Mind Body Garden

This episode dives into some facts, feelings, and opinions on controversial topics that are top of mind for so many - RoundUp, genetically modified foods/crops, organic growing methods, and my thoughts on the hysteria surrounding those topics. This isn't all serious & controversial though 😂 just some logical thoughts to get people thinking, and take the emotional component out of decision-making. I also talk about plans for the garden which include planting out some new plant varieties from Burpee 🤗 for those who don't know, I was selected as a 2019 Gardener of the Year by Burpee and will be featured during the month of October. In the meantime, I can't wait to plant the new varieties & taste the Purple peppers and the sweet habaneros in the coming months 🤤

Whether you "believe" in climate change or not, I think we can all agree that we've seen storms increase in strength & duration. It seems like any time it rains, the new normal is for it to dump a couple inches of rain. The weather has essentially become like the world - extremely polarized; all the way left or all the way right.. or is it just our perception because of this political climate (weather pun intended). So aside from that rant 😂 here's my take on why I switched from growing in the ground to gardening in Root Pouches 🌱🦘

In yesterday's podcast I bragged about how my broccoli hasn't been attacked by bugs yet, went home and had holes in leaves, so that means it's time to spray! Though I hate spraying pesticides, it's completely necessary if you want to harvest what you planted - plus it's an organic, natural product - not harsh chemicals 🧪 Other than organic pesticides, I talk about other natural ways to control pests such as companion planting & trap crops

Today's the day - it's our last frost day in Ohio 🥳🥳🥳 Even though we haven't seen a frost or freeze in over a month, it's still best to wait rather than gamble with the life of your precious plants 🎰 Other than talking about the last frost, I also talk about transplanting tomatoes & peppers and about my plans for the hundreds of peppers I'm growing. To wrap things up, I talk about irrigation in the garden and why rainwater is so great for your plants 🌧️🌱🌿 what are you planting in your garden this year? Let me know if you have any questions about growing & I'll throw it in a future podcast!

Growing Tomatoes from seed is always a challenge - which is what makes it fun! Seems like you always start too early or too late. This year I was too early and my tomatoes plants were struggling in the plug trays because they were becoming root-bound. I didn't think they'd survive but Kyla told me to plant them up into a bigger pot so they could stretch their legs. Luckily, I had CowPots on deck and I'm super impressed with how my plants have bounced back and began to thrive 🤗 In this episode I talk about what CowPots are, why they're the best pot you don't know about, and how they saved my tomato seedlings - and ultimately, my garden.

Every plant I grow is grown using organic growing methods - and the same goes for my business. In this episode I talk about updates to the CropBox, my plans for the National Hardware Show, and dive into my plans to grow my business - organically, slow & steady and only as I'm ready! And that begs the question - what other products do you want me to offer other than fresh veggies & herbs? Would love to hear your thoughts 😁

With all this rain and the temperatures rising, that means weeds are on their way to a garden or lawn near you 👉🌿 In this episode I dive into organic options for weed control and discuss the benefits of using ground cover or landscape fabric, coco weed guards, and Parboiled rice hulls. How do you control weeds in your garden or yard? 🤔

Hard to believe it's already May 1st, but the garden has been growing amazingly 🌱🌱🌱🤗 We are about a month ahead of last year and our customers can expect a CropBox in their near future 🔮 In this episode I dive into the benefits and challenges of growing in Root Pouches, discuss how we plan to keep a steady supply of veggies coming down the pipe, and I talk about my big, overarching goals for the Garden of Gains 🌱💪

We were super productive this weekend and finally built Kyla's raised bed for growing herbs 🌱🌿 In this episode I walk through how to build raised beds, what we planted in that bed, and plans for future growth. Being sick last week also made me really reflective and realize the gaps I need to fill with my content - not just the podcast, but video and blogging as well. Yet it isn't all about production, it's about sharing your passion with the world - and more importantly, it's about living in the moment and enjoying your passion; enjoying your life 😁🥳

In this episode I met up with Mandy Groszko, creator of Ella Bella Gluten Free to talk about her business, learn her story, and explain why I'm offering baking mixes in the CropBox this year. We got into a ton of topics ranging from the original of your foods/ingredients, the struggles and triumphs of entrepreneurship, and so much more! If you're interested in learning more, check out the baking mixes on my website www.gardening4gains.com and give Mandy a follow @ellebellagf on all platforms 👌