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Before Gardening 2020 Grab lettuce from the stor Before Gardening 2020 Grab lettuce from the store without a second thought. 2026: Walk outside and harvest it & feel wonderful! Do I eat garden-grown lettuce all the time? No. But as much as I can. And when I can’t, I buy from a local CSA farm @faithfully_sown_farm Growing food doesn’t have to replace the grocery store completely. Sometimes it just changes how you see it. And every little bit of growing your own food helps. And yes, there are times when I still have to grab that store bought lettuce but it’s a LOT less than it used to be mostly in the depths of winter. I planted my first seed at 48 years old. Years of working as an RN, raising children, caring for an elderly parent and supporting my husband’s ministry and then one day, life gave me the margin to finally start the garden I’d dreamed about since childhood. What happened after gardening entered my life still surprises me. 👉Start where you are. Grow from there. 🌱 💚Michelle #gardening #beforeandafters #growyourownveggies #lettuce
Before you buy another bag of lettuce, look at thi Before you buy another bag of lettuce, look at this. 🥬👇 Growing lettuce in your own backyard is so easy. This lettuce was winter sown in milk jugs, and then transplant out to my raised garden beds around March -April. One of the best things about lettuce is that many varieties are “cut-and-come-again.” Instead of harvesting the whole plant, you can snip the outer leaves and it keeps producing new growth. I’ve already harvested from these plants multiple times before this final cut. But summer heat is coming fast, and lettuce eventually bolts when temperatures rise. Rather than watch these plants turn bitter, I decided to harvest. The good news? This doesn’t have to be the end of your lettuce season. Succession sowing works great & more can be sown for the fall. Have you tried growing your own lettuce yet? #lettuce #gardeninginspiration #homegrownlettuce #wintersown #beginnergardener
This backyard garden has given us so many little m This backyard garden has given us so many little moments of joy🥰 Our vision is that everyone with a yard could grow something that benefits humans, wildlife and the earth. COMMENT “JOY” if you’d like links to the garden beds and grow bags and vertical planters, I use in my backyard garden to make the space beautiful & easy to garden in. Or you can check the link in my bio. 👉Follow along @michellesgardengrows for more garden joy, little moments in the garden, harvests, tips & tours. 💚Michelle #gardeninglife #gardenjoy #thelittlemoments #backyardgardens
Why urgent? Well, Lettuce does not like the heat a Why urgent? Well, Lettuce does not like the heat and will bolt (flower & go to seed) after temps get too high. So it was pretty important for me to get this harvested today, especially since I’m going out of town soon. I really wish everyone could enjoy the experience of growing their own lettuce and veggies. It really is an amazing feeling to harvest in the morning and have a fresh salad for lunch. 🗂️ save this for the future when you need inspiration and a reminder to grow your own lettuce #lettuce #gardentok #bolt #novicegardener #harvesting
A FREE Guide for you! In this video, I’m talking A FREE Guide for you! In this video, I’m talking about a true “guide” to native plants here in Southwest Virginia and sharing a resource I think more gardeners should know about: PlantVirginiaNatives.org Even if you’re not in Virginia, don’t scroll past this 👇 You can often find similar native plant guides for your own state just by searching: “native plant guide + your state” Some of the plants featured for Southwest Virginia may overlap with your region too, especially if you’re in neighboring states or similar growing zones. Native plants support pollinators, birds, beneficial insects, and help create healthier ecosystems right in our own backyards 🦋🐝 If you’ve been wanting to garden more naturally or support wildlife, this is such a great place to start  #nativeplant #guide #ecofriendlygardening #southwestvirginia #virginiagardener
Cilantro right outside your door 🌿Cilantro right o Cilantro right outside your door 🌿Cilantro right outside your door even in a small space. 🚨One thing to know about cilantro is that it’s a cool weather herb, and it does not do well in the heat, so it does best in the spring and fall. Mine will be finishing soon. If you’ve been eyeing a Greenstalk Planter they’re on sale until May 28 @epicgardening for under $115 plus you can stack my discount code MGG5 on top of that! You can visit the link in my bio if you want more info. 🌿Happy Herb growing! 💚Michelle #Cilantro #verticalplanter #smallspacegardening #beginnergardener #growingherbs
Your herb garden might already be a butterfly nurs Your herb garden might already be a butterfly nursery and you don’t even know it! Parsley, dill, and fennel are host plants for the black swallowtail butterfly. This means they don’t just visit your garden, they raise their families in it. Here’s what to look for: ✅Tiny black caterpillar with yellow dots equals early stages. ✅Chunky green caterpillar with black and yellow stripes later stage almost ready to pupate ✅Both stages look totally different, which is why so many people accidentally remove them thinking they’re two different pests. If you want to attract more plant a dedicated patch of parsley or dill and just leave it alone… some for you some for them & the butterflies will find it. They always do. 🦋 🌱Host plants for black swallowtails: parsley dill, fennel, Queen Anne’s lace. 📍Common across the entire eastern US, including right here in Virginia.#blackswallowtail #caterpillar #hostplants #parsley #gardenwildlife
🧄Garlic Scapes Garlic scapes are a favorite litt 🧄Garlic Scapes Garlic scapes are a favorite little garden moment for many. I’m growing Music garlic by @botanical_interests in my @epicgardening raised beds. Hardneck garlic sends these curling stalks up every season it's the plant's way of saying it wants to flower and reproduce. But I’m redirecting that energy right back into the bulb by cutting the curly stalk. Here's what to do: 1️⃣Watch for the curl When your scape makes a full loop or close to it, that's the signal. Don't wait too long as the sooner you cut, the more energy goes to the bulb. 2️⃣Cut it at the base Snip or snap it right where it emerges from the leaves. 3️⃣Don't throw them away Scapes are completely edible with a mild, fresh garlic flavor. Sauté them, blend them into pesto, chop them like chives. 4️⃣Now wait about 2-4 weeks After you cut the scapes, the bulbs need a little more time to finish sizing up underground. When the lower leaves start turning brown and papery usually about half of them, it's time to harvest. ⏰The scapes are kinda like a built-in harvest countdown. Cut the curly & mark your calendar, pull your garlic. If you’re in the market for Raised beds, you can check the link in my bio for a discount code & link on my raised beds. 💚Michelle #garlicscapes #growinggarlic #curly #beginnergardener #raisedbedgardening
Thyme is one of those plants that just makes sense Thyme is one of those plants that just makes sense everywhere one because it’s great for cooking. It smells wonderful. It looks wonderful and it comes back every year. I already have it tucked into every raised bed on our property partly because I cook with it and partly because I genuinely love the way it spills over the edges and softens everything. It’s functional and beautiful, which is my favorite combination in a garden plant. I grew these thyme plants from seed indoors this past winter/spring & finally got to plant them out. We just put in some new tall @epicgardening round Birdies metal beds in this season, and thyme was the first thing I knew I wanted in them. It’s a low maintenance perinneal, a pollinator magnet once it flowers, and I love that it comes back every year. If you’ve been on the fence about adding herbs into your ornamental or veggie beds this is your sign. They don’t have to live in a separate “herb garden.” Let them roam. Are you growing thyme this season? Tell me how it’s going in the comments! ! #thyme #herbgarden #growyourownherbs #raisedbedgardening #gardenersofinstgram
Multiply your Basil with propagation, save money, Multiply your Basil with propagation, save money, and never buy grocery store basil again! Basil is so easy to grow and it’s a great companion plant for tomatoes the bees love it if you let it go to flower and it smells so good! I understand that sometimes you have to buy grocery store Basil , but if you can grow it yourself & keep the plant alive & growing through the winter it’s so much better & more cost effective! Are you growing basil this summer? 🌿Michelle @michellesgardengrows #Basil #stopwastingmoney #gardeninginspiration #propegation #beginnergardeners
Radishes are easy to grow & so cheerful. Want be Radishes are easy to grow & so cheerful. Want better radishes? 👇 Loose soil, consistent moisture, cool weather, proper spacing, and don’t wait too long to harvest. 🌱 To be honest, I let these radishes sit too long and they ended up being a bit spicy🔥 I love growing in my epic gardening raised beds & harvesting in my harvest basket from epic as well and they are having a huge Memorial Day Sale on garden beds and more so if your in the market I have coupon code you can stack below⬇️ MEMORIAL DAY SALE May 14 - May 28, 2026 ✅40% OFF all raised beds ✅25-30% off seeds, live plants & seed starting gear 💸Use Code: MGG5 to save even more at checkout! The Memorial Day Sale at Epic Gardening is ending soon and it's a big one. Don't sleep on it! Grab what you've been eyeing before it's gone. Full product list linked in my bio. DM me if you need help picking something as I'm happy to help. Disclosure: I'm an affiliate for Epic Gardening so If you buy something using my affiliate link and code, you won't pay a penny more, but I'll earn a small commission. This helps me continue creating awesome content! 💚Happy Growing, Michelle @michellesgardengrows #Radish #harvest #gardening #gardentok #raisedbeds
What else would you add? 🍅When I’m getting tomatoe What else would you add? 🍅When I’m getting tomatoes into the ground, I keep the focus on helping them establish first, not pushing growth right away. That’s why I start with compost and worm castings in the planting hole. 🦞I’ve been using @coastofmaineorganic Coast of Maine Lobster compost (Quoddy Blend) for the past few years & am an ambassador for them because it helps improve soil structure, moisture balance, and aeration right in the root zone. It gives the planting hole a more stable environment for new roots to move into instead of dry native soil. 🪱I also use @coastofmaineorganic /Coast of Maine Wiscasset Blend worm castings because they add plant-available nutrients and active soil biology in a form that’s gentle on new transplants. I like having that biology already present around the root system as the plant settles in. 💦I water in well at planting so the roots aren’t trying to pull moisture from dry surrounding soil during that early transition period. 🌿Removing the bottom leaves lets me bury more of the stem without foliage sitting against the soil, which also helps reduce potential soil-borne disease issues. 🪏I plant tomatoes deep because they can grow roots all along the buried stem, helping create a larger, stronger root system over time. 🌱On fertilizer, I sometimes wait. At transplant time, tomatoes are focused on root establishment, and heavy feeding (especially higher nitrogen fertilizers) can push leafy growth before the plant is really ready for it. I prefer to start feeding once I see active growth and the plant has clearly taken off. ✅After that, consistent light feeding tends to work better for me than trying to front-load nutrients early. ✅Simple steps at planting really do set the tone for the whole season. What do you do to set up your tomato plants up for success? 💚Michelle @michellesgardengrows #tomatoplant #growingfood #gardentipsandtricks #beginnergardener
Sweet potato slip season 😂🍠 This year we started Sweet potato slip season 😂🍠 This year we started our slips both in soil and using the jar + water method, and honestly both worked great for us! Now it’s time to get them planted 🌱 I’ve successfully grown sweet potatoes the last 3 years, but I’ll admit…some harvests were definitely smaller than I hoped 😅 So this year I’m experimenting with planting 2 slips per 15 gallon grow bag to see if we get a better yield! We’re growing them in grow bags from @epicgardening and I cannot wait to see how these do this season 🤎 We’ve got the grow bags filled up, but we still have to plant the slips. That’ll probably happen tomorrow. Have you grown sweet potatoes before? Any tips for getting bigger harvests? follow along to see how these sweet potato slips grow🍠 Happy Growing 💚Michelle @michellesgardengrows #sweetpotatoslips #growyourownveg #growbag #gardengal
I can’t stop thinking about how the first job God I can’t stop thinking about how the first job God gave humans was to “work and keep” the garden. In Hebrew: avad = serve/worship and shamar = protect/watch over. That changes the way I see gardening completely 🌱 Maybe tending a garden was always meant to be something very meaningful to us as humans as we look tp the Creator who gave us the gift and the assignment 💚 Would you want to see more content like this… where gardening meets something deeper? #christiangardener #faithandgardening #gardentok #genesis215 #gardeningreels
We like wire baskets from the dollar store over he We like wire baskets from the dollar store over here! Have you tried this little garden trick yet? Or better yet what tips or tricks do you have for all the little backyard critters like squirrels & deer? #gardentipsandtricks #beginnergardener #wirebasket
Saving space on the grow shelf These 4 inch four Saving space on the grow shelf These 4 inch four cell trays have worked incredibly well for my pepper plants. 🫑 I even have a discount code for you if you need these in the future. Just use CODE: MGG5 and you can find the link in my Bio! Disclosure: I'm an affiliate for Epic Gardening. If you buy something using my affiliate link and code, you won't pay a penny more, but I'll earn a small commission. This helps me continue creating awesome content! Happy growing! 💚Michelle #seedstarting #seedtray #pepperplants #growyourownveggies #beginnergardener
If you’ve been thinking about making the switch or If you’ve been thinking about making the switch or finally starting your setup the timing could not be better right now. MEMORIAL DAY SALE May 14 - May 28, 2026 ✅40% OFF all raised beds ✅25-30% off seeds, live plants & seed starting gear ✅Use Code: MGG5 to save even more at checkout! Link to all my beds in Bio:) The Memorial Day Sale at Epic Gardening is ending soon and it’s a big one. Grab what you’ve been eyeing before it’s gone. Full product list linked in my bio. & DM me if you have questions Disclosure: I’m an affiliate for Epic Gardening so if you buy something using my affiliate link and code, you won’t pay a penny more, but l’ll earn a small commission. This helps me continue creating awesome content! Follow along for more gardening inspiration & resources 👉 @michellesgardengrows Gardening, Raised Beds, Sale
🍠Next step: These slips are going into a vase of 🍠Next step: These slips are going into a vase of water to keep rooting strong until planting time. Then I’ll move them into 15 gallon Epic Gardening grow bags. 2 slips per bag. That’s it! I’ll show the full planting setup in the next video. Follow along @michellesgardengrows if you want to see how they grow out. #sweetpotatoslips #growingsweetpotatoes #gardeningtipsandtricks #beginnergardener
#ad We started replacing our wooden beds with Epic #ad We started replacing our wooden beds with Epic Gardening metal beds about a year ago and it changed the whole look of our outdoor space. What started as swapping four main beds turned into adding more down the slope and now we’ve got the 24” rounds going in too. This garden keeps growing and it makes me sooo happy!😊 If you’ve been thinking about making the switch or finally starting your setup the timing could not be better right now. MEMORIAL DAY SALE 🗓️ May 14 – May 28, 2026 🎁 40% OFF all raised beds 🌱 25–30% off seeds, live plants & seed starting gear 💸Use Code: MGG5 to save even more at checkout! The Memorial Day Sale at Epic Gardening is ending soon and it’s a big one. Don’t sleep on it! Grab what you’ve been eyeing before it’s gone. 📌Full product list linked in my bio. 📌DM me if you need help picking something as I’m happy to help you figure out exactly what your space needs. 📌Disclosure: I’m an affiliate for Epic Gardening so If you buy something using my affiliate link and code, you won’t pay a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This helps me continue creating awesome content! 🌱Keep Growing 💚Michelle @michellesgardengrows 🏷️@epicgardening #epicgardening #memorialdaysale #raisedbeds #growyourown
Garden Tasks that happen before anyone’s watching. Garden Tasks that happen before anyone’s watching. Before the harvest & before anything looks pretty. Just you, the soil, and the quiet satisfaction of putting something in the ground and trusting it. This kind of craftsmanship didn’t go unnoticed. handwoven, sustainably made, and built for exactly the kind of mornings I live for. I reached out to @tulahats myself after seeing my friends hat & noticing the quality and I’m so grateful they gifted me the Ranch Lattice to try. 👉Follow along @michellesgardengrows for more slow mornings in the garden & @tulahats to see their full line. 👒 #tulahats #gardenlifestyle #palmhat #slowmornings #backyardgardener

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