting Soil

Make sure it is well-draining, sterile and with a fine texture. This is important to promote optimal root development. I love Coast of Maine Seed Starting Mix pictured below. Learn more about my favorite seed starting mix from Coast of Maine here in this IG video!

4. Pre-moisten Your Seed Starting Mix before Sowing seeds

If your seed starting mix is dry, it can repel water and makes it challenging to hydrate the seeds without disrupting their placement. Sprinkle a layer of Vermiculite (optional) on top to avoid gnats and decrease chance of dampening off.

5. Sprinkle a layer of Vermiculite (optional) on top

This can help avoid gnats and decrease chance of dampening off, but this is optional.

6. Water Immediately After Sowing the Seeds

This ensures proper soil contact and initiates the seed coat breaking process. This ensures that your seeds receive the hydration they need for successful germination.

7. Utilize a Humidity Dome Until Seeds Germinate

The dome helps with moisture and temperature regulation during the crucial early stages of seed germination. Once most of your seeds have germinated, remove the dome to prevent excessive humidity and to promote healthy growth.

Ensuring your seed starting success

By following these 7 crucial tips you should have a great start to your seed starting journey.

Let’s review:

• Have an introductory overview of the whole process
• Gather seed starting supplies
• Choose the right soil
• Pre-moisten your seed starting mix before sowing seeds
• Water immediately after sowing your seeds
• Utilize a dome or plastic wrap over your seeds in the early phase of seed germination

I hope these seven tips are helpful to get you started! you can read my post on my whole seed starting process here.

Michelle’s Garden Grows

Michelle is a backyard kitchen gardener, content creator, and RN, BSN by trade. Her goal is to bring you one step closer to the garden and the nature-inspired lifestyle you are searching for.

Join MichellesGardenGrows.com for curated garden and lifestyle content, including gardening tips, education, inspirational garden moments, and resources for your garden, home, and everyday life.

Featured image photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

The post How to Start Seeds Indoors: 7 Essential Tips for Getting Started appeared first on Michelle's Garden Grows.

Hardening off is the gradual process of taking your seedlings from the indoor environment under the grow lights to slowly exposing them to the outdoor environment before planting out in the garden.

Insert video/photo of hardening off plants

Why Hardening Off Matters

The importance of hardening off seedlings is that it helps strengthen seedlings. You risk killing your plants if you take them directly from indoor grow lights to out in the garden. This is because the light intensity of the sun and the outdoor wind is too intense. The outdoors also has large temperature swings from day to knight in comparison to an indoor environment that stays a consistent temperature.

When to Start Hardening Off

The optimal timing in relation to seedlings age and weather conditions. Start the hardening off process approximately 2 weeks before the last frost date. This time period will allow your plants time to acclimated to the outside elements.

Choosing the Right Gradual Temperature

It’s important to take out seedlings out gradually. You’ll want to take them out once day time temperatures start reaching above 50 degrees. Take your plants outside for short periods at first, one-two hours at first gradually increasing the time outside over a matter of days. It’s so important not to skip this step so you don’t risk killing your seedlings.

Protecting Seedlings During Hardening Off

You will want to protect your plants wile outside from intense sun and wind. I like to place mine under our patio table, chairs or umbrella at first, then gradually bring them out into the full sun on the patio table. If it’s a particularly windy or rainy day you many just choose to skip taking them out that day.

photo here

Monitoring and Adjusting

It’s important to keep observing your plant’s response to the gradual exposure to the outdoors and adjust as necessary. For example, if your tomato plant looks droopy after being outside, be sure to water it and get under the grow light.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most common mistake people make in this hardening off process is too much outside time at once. Remember to make this a gradual process and check on your plant’s response often.

Transplanting after Hardening Off

Once your danger of frost has passed and you’ve acclimated your plants to several weeks of hardening off, they are ready to be planted out in the garden. Most people say they like to plant out on a cloudy day or later in the evening to prevent frying their plants.

Ensuring Healthy and Resilient Plants

The process of transplanting your hardened off seedlings is not hard (pun intended) if you follow the measures of timing, gradual exposure, proper protection, monitor and adjust as needed, avoid the common pitfalls and transplanting in the garden at the right time.

Happy Hardening Off!

XO, Michelle

Photo credit: Photo by Francesco Gallarotti on Unsplash

The post A Guide to Hardening Off Seedlings Before Transplanting into the Garden appeared first on Michelle's Garden Grows.

a bit overwhelmed at first.

I’m thankful for a few friends who encouraged me along the way, and I’d like to do the

same for you by sharing five things you’ll need to consider beforehand and essentials to

get you started.

This post contains affiliate links. When you are shopping through my links, I potentially earn a small commission on your purchases, but there is no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting my work here my shopping my links!

Know the Benefits of Starting Seeds Indoors

• You can grow a broader variety of plants not available at garden stores.
• More cost efficient
• You have total control over the entire germination and growing process
• You get a head start on the growing season

Know the Overview of the Whole Process

1. Preparing your supplies
2. Planting the seeds
3. The germination stage
4. The potting up stage
5. Planting out stage

Know What Seeds You’re Going to Start

• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Basil
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Lettuce
• Lavender
• Rosemary
• Celery
• Eggplant
• Basil
• Cilantro
• Thyme
• Dill
• Oregano
• Sage
• Rosemary
• Parsley
• Kale

Know When to Start Your Seeds

It’s important to know your climate and last frost date. You can find yours here. Try not to only pay attention to what others are doing all over social media. We all have different climates and growing zones.

Some indoor seeds need started early like 12 weeks before the last frost date such as celery, rosemary, lavender and others only need 6-8 weeks indoors like tomatoes before planting out in the garden.

Know What Supplies are Most Essential

Here’s a list of the main things you need to get started.

• A grow light (very few can make it work on a sunny south facing window).
• A Heat Mat
• Seed Starding Mix
• Seed Starting trays with a humidity dome or a plastic wrap.

I stared with store bought seed trays and potted up into plastic solo cups and nursery seedling containers.

If you don’t want to invest in seedling trays at first you can try using stuff you have around the house like plastic yogurt containers, solo plastic cups, plastic produce containers or egg cartons (all doable, but have their challenges).

Just make sure you drill or poke drainage holes in the bottom!

Here’s a list of the supplies I use:

This post contains affiliate links. When you are shopping through my links, I potentially earn a small commission on your purchases, but there is no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting my work here my shopping my links!

The Seed Trays I use:

Epic 6 Cell Trays

Epic 4 Cell Trays

Epic 1020 Universal Bottom Tray (for bottom watering)

Burpee SuperSeed Seed Starting Tray

Greenhouse Seedling Tray Kit, 5 Pack

The Heat Mats I use:

Vivosun 2 Pack Durable Waterproof Seedling Heat Mat

My Favorite Seed Starting Mix

Coast of Maine Seed Starter

Shelving I Use For Seed Starting Set Up

Amazon Basics 5-Shelf Adjustable, Heavy Duty Storage Shelving Unit

Grow Lights I use

The grow lights I started with and still use. This light stands above your seedlings and is adjustable.

The grow lights I stared with and still use. These are made to hang from the shelf.

Clip-on Fan

The clip-on fan I use for my grow shelf to help mimic the wind outside to strengthen my seedlings.

Ensuring Your Indoor Seed Starting Success

Successful indoor seed starting goes beyond buying a few packs of seeds; it’s about being prepared behaving the right supplies, knowing which seeds to plant, when to plant and having an introductory understanding of each stage of the process.

Let me know if you’re a seed starting newbie, and if this was helpful or any questions!

Happy Seed Starting!

Michelle

Photo by Jen Theodore on Unsplash

The post Seed Starting Indoors: 5 Essential Tips and Helpful Supplies to Set You Up for Success! appeared first on Michelle's Garden Grows.

Can You Guess Which Tool I’m Talking About?

If you guessed Tweezers you would be correct!

The Most Unlikely Garden Tool for Organic Gardening is Tweezers!

 For the home organic gardener or someone that desires to use less pesticides, hand removal is the first line of defense against garden pests. This is one reason you need to be in your garden each day to stay on the offense to catch pests before they become a problem.

Sharp fine point tweezers Work Best

Tweezers can be an effective tool for pest control allowing you to pick off insects, larvae, or eggs from your plants without harming the plant leaves. For example, if you see a cucumber beetle, caterpillar, or squash bug you can remove them one by one, reducing the need for chemical pesticides. The precision of the fine point on the tweezers gives you an edge on those nasty pests. 

You can see a video demonstration here Watch video here

My Tweezer Method

I used this tweezer method all last summer to handpick cucumber beetles and squash bugs. When I spot an insect that I know is harmful for my garden, I simply grab my tweezers from the trellis where I hang them, grab the insect and plop it in a pale of soapy water that I always keep at hand in the garden. These cheerful yellow sharp fine point tweezers work like a charm with cucumber beetles because as soon as they sense your presence they will drop or fly away. I found mine on Amazon and they are good quality for a reasonable price. 

You can find the tweezers I use here.

Conclusion

While tweezers may seem like an unconventional gardening tool, their precision and versatility make them an invaluable asset for gardeners. So, the next time you’re planning your garden tool kit, don’t forget to include a pair of tweezers. You might be surprised at how often you reach for them and how much they simplify your pest control. 

Michelle’s Garden Grows

Michelle is a backyard kitchen gardener, content creator, and RN, BSN by trade. Her goal is to bring you one step closer to the garden and the nature-inspired lifestyle you are searching for.

Join MichellesGardenGrows.com for curated garden and lifestyle content, including gardening tips, education, inspirational garden moments, and resources for your garden, home, and everyday life.

The post The Most Overlooked Garden Tool For Organic Pest Control appeared first on Michelle's Garden Grows.