The Simple Garden Life

If you are looking for the best way to support your tomato plants this year without spending a fortune - today's episode covers how to create the perfect DIY solution that can hold the biggest of plants without worry!

Tomato cages have been around for years, but they can be expensive. Not only that, many cages simply grow out of the ground when plants get too big.

Tomato stakes are another option, but they too have issues. Not only are they hard to tie tomato plants to, they easily snap if plants get too big and heavy. And whether you use cages or stakes – the real issue is that they don’t last for long. In fact, most don’t make it past a season or two without needing to be replaced.


Jim and Mary walk listeners through the simple steps to build strong and sturdy tomato supports that make growing tomatoes easier than ever. And best of all - not only will they last for years and years, they are quite inexpensive to build too!

In this season's first episode, Jim and Mary walk listeners through the four simple steps to planting and growing cucumbers. See how with just a few simple tips and tricks, you can grow your best crop of cucumbers ever!

There is no harder time for birds than trying to survive in the harsh, bleak and cold conditions winter can bring - and there is no better way to help them through it than by feeding them on a regular basis!

Winter is extremely tough on birds that do not migrate to warmer areas. Not only can it be hard to find adequate shelter from the cold and precipitation, they have to be wary of predators that are hungry for food sources as well.

Today's podcast from Jim and Mary centers on the best way to feed and help birds have the food and protection they need to make it through the cold, harsh winter - and have them ready to help you and your garden next year by controlling insects and consuming thousands of weed seeds too!

Did you know that how you water your poinsettias during the holiday season is one of the biggest factors of all in determining just how long your plant will keep it’s gorgeous colorful leaves in place throughout the holiday season – and that misting your poinsettia regularly can play a huge role in that too?
Jim and Mary walk listeners through how to best water their poinsettias to keep them blooming right on past the New Year - including a few tips and tricks that can really make a huge difference in just bright and beautiful they stay!

Looking for a few low-maintenance, drought resistant perennials to add big interest and color to your landscape – all without the worry of having to constantly water?
One of the most difficult and time consuming chores for a gardener to perform is having to continually water their plants. Especially if that water is difficult to come by, or even restricted as it is in many drought plagued parts of the country and world.
But that is exactly where planting smart from the start with drought resistant perennials can be a huge help. Drought resistant plants require far less water to survive and thrive. So much so that watering is rarely if ever needed. And can these plants ever be beautiful!

See how to fertilize your hanging baslets like a pro! Jim and Mary walk listeners through how to fertilize their baskets low and slow - and how it can help keep flowering baskets blooming big all summer long!

There is little doubt about it - how, when and what you use to fertilize your hanging baskets can make a huge difference in just how well they bloom this year. And perhaps even more importantly - for just how long into summer or fall you can keep your baskets flowering big.

If there is one thing that gardeners struggle with, it's keeping their hanging baskets blooming all summer long. For many, although their baskets might start out strong and beautiful in the spring - by mid-summer, they begin to suddenly appear weak and feeble.

See how fertilziing your baskets with a simple one-two punch on a conisten basis can keep your baskets flowering big all season long.

Jim and Mary walk listeners through how to stop carpenter bees from damaging the wood around their home, without having to kill of these important pollinators.

When it comes to stopping carpenter bees and the damage they cause to the wood surfaces around your exterior of your home, one thing is for sure, it takes a persistent approach to win the battle!

Carpenter bees can cause extensive damage to the exterior wood surfaces all over your property. Not just to the wood siding and eaves on your house, but any wood surface that is exposed. That includes your garage, shed, pergola, swing sets and yes, even wood fences.

Unfortunately, once they find a surface to their liking, they keep coming back. In fact, with each new generation of carpenter bees, they will continue to drill more new holes, all while expanding their original homestead into an even larger nesting site with more tunnels.

See how to safely stop carpenter bees from damaging the wood around your home, and still keep these valuable pollinators around!

Want to give your young tomato plants a jump start and get them growing fast? Jim and Mary walk listeners through how to power up tomato plants after they have been planted to get them growing strong, healthy and faster than ever!
As garden season gets into full swing, many gardeners are planting their tomatoes and already dreaming of the big, juicy harvests they hope will come from their plants this summer.
But to get those big yields, it's vital to get young transplants growing fast - and right from the start. After all, getting your plants to grow healthy and strong early is the key to having them produce more blooms and fruit later.

Jim and Mary walk listeners through how to recycle, recharge and reuse old potting soil.

Potting soil can be one of the biggest annual expenses of all for those who like to plant flowers and vegetables in pots, containers and hanging baskets. In fact, quite often, it can cost a gardener more for the soil filling their containers than the plants being potted in it!

Old potting soil can be lifeless and nutrient poor. Without amending it, you simply can't grow new plants well. See how to recharge your soil in the spring or fall with two unique methods, grow amazingly healthy plants, and save big on your gardening budget in the process!

Listen in as Jim and Mary walk you through getting your garden growing early in the season with seed crops! From sugar snap peas, to spinach, radishes and more, they cover some of the best crops that can handle cooler season temperatures with ease. Don't wait for late spring and summer to plant, get growing now!