Author: Randy

Well folks, it’s that time of year again. The tomatoes are tired, the beans are stringy, and the squash vines look like they’ve fought a losing battle with a family of raccoons. Fall is rolling in, and while a lot of gardeners start packing it up, the sly Willy Nilly gardener knows this is prime […]

Well friends, let’s talk about one of my favorite scrappy, stubborn, and oh-so-important plants — the humble milkweed. Around here, I consider it less of a weed and more of a hero in disguise. Without it, the monarch butterflies would be out of luck, and so would our gardens that depend on pollinators flitting about […]

Now y’all know I’m a fan of sticking plants just about anywhere they’ll sit still long enough to grow. Porch, windowsill, mailbox, bathtub (don’t laugh, it’s been done!) — plants make a place feel alive. So naturally, folks running vacation rentals get the itch to green things up too. And let me tell you, it […]

Well, sugar, if you’ve never tiptoed barefoot down Florida’s Forgotten Coast in springtime, you’re missing out on one of nature’s sassiest fashion shows. Forget Miami’s neon lights and plastic flamingos—this stretch of the Gulf is all about wild, windswept charm. The sand dunes roll up like soft, pale blankets, and just when you think it’s […]

Well, well, well… just when you think gardening can’t get any sillier, along comes another nifty trick to tickle the soil under your fingernails: reversed hugelkultur.Now, you might be scratching your head saying, “Hugel-what?” Don’t worry, I’ll slow down. Traditional hugelkultur (that’s a German word for “hill culture”) is when you bury logs, sticks, and […]

Rainwater vs. City Water: Which Do Your Plants Prefer? If you’ve ever noticed your garden perking up after a good soaking rain, you’re not imagining things. Plants really do respond differently to rainwater than they do to the good ol’ stuff that comes from the tap. Let’s dig into why that is, and how you […]

It’s Time to Play “Slice ‘n’ Share” in the Garden August might be hot, sweaty, and a little “why did I come out here again?” but it’s also prime time to divide some of your perennials. Think of it as plant speed dating — we’re splitting them up so everyone has more space and fewer […]

If your garden looks anything like mine right now, it’s tired. The tomatoes are sunburned, the cucumbers are holding on by a crispy thread, and the squash vines look like they’ve been through a war zone. You, my friend, are not alone. Late summer gardens often resemble the set of a post-apocalyptic movie — minus […]

Ah, the dream: stepping into your own little glass (or plastic) palace, filled with green, thriving plants that have no idea it’s January outside. But before you go throwing your hard-earned cash at the first shiny thing you see, let’s slow down and talk about what you really need to consider. 1. Size Matters (And […]

If you’ve ever passed a garden and spotted a burst of orange, red, yellow, or even deep purple waving at you in the summer breeze, chances are you’ve met the humble daylily (Hemerocallis). Despite the name, daylilies aren’t true lilies—they’re their own botanical bunch with a history as colorful as their blooms. 🌍 A Plant […]