Step 1, make a detailed plan Step 2, inventory supplies and seeds and order more seeds than I can actually grow Step 3, start way more seeds than I can actually grow Step 4, transplant seedling disregarding the plan because I’ve determined in the spring that I had no idea what I was thinking back in January Step 5, find good homes for remaining plants that I’ve started and run out of space for 😁
As a young man of 70..growing in Texas..I have started raising all I can on cattle panels. I don't like raised beds..the most important planning I do is plant rotation and seed starting and general planting dates..love your channel
I agree about raised beds. They are expensive, confining and dry out quickly. After watching this channel and one in FL this gal is going back to in ground wide rows. So much easier especially when it comes to irrigation.
@@anissaferringer4965 we just discussed that last Monday on Gardener Scott video. I have read several times that if the soil is amended organically and there was no sign of disease that it is not necessary to rotate crops. I think that rotation thing is coming from crop farmers with intensive planting. I wouldn’t worry about it for small scale. I actually did a lot of thinking about this on past gardens and what I grow. Most of my garden is in nightshade crops😂. I wouldn’t be able to rotate even if I wanted and I have 2 sizeable gardens 😊
It's my 3rd year growing vegetables, in containers. The 1st year, I planted everything that was supposed to grow in my zone. The 2nd year I planted what did well. This year I planted what I actually eat!
We are settling into a property with a large acerage that has an established orchard (apples, peaches, plums, pears) and loads of blackberries, raspberries , and blueberries. I’m looking forward to an enormous garden but I have a lot of work to do. I want all the things. Chickens, a high tunnel, a green house….. but first I need to figure out how to keep all that other stuff alive. We are coming from the burbs. I did a full garden on my little half acre in suburbia but I didn’t have all the fruit trees and berries. We had an HOA and all the rules lol. My issue is pacing myself. I have bought waaaaaay too many seeds. I can’t help it. I’ve told family and friends not to buy any. I have it all! We also have Paw paw trees! I’m in Ohio too.
First congrats on your new place. Second resource as much as you can free wood chips manure building materials chicken coop small shelters. Happy hunting When you figure out where you want your garden think about where are you going to put your compost pile, your high tunnel things of that nature. Dream and dream big with a visual plan so you can add as you can afford it. Educate yourself quickly about pruning the fruit trees the time is growing short for that job and it's important to do and do correctly. Living on a farm is very rewarding challenging hard work and a beautiful life. Oh make sure you give yourself 3' pathways in between you rows or raised beds plants can do their own thing and get out of control. I am also in Ohio
congrats! we are starting our orchard from scratch (sans 2 old apple trees). We also have chickens. Buy the chicks now! get that coop and run up asap. you can keep the little ones indoors caged for a while. takes about 4 months to get eggs (depending on breed and time of year). ours just started laying 3 weeks ago. bought them at 6 weeks old back in late September.
How wonderful! Congratulations on your new property. I have trouble with pacing myself too- it’s so hard when you’re so excited about all the possibilities!!
Congrats!! I’d follow rose park permaculture for a lot of tips on how to care and tend to perennials and fruit trees/shrubs. Ducks are great for under trees as they pick at different things than chickens. What a great start to your new year. 😄
@@intentionallymade we have a pond so I was thinking about shelters over there so they can have a place separated from my garden and chickens. Definitely want to give geese and ducks a whirl. 🤣. Of course I do. And fainting goats. And mini cows… and ……
I’ve been watching your videos on the big tv. It’s so much better than my tiny little iPhone. Anyway, I’ve commented before about relearning everything. Five years ago, I lived in northwest Illinois. I could grow anything. The soil was rich and fertile. I was used to the climate. I’d lived there for 60 years. And then, we moved to Ohio. Everything changed. A different climate zone, clay soil that was as hard as cement, deer eating everything…sigh. I’m still learning and trying to amend my soil. I never had to think about amendments until we moved here. I feel like a newbie, even though I’ve been gardening for over 45 years. Thanks for your videos. You’ve given me the stamina i need to keep going and have kept discouragement away well enough to keep me from saying I give up.
I hate watching videos on my phone too 😄. And while you may feel like a newbie gardening in Ohio, I'm sure your 45 years of experience will come in incredibly handy (probably even more so once you get that soil where you want it). I'm glad you're not giving up and I hope this gardening season is a great one for you!
Very helpful. Love seeing you not being perfect too. Also there was no shouting at the camera and funny facial expressions. Thank you very much, very helpful as I start my first full year on our small garden plot in our new home.
All the tips were very good. For me, as a journalist, keeping a written account of your gardening life and adventures is key. A written history, as it were, to tell the story of your journey with nature, both the good and the not so good. To both inspire and teach those who will come. One day, a child or grandchild, will open up those pages and be able to walk through the garden with you even though you have long passed away. The written word is so necessary, and yet so dismissed these days. Carry on!
My husband just finished 20 years in the Navy and we're settling into a small farm in Eastern Tennessee. My rolling clay hills are a blank slate! We excavated an 8'x20' strip to set up three 32" raised planter beds. Put some hugelkultur to work. We also filled three Greenstalk planters on the patio. Waiting for fruits to arrive! Saved dish-paks to mulch around them.
NE Ohio here! My online garden planner is from GrowVeg. I love that planner. I am so excited about the planning process again this year. I love researching my seeds and dreaming of my spring garden while I look out the window at the snow. I bought new seeds after thanksgiving from two seed companies and now am looking to buy more from another. Growing onions, leeks, and herb starts indoors. In a few weeks, I start my broccoli, Brussel sprouts and other things that require a long growing season. Good luck to all! and remember to have fun!
Love your videos...very precise, orderly...as a retired physician, I spend most of my time sitting in the garden with a yellow legal pad and pen and drawing a plan and decide what I'm going to do next. I never learned Excell, so I remain "Old school".
I am absolutely loving the new Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog for 2023. Every category has vegies displayed by harvest size. This is so helpful to me as a new gardener, so I know exactly the size of the fruit I'll get and not spend the entire season on a plant that disappoints. They also include tips for growing, taking care of pests, harvest and storage. I really enjoy your videos and the inspiration you give. Thanks so much!
Lol, that reminds me of planting what I thought was a full size Waltham squash and it was an actual mini!😂. I had know idea there was such a thing in all my years of gardening 🤪. I kept thinking there was something wrong with the plant or soil😅. We harvested the plate size single servers and as we sat down to eat them I was looking closer at the seed packet because I just couldn’t get over this dinky squash. There it was, I think it was like a plate or something in the picture that it finally Dawned on me that it was suppose to be a mini!😂
i have just a hight water table, it is taking a while to prevent my garden from flooding and plants just drowing -Spent all of last season building raised beds and adding mulch/woodchips. Now it is a waiting game for the woodchips to settle. I do have some containers on the porch so at least I get to plant a few things just to see them grow and make notes on what works. Maybe next year the in the yard garden will be apply to apply what i learn growing on the porch.
HI Jenna, I'm new to your channel. I am so glad I found you. Because I live in Indiana. I really appreciate finding people that live close to me. It's easier to tips from people in my area instead of people all over the country.i follow Luke from MIGARDENER& THE STIVERS Bexause they are close to me but I am thankful that I have found you. God Bless you Jenna
Several years ago I started to add non gardening notes in my garden note book. Sometimes it's a good reminder that trials do pass, gardening related or not.
This was less garden planning and more cataloging and detailing. Great information and will definitely use this. Do you have a video on planning and layout? How to choose which vegetables. Where to place them in the garden? Which direction to orient your garden beds and rows? Which plants compliment and hurt eachother? Etc.
Great suggestions! I just wanted to mention that you can copy/paste images into an Excel cell! I’m on a Mac, and I use the screen shot app. I open the picture I want to put into my spreadsheet, take a screenshot and save it to my Clipboard (one of the options in the app), then click on the cell I want it in and Paste. You can drag the corner to resize the cell, so you can see it as a large photo when you need to and then shrink it back down when you don’t!
I use to ace Excel, but I don’t have MS Office and I thought there was a way to note in a cell a symbol to click that would show a chart/pic. If I did use a program I think that one thing right there is what I would do. You could insert pics of bugs, seed packets used and in inventory, plants. The pic of a seed packet alone is almost the whole entry right there. Hmmm, think I will have to find a way to get Excel on a Mac so I can use this great feature. Thanks!
It's always good when I see a video from you. I must admit that documenting things is a definite weak spot for me. The most that I have done recently was to keep track of when I started what and when I put them out into the garden. I've tried garden planners a few times in the past. They just don't do it for me. Those neat tomato plant icons might look nice and organized all in a row on the screen, but in real life they can go crazy and grow all over the place. I guess I am old school, I store the knowledge in my head and in my heart and garden mostly from experience. When I move to a new area, of course that throws everything off for a little while until I learn what my new area is like. I'm going to take your advice and put out as many of the perennial plants as I can this Spring. Anyway, as always you have done an excellent job of delivering great content in a pleasing way. What you are doing in your garden and with your organization is quite impressive.
Thank you! I think the actual mapping can be a big help for folks just starting out who are still getting a feel for spacing. I notice that much like I tweak dates I tweak plant spacing too, as compote what the apps advise. I do find the mapping really handy for making sure I’m rotating crops from year to year, planning successions, and to get a general idea how much I can plant.
@@GrowfullywithJenna Ah yes, I remember when I heard you say that, that what was planted where was the major reason for a garden map. Hmm good point. I suppose I shouldn't rely on my memory for long on that. lol WHICH brings up a question. With trellises I'm tempted to plant the same climbing plants on them. Do you do that or do you have so many different climbing plants that you can rotate them? I'm thinking of getting some cattle panels and setting up at least another place and then I can at least rotate and skip a year. I have so many rocks that I just can't put a trellis up anywhere. I have to figure out an alternative way of putting them up. I put in some raised beds and I hope I can attach to them.
@@Javaman92 I try to rotate- though I often end up planting tomatoes in the same spot. It’s not ideal for me- but really, if you don’t have issues with certain diseases or pests that overwinter in the soil it’s not much of an issue.
I have a whole excel workbook with tabs - comp planting info on one, dates to start, temps, depth of seed, time to germ, how many per sq ft and fertilizers for each crop I am growing and I only grow what we eat but want to grow 10x what I do now….. its addicting!!!
I used the “garden planner” from territorial seed, it’s a free trial for 7 days, then a cost each year. I got the subscription as a Christmas gift this year, and found it really helpful, mostly because it has so much information to reference all in one place. I agree with the start date thing, it uses your zip code to calculate dates, but is ultimately ball park. It’s really visual chart that is endlessly adjustable. I will see how it goes. For me, garden planning is a huge project that I CANNOT do in one sitting, I started in September and was finally happy with it just after Christmas. I’m also a newer gardener, not green, but not experienced either. Companion planting, spacing, indoor seeding vs outdoor direct seed, etc was a lot of bit by bit gathering for me.
You make such a good point, Abby! I think for most folks (myself included) mapping out the gardens takes quite a bit of time, as they tend to evolve and change!
The main thing is don’t stress it. After all, it’s enough work to get a harvest. If I was a new gardener and did what you did, I think I would have scrapped the whole thing 🤣. I use to worry or concentrate on companion planting and figured if I just throw in marigolds here and there along with anything else it all works. However, I do like to consider planting by the moon as it’s a lot easier and worth while.
I have to add a 2nd comment. My husband has his own sneaky recording of gardening. I have been trying lettuce and spinach inside again and it’s going quite well, I think. My husband said, oh it’s doing great…see as he shows me pics of DAILY growth🤪🤣😂. Actually I was impressed! They were actually growing quite a bit each day.
I’m a beginner. We just moved to a house where I actually have room. Last year was my trial year and I didn’t do too well. None of my strawberries were good (I think the squirrels ate the good ones) two of my tomato plants got blight. My cherry tomatoes did so well that they crowded out my rosemary, jalapeños, bell peppers, and banana peppers 😆 My parsley did the best. I physically could not harvest it fast enough. But this year I want a bigger space so I can space things out better. My problem is that I want to grow everything but deep down I know I should start small 😅
Haha-- I don't always handle it all so well! But yes- I do get some help with the big infrastructure type things (building beds, fences etc.) from my hubby and my dad helps with the gardens at my parents' home!
I am thinking about starting a garden next year. It will depend entirely on funds, as I am currently unemployed. I am a planner, but when I start a new hobby like this, I forgive myself for being a novice. So right now, I'm in an investigation phase, and am excited to find your channel in my plant zone.
Well Jenna, thank you again for the excellent video! Fantastic! What I do is this last year, and now this year, I take a notebook I write everything down that I want to plant. In the first column I write the date I want to start them in the house. The name, and where I bought the seeds in the next column, and then when I plant it I just check it off. And if I don't like the vegetable that I decided to grow, then I will not order it probably again. It makes a lot of sense to take some notes on it for me. If I had a much larger garden, then I would take more notes. Thank you again for all your gardening wisdom! Have a good evening!
Thanks ever so much for the video. I must confess it was quite informative. Frankly speaking I'm really spontaneous when it comes to gardening. There is no planning and I'm not equipped like u so I tend to do things ad hoc but I find your tips proved quite helpful I shall try to see how I could improve and use those techniques which would allow me to be more productive too.
Great video. I have to admit I try and plan everything in my head. Think I need to try using the app. For me management of time is my hardest task. I always have more things going then time needed. And I like outside more than computer and notes time. Speaking of which got 15 Khaki Campbell ducklings in today and tomorrow I start to sow my corn in. I'm in Central Florida so things I imagine would be backwards to your timing. I run ducks, chickens and turkeys in conjunction with my new gardening ventures. Thanks Jenna.
How fun! Have you kept ducks before? I keep thinking about them because people claim they are good pest control and you can let them in your garden without them destroying everything (like chickens do).
@@GrowfullywithJenna I have had ducks never Khaki Campbells. And never had a garden when I had ducks. Will have to get back to you. I do know they love the bugs and slugs. Not sure if I would trust in the garden. Maybe try an experiment see how they do. I just love the duck eggs for baking brownies. 🦆👍😂
You make a lot of good points! It would be very good for a new gardener to listen to what you are saying. This is really a great tutorial! Three years ago I made a scale map of all 14 of our raised beds. Then scaled out where everything was to be planted. My first time companion planting. Well, lol, once I changed my winter idea, it slowly went down hill after that. So I just get on line with catalogs next to me and make a list of wants. Let it sit for a couple of days and then I start the whittling down process. I grown really nice eggplant, but this year I decided not to. I'm trying a different type of sweet pepper instead. Our bed sare all different sizes...a couple only 2'x2' with trellises all the way to 2'x26', 4'x20', etc. What ever I could find at the time laying around to make them out of. Last year I put in two 3' diameter fire rings for annuals. No more maps lol! I went back to my old school ways to make it less confusing for me lol. I just wing it. I had overwhelmed myself with all the notebooks and maps lol. But, I do do some of the things you talked about naturally. Enjoyed your take on preparing! Take care!
I use a monthly planner, but yes, I throw what ever at it and what sticks-sticks. Have fun with it and I think too many overthink companion planting. Throw in some flowers and all will be well. Enjoy it!
I'm currently winter sowing in milk jugs and putting them in a snow cave before the (hopefully) last storm of the season comes in a few hours. We are supposed to get 10-18 inches (Alaska). I would really like to get this chore done before the snow falls! I have no idea how many plants I need of what. As of yet we have no infrastructure. After getting seeds finished off outside, the next project is building some wicking raised beds out of pallets. (be careful with using pallets as they can sometimes be treated with chemicals. Do some research about which pallets are safe). Not sure how many I will get built before breakup happens and the snow gets out of my way. While building those I am also going to be learning vermicomposting. I've been saving kitchen scraps outside (natural freezer) for when I was able to take on the task of setting it up. I've also saved the cardboard from renovations that we are currently recovering from. I've been learning about things while I was in a "season" of not being able to do anything, so I learned what to gather. now I have several parts collected waiting to be put together for their purpose. I'm hoping I can get everything timed well for when I need it all. Renovations ran late and now I'm trying to play catch up while also trying to unpack and settle in. I'm thankful I took the time to learn about the kind of life I wanted so that I would recognize opportunities as they presented. Had I chosen to watch mindless TV shows I wouldn't have been ready for those opportunities.
Jenna, I just want to say that I am loving your channel. Im a relatively new gardener (only been at it 3 years) and as someone who didn't grow up with gardening at all, its a real uphill climb for me to learn all of this. I've appreciated a few gardening channel along the way, but I have to say that your videos are so comprehensive (without being overly heavy with unneeded details), and you are a gifted presenter as well, that Im just blessed to have found this channel. I've shared it on social media for my fellow-gardeners or wanna-be gardeners. :) God bless!
Thank you so much! And I'm so glad to hear that you are gardening yourself- even without having grown up with it! It's definitely a learning experience- but can be so rewarding. Best wishes for a wonderful season!
I'm a planner too. I use Google sheets to plan out my veggie beds and cut flower garden. It's not perfect but I'm able to plan for pretty close to how many plants I can fit and that really helped last year for seed starting. Last year was the first year for the new cut flower bed and I got so wrapped up in getting that set up that the veggie garden was a bit of a mess. I didn't label great, I forgot to start some things, etc. Hoping this year I can multi-task a bit better. Love that gardening is a hobby that you can learn and grow each year!
I have gone to spreadsheets too since my last note app failed to migrate to the new phone. I have my planning in my yearly household planning file, and notes in a garden notes file with tabs by year and insert pictures as well as notes. I love your comments about the things you put in your spreadsheet. It is way more detailed than what I have done so far, and we help me figure out why I planned certain things certain ways.
I've already started so many seeds with the intention of selling some. I'm hoping to can a lot more tomatoes this year as it seems to be what we use the most of. I've got a lot of San marzano, and amish paste as well as a few other hybrids I want to try. Last year I figured out how to can dried cherry tomatoes in evoo. You don't pressure can, instead wash them in vinegar, put them in a dehydrator, and then pack them in hot (but not boiling) evoo, lid on and then put them in the oven at 250. The trick is to fill your pint jars about 3/4 full (so leave a lot of head space). It took about an hour at that temp to get the oil to 250. Which kills botulism. Then turn the oven off and let them cool down in there. I used 1 without a lid for temperature testing purposes. It's one of my favorite pasta add ins.
Lol, I dried cherry tomatoes and tossed some in EVOO and they stayed hard😂. I was going to put them on a pizza like a Rocky Rococos Chicago pizza. Not even close, the next day they were still little hardtacks. Never dried before and the new dehydrator must work great😂
So glad I stumbled upon your channel! We moved to 14 acres last year and this will be my first time growing in anything more than my 4x2 raised bed 😅 I’m excited and going into it with a learning mentality. If I get *anything* this year, I’ll consider it a win. Starting small is definitely my biggest struggle 😂
I use OneNote for all of my documenting in the garden. I have the app on my phone and can easily snap a photo and add comments on whatever I am looking at or thinking about. I have on notebook for the year with one tab per month for daily/weekly updates, then another notebook for jotting down ideas, keeping inventory, and planning out my future gardens. I also use an excel spreadsheet for keeping track of seed inventory and germination dates. I love organizing everything in the winter! I will definitely give any new organization tool a try!
I definitely have been more of a wing it person but this year I created an excel sheet with each bed in it and what I’m putting in each bed. It’s been great for knowing how much dirt I need to buy and how many plants I can put into each bed for seed starting. I’ve also logged the date I planted each of my seeds. Something I never did in the past.
Getting so eager and excited to start gardening again. Planting indoor seeds in February. Living in very snowy California, so this year it will take longer than usual for all the snow to melt. Our raised beds are covered in straw, black plastic and about 5 feet of snow, so very insulated. I love being inspired and excited by watching your channel, Jenna!
This will be my 3rd season gardening! I'm in zone 5B in Illinois, so not too far from you. This year I am planting way more of what we actually ate the past 2 seasons as well as trying out 3 or more varieties of those things... I have 13 different peppers (we will use/eat every single one in some way) and 14 different tomatoes 🙈 5 varieties of corn... Stuff like that 🤣🤣🤣🤦🏻♀️I think every year I will try something new just for the fun of growing it and learning something new, though. I have found I really enjoy trying new things and experimenting. Fun learning through trial and error! I just mapped out my beds and where I want to plant everything, I am a HUGE planner so been looking around to see if there are any resources to double check my work 🤣 found your video/channel! Thank you for this!!!
Actually planning some of my garden stuff this year! I am not very good at planning it out but I am already working on what I actually want to plant based on what we need and eat. I stocked up on 20 gallon grow bags at the end of the season last year because I don’t have space to put a large in ground garden but bags I can manage.
I have a similar process to yours, but I haven't been as on the ball with tracking once plants go into the ground. I have my Google spreadsheet and then I have a Goodnotes "notebook" where I write out what I need to do monthly, as well as what I actually get done. And I take pictures of each bed as I plant it and label them in the notebook as well, which is helpful for when I forgot what I direct seeded or when volunteers come up. You've given me a lot of ideas of things to track, especially when it comes to usage of what I grow.
This is my FIRST time to ever have garden plans prior to seeing plants in the big box stores. Hopefully I am starting small, time will tell. I actually have already set up 3 raised beds (only 3x4). I started my garden plan 2 days ago and fell into sorting seeds by zip lock system. (I loved all seeds equally last year-about 50 packets.) I have already determined I need 4 additional seed packets, going to see if I can get them at the big box tomorrow.
Four? That’s all?😂🤣😂🤣😂 I just did a third visit today😅 as listening to all these great garden channels talking about favorites drove me to it. Before RUclips I was always stuck in the whatever was offered and same ole same old. Not this year. I’m trying the most varieties ever and the tiller better rest up as I have plans.😅
I map out the big plants. Smaller and/or quicker things like greens I sneak in where there is a gap. I have to have a plan, but it can't be rigid. I do it all on paper, and this year's goal is to actually keep up with it all season long!
This is so neat, going to share with my mom. We are moving way out in the woods of Alaska to a pretty raw piece of five acres. Praying this first years garden will still produce a bounty no matter the size.
Totally agree on brassicas. I'm in 6A Rhode Island, and if I do not start my broccoli and cauliflower in late January or early February (which a lot of people think is crazy early), I run a big risk of the plants bolting by as early as late May or early June. I have also gone to heat-resistant F1 hybrid varieties from Johnny's to help as well.
Just found your channel and subscribed! We've been winging it for years, and done decent, but we are ready to take it to the next level! We are in Ohio too. We have a 25x50 garden but are willing to expand. Great video!
I’m new. Last year was the first garden in 15 years. It is a small raised bed but I would like to make another one. This is great advice. I’m in 6 a and I’m going to start winter sowing and some direct sowing. I am planning where to place my plants. I didn’t do a great job last with that. My peppers were shaded out. I planted my brassicas too late so there’s that. I’m excited to try again. I really liked how you talked about having the right tools and methods to deal with pests. I will be referring back to this video. Thanks very much.
Its always different from year to year, and we keep learning what works and does not work in each of our gardens. And we learn what we want to “waste” time, energy, money, and water on. I dont feel the need to grow cauliflower- no one in my family likes it. I dont want to grow cabbage…too much space that I want to use for other things. I have found that my flower gardening and landscaping wins out over vegetable production and enjoyment. I love cut flowers in my house and to give away. I guess what I am saying is that you start to figure out what you like to see and to do, and don’t waste your time on things that you wont eat or enjoy.
I just completed an excel spreadsheet last weekend of all of my seeds, similar to yours- I like excel because I can sort by dates when to plant inside, outside, etc. and add all my notes. I also use graph paper and pencil to plan my gardens
I love SeedTime - the visual planner IS coming this year!!! Also has area to have a journal and add photos - and has a seed market built into it as well.
Looking over the Garden Savvy programs and I really think it's one I would love using. The only problem is that I am pretty much "anti-cloud" which they tout as a benefit. My question is whether or not you've noticed if the program can be used as a "stand alone" without the cloud being involved??? Thanks Jenna, you're my go to!!
Jenna, thank you for your invaluable videos. I am watching and rewatching them as I plan my first garden. I am in-ground planting pole beans, carrots, celery, corn, cucumbers, kale, melons, onions, peppers, tomatoes and myriad herbs in zone 5b.
Actually, I am planning an old-school pen and paper. I find it easier to reference what I need in a written journal when planting. However, if I had a larger garden space, I would definitely be interested in the online tools. I just find water & paper vs. electronic method better. Bonus, I can take my journal in the garden and add dates when the photo is taken, then go back and look. Great video on planning.
Ditto. I take out a monthly planner and at a later date I can enter into my master 3 ring binder any main info-on a rainy day. That’s where I store big stuff like empty seed packets and receipts, drawings and info I print off.
Onions seeds bunches and big yellow in my pots in my sunroom.I will follow you as I'm 6a and having good leadership so far. I'm selecting less unknown and more favorite tomato believe I'll have more tomatoes in 80 percent of space and have more cabbage and greens .re-adding fresh corn 🌽 ordered that sweet corn you didn't raise but love it. I'm hopeful your advice on cover crops improves and bet it helps. Winter wheat is where tomatoes are to be planted and few other Thanks 👍
@@jef8528 thanks! I’m actually not taking on many speaking venues this year as I don’t have much spare time. But if I do come up that way I’ll let you know!
You should install outdoor subwoofer speakers that you can connect your phone Bluetooth to and play good vibez for the babiez...plants love the resonance.
@@GrowfullywithJenna you should tune a harp to 528, 639, 741, 852, 963, 174, 285, 396, 417 hz frequencies, strum the harp and amplify it through the subwoofers...That frequency code comes from the Egyptian Ring of Sound
Thank you so much for telling us about the Garden Saavy app! I have THOUSANDS of photos on my phone that I don't want to delete, yet don't want to keep on my phone! 😄 so I love that you can add pictures to each crop! Is there a way to add additional years though? I'm curious how that works in tue future, when you go to add another pucture- will it let you add multiple? I'm just thinking of some crops, & how I like to try to grow the largest one possible, & would love to see successive years of photos... 🤔 not a huge deal breaker if not though! I've also not found a garden planning app that I love. I don't like that when you add beds, that you either have to add every single plant in by hand, one by one, (I'd rather draw it on actual paper before doing that!) or it auto populates for you, but diluent give you the option to change spacing. I like to be able to plant some things closer than the recommendations. Because I grow cutflowers, they don't need as much room as if they were growing in the landscape, & then with some of my veggies, I like to plant closer as well, or I like to underpants a taller crop like corn, or tomatoes, & these apps usually don't allow for that sort of thing. Does this app?
You’re welcome. You can add multiple years and still entry will let you add a photo. But it does not let you tweak spacing, which kind of drives me crazy!
Just something to consider- if you were to upload all of those photos to the app, you would loose all of them if you stopped paying the subscription at some point in the future. That's why I hate subscription based apps and sites....you're only "renting" the software for as long as you continue to pay and if you ever stop paying, you loose all of the data and photos etc that you uploaded :(
On a tiny, 5-raised-beds scale, I am sort of organized. The only part I need to pay more attention to is noting when to side dress with fertilizer (and what fertilizers/amendments are needed) after the plants are in the ground and established.
I don’t know of you will see this, but I’d love to see a video covering how you feed plants and how to treat for pest the organic way. I know very little on this and could use some help as my cucumber and squash get decimated with bugs and my my cabbage and broccoli do too. And most of my other plants just struggle, I know they need food and I feel overwhelmed to figure out what is organic or as natural as possible that’s not putting unwanted chemicals in my garden. 😳
@@GrowfullywithJenna I’ll be watching for them!!! I started my onion seeds after watching your video… I need to go back and see what you used to feed them when I move them into their own cells. 😊 I’m going to try to feed my plants better this year! I’m in your similar area and have the same soil and it’s been slow and steady to improve my soil. Starting season #5 now! I’m hopeful it’s going to do great!
Mainly, because computers and I really do not like each other, most of my planning goes on between my ears and on paper. I do get a lot of benefit from reviewing the videos and pic's of the garden from previous years. I keep a journal, but that usually gets forgotten even before all the planting is done. Going to try and do better with that this year. Really enjoy your videos.
Wonderful video. This year I'm going to mix Captan wp fungicide with Surround wp to try to control apple scab which mainly affects my pears. I have not had much success with copper or sulfur sprays in early spring as prevention. I do rake up all fruit tree leaf litter, but it doesn't seem to help. Captan is not organic. When I buy perfect apples/pears in the grocery store I know that these fruits have mad multiple sprays of some non-organic potions. Kind Regards. Craig
@@dustyflats3832 Thanks for the comment. I have used horticultural oil for 40 years, with and without cupper and/or sulphur fungicides. The oil may smother overwintering insect eggs...hard to prove any other benefit. I used Surround wp last year with great succes against codling moth, apple maggot and plum curculio. So I feel I can now manage the insect pests, but the fungal problems persist...thats why I'm trying Captan wp.
While in my garden I usually have gloves on or dirty hands and cannot easily jot a note. I’ve found that I can text them to myself (I do it by talking into the phone). Once back in the house I can transcribe my notes into a book that never leaves a specific space so I stop losing notebooks or leaving them in the rain.
I’ve was binging your videos last night , great content! And you are here in Ohio which makes everything you talk about relevant for me! Keep it up! 👏🏼
Jenna , thank you! You have a lot of good ideas, and I’m totally going to use them this year. I am in my second year of my own garden, I would say I am right in the middle, I have a little bit of a plan, but am going to wing it! Thank you again for the helpful information!❤
Thanks for mentioning the discrepancy of start dates and microclimates. I've tried to grow broccoli in the Spring, and I never get a large head before it gets hot. Maybe I'm just starting my seeds too late! I spend a lot of time planning my garden on graph paper, but I usually make some small changes at planting time, regardless. My biggest downfall is not planning ahead for subsequent crops, such as what to plant after garlic and onions mid-summer and getting that started indoors if need be. I'm working on being better organized, and I want to try kaolin clay this year. The cucumber beetles were ridiculous last year.
Jenna, I wanted to say that I think you great quality content and have learned quite a bit from your channel. So thanks for that 🙂. And I’m surprised that you only have 93k subscribers! Keep at it, and I think you will grow to a 1M+ garden youtube channel. Keep up the great work 👍🏼
Yeah, this is definitely a favorite channel--good info, delivery, and production quality. I am 60 miles east of the Ohio line in zone 5b PA with clay soil so it helps that my situation is closer than with many other youtubers.
Hi Jenna. I'm so glad to have found you. We've been watching for quite a while now as we are fellow Ohioans. I had to laugh a bit about your quantity chart. I feel like we try to grow as much as we can, just hoping enough produce actually survives to be able to use it. My neighbor dug out clay to build a patio and piled the material next to my fence (also edge of garden) and has yet to move it. Now I have a vole problem. Grrrrr.
It’s wonderful to hear from a fellow Ohioan, Christopher! I absolutely understand just growing as much as you can- I feel like I still do that. Honestly the chart was born more out of my frustration at spending time canning or preserving food we didn’t use. It felt like such a waste! So I became more diligent about that part and by default, what I was actually growing!
My 2nd year gardening, first year starting seeds. Family of 2 so being realistic about what we will eat is a challenge. 😝 I feel like I'll be planning and replanning where everything will go right up till I plant them.
One thing I failed to mention. My main crops are pretty much set where they will be going before planting, the one thing I really enjoy is putting in the herbs and flowers. Last year, it took me almost 10 days to place everything. I was like an artist with a pallet waiting to splash paint on the canvas, or a conductor of an orchestra tapping his baton on the podium for quiet. Mixing marigold, dill, lavender cilantro, petunias, 4'Oclocks, comfrey, borage, chamomile and a bunch I do not remember is my favorite thyme of planting. The planning comes in, what is new for this year? Gotta love gardening.
You should use monoatomic gold extracted out of sea salt as a plant fertilizer, 15 mL of monoatomic gold to gallon of water fed to the plants once a month.
Your system is better than mine 😂. My seeds are in an old baby food container that has seeds all in the bottom of many different kinds. Needless to say we’re getting organized this year
I plan everything out to the last detail, and then when spring comes I throw that out the window and plant way more than will fit.
😆 I’ve definitely had years like this!
Oh.
I plan to do that this year lol
😅😅😅
Haha me too
Step 1, make a detailed plan
Step 2, inventory supplies and seeds and order more seeds than I can actually grow
Step 3, start way more seeds than I can actually grow
Step 4, transplant seedling disregarding the plan because I’ve determined in the spring that I had no idea what I was thinking back in January
Step 5, find good homes for remaining plants that I’ve started and run out of space for
😁
Amen!
Ha. We have a very similar 5 step plan!
Hahaha- best comment yet 😆. I can totally relate to this!
This is so true!!
haha so cute and true!
I am GLUED to your videos since we are neighbors!!! I am a 3rd year gardener… but have 2000 sq ft…. Doing big things! Doing big things!!!
That is awesome!
As a young man of 70..growing in Texas..I have started raising all I can on cattle panels. I don't like raised beds..the most important planning I do is plant rotation and seed starting and general planting dates..love your channel
Yes! A big part of why I plan is to try to move crops around so I am not putting the same thing in the same place each season.
You’ve gotta love those cattle panels!
I agree about raised beds. They are expensive, confining and dry out quickly. After watching this channel and one in FL this gal is going back to in ground wide rows. So much easier especially when it comes to irrigation.
@@anissaferringer4965 we just discussed that last Monday on Gardener Scott video. I have read several times that if the soil is amended organically and there was no sign of disease that it is not necessary to rotate crops. I think that rotation thing is coming from crop farmers with intensive planting. I wouldn’t worry about it for small scale. I actually did a lot of thinking about this on past gardens and what I grow. Most of my garden is in nightshade crops😂. I wouldn’t be able to rotate even if I wanted and I have 2 sizeable gardens 😊
It's my 3rd year growing vegetables, in containers. The 1st year, I planted everything that was supposed to grow in my zone. The 2nd year I planted what did well. This year I planted what I actually eat!
This sounds like a great technique!
We are settling into a property with a large acerage that has an established orchard (apples, peaches, plums, pears) and loads of blackberries, raspberries , and blueberries. I’m looking forward to an enormous garden but I have a lot of work to do. I want all the things. Chickens, a high tunnel, a green house….. but first I need to figure out how to keep all that other stuff alive. We are coming from the burbs. I did a full garden on my little half acre in suburbia but I didn’t have all the fruit trees and berries. We had an HOA and all the rules lol. My issue is pacing myself. I have bought waaaaaay too many seeds. I can’t help it. I’ve told family and friends not to buy any. I have it all! We also have Paw paw trees! I’m in Ohio too.
First congrats on your new place.
Second resource as much as you can free wood chips manure building materials chicken coop small shelters. Happy hunting
When you figure out where you want your garden think about where are you going to put your compost pile, your high tunnel things of that nature. Dream and dream big with a visual plan so you can add as you can afford it.
Educate yourself quickly about pruning the fruit trees the time is growing short for that job and it's important to do and do correctly.
Living on a farm is very rewarding challenging hard work and a beautiful life.
Oh make sure you give yourself 3' pathways in between you rows or raised beds plants can do their own thing and get out of control.
I am also in Ohio
congrats! we are starting our orchard from scratch (sans 2 old apple trees). We also have chickens. Buy the chicks now! get that coop and run up asap. you can keep the little ones indoors caged for a while. takes about 4 months to get eggs (depending on breed and time of year). ours just started laying 3 weeks ago. bought them at 6 weeks old back in late September.
How wonderful! Congratulations on your new property. I have trouble with pacing myself too- it’s so hard when you’re so excited about all the possibilities!!
Congrats!! I’d follow rose park permaculture for a lot of tips on how to care and tend to perennials and fruit trees/shrubs. Ducks are great for under trees as they pick at different things than chickens. What a great start to your new year. 😄
@@intentionallymade we have a pond so I was thinking about shelters over there so they can have a place separated from my garden and chickens. Definitely want to give geese and ducks a whirl. 🤣. Of course I do. And fainting goats. And mini cows… and ……
Watching your videos has sparked my interest in gardening. I'm excited to start my own green journey!
Wonderful!
I’ve been watching your videos on the big tv. It’s so much better than my tiny little iPhone. Anyway, I’ve commented before about relearning everything. Five years ago, I lived in northwest Illinois. I could grow anything. The soil was rich and fertile. I was used to the climate. I’d lived there for 60 years. And then, we moved to Ohio. Everything changed. A different climate zone, clay soil that was as hard as cement, deer eating everything…sigh. I’m still learning and trying to amend my soil. I never had to think about amendments until we moved here. I feel like a newbie, even though I’ve been gardening for over 45 years. Thanks for your videos. You’ve given me the stamina i need to keep going and have kept discouragement away well enough to keep me from saying I give up.
I hate watching videos on my phone too 😄.
And while you may feel like a newbie gardening in Ohio, I'm sure your 45 years of experience will come in incredibly handy (probably even more so once you get that soil where you want it). I'm glad you're not giving up and I hope this gardening season is a great one for you!
Very helpful. Love seeing you not being perfect too. Also there was no shouting at the camera and funny facial expressions. Thank you very much, very helpful as I start my first full year on our small garden plot in our new home.
Thank you for the suggestion on Garden Savory. I can't wait to use it. The cost was reasonable. I'm planner. This app will be great for me.
Hope you like it!
All the tips were very good. For me, as a journalist, keeping a written account of your gardening life and adventures is key. A written history, as it were, to tell the story of your journey with nature, both the good and the not so good. To both inspire and teach those who will come. One day, a child or grandchild, will open up those pages and be able to walk through the garden with you even though you have long passed away. The written word is so necessary, and yet so dismissed these days. Carry on!
Lol, I worry they will look at my messy writing as I’m usually not at a table😂
Oh I love this!!
love this idea. I started watercoloring photos and some information in a small journal but this journaling idea is a great one!
My husband just finished 20 years in the Navy and we're settling into a small farm in Eastern Tennessee. My rolling clay hills are a blank slate!
We excavated an 8'x20' strip to set up three 32" raised planter beds. Put some hugelkultur to work.
We also filled three Greenstalk planters on the patio.
Waiting for fruits to arrive! Saved dish-paks to mulch around them.
That sounds wonderful!! Enjoy your farm!
Love the idea of warm vs cool seeds that is simple and great.
NE Ohio here! My online garden planner is from GrowVeg. I love that planner. I am so excited about the planning process again this year. I love researching my seeds and dreaming of my spring garden while I look out the window at the snow. I bought new seeds after thanksgiving from two seed companies and now am looking to buy more from another. Growing onions, leeks, and herb starts indoors. In a few weeks, I start my broccoli, Brussel sprouts and other things that require a long growing season. Good luck to all! and remember to have fun!
Wonderful hearing from a fellow Ohioan! And thanks for the GrowVeg recommendation!
Same. Mahoning county here. I am going to check out the grow up video. I need to maximize my small patio space with containers or raised beds
Love your videos...very precise, orderly...as a retired physician, I spend most of my time sitting in the garden with a yellow legal pad and pen and drawing a plan and decide what I'm going to do next. I never learned Excell, so I remain "Old school".
Thank you! Sometimes old school works the best! I still have all dad’s hand drawn maps of the gardens at his place that I refer to often.
I am absolutely loving the new Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog for 2023. Every category has vegies displayed by harvest size. This is so helpful to me as a new gardener, so I know exactly the size of the fruit I'll get and not spend the entire season on a plant that disappoints. They also include tips for growing, taking care of pests, harvest and storage. I really enjoy your videos and the inspiration you give. Thanks so much!
Lol, that reminds me of planting what I thought was a full size Waltham squash and it was an actual mini!😂. I had know idea there was such a thing in all my years of gardening 🤪. I kept thinking there was something wrong with the plant or soil😅. We harvested the plate size single servers and as we sat down to eat them I was looking closer at the seed packet because I just couldn’t get over this dinky squash. There it was, I think it was like a plate or something in the picture that it finally
Dawned on me that it was suppose to be a mini!😂
It’s hard to beat Johnny’s for the absolute wealth of information they provide. Their website is a treasure trove too!
i have just a hight water table, it is taking a while to prevent my garden from flooding and plants just drowing -Spent all of last season building raised beds and adding mulch/woodchips. Now it is a waiting game for the woodchips to settle. I do have some containers on the porch so at least I get to plant a few things just to see them grow and make notes on what works. Maybe next year the in the yard garden will be apply to apply what i learn growing on the porch.
Sounds like you’re making the best of a challenging situation!
HI Jenna,
I'm new to your channel. I am so glad I found you. Because I live in Indiana. I really appreciate finding people that live close to me. It's easier to tips from people in my area instead of people all over the country.i follow Luke from MIGARDENER&
THE STIVERS Bexause they are close to me but I am thankful that I have found you. God Bless you Jenna
Hi Wendy and welcome to the channel- I’m glad you found me too! Thanks also for sharing additional channels in our area!
Several years ago I started to add non gardening notes in my garden note book. Sometimes it's a good reminder that trials do pass, gardening related or not.
This was less garden planning and more cataloging and detailing. Great information and will definitely use this.
Do you have a video on planning and layout? How to choose which vegetables. Where to place them in the garden? Which direction to orient your garden beds and rows? Which plants compliment and hurt eachother? Etc.
Great suggestions! I just wanted to mention that you can copy/paste images into an Excel cell! I’m on a Mac, and I use the screen shot app. I open the picture I want to put into my spreadsheet, take a screenshot and save it to my Clipboard (one of the options in the app), then click on the cell I want it in and Paste. You can drag the corner to resize the cell, so you can see it as a large photo when you need to and then shrink it back down when you don’t!
I use to ace Excel, but I don’t have MS Office and I thought there was a way to note in a cell a symbol to click that would show a chart/pic. If I did use a program I think that one thing right there is what I would do. You could insert pics of bugs, seed packets used and in inventory, plants. The pic of a seed packet alone is almost the whole entry right there.
Hmmm, think I will have to find a way to get Excel on a Mac so I can use this great feature.
Thanks!
Thank you! It’s been a while since I tried adding my photos to excel and I could never get the sizing right- I’ll have to try it again!
Greenshot is another great snipping tool for resizing and getting photos prepped for excel just right.
Thank you for this recommendation! I set up an account yesterday & got all three of my vegetable gardens planned out.
Happy to share!
It's always good when I see a video from you. I must admit that documenting things is a definite weak spot for me. The most that I have done recently was to keep track of when I started what and when I put them out into the garden. I've tried garden planners a few times in the past. They just don't do it for me. Those neat tomato plant icons might look nice and organized all in a row on the screen, but in real life they can go crazy and grow all over the place.
I guess I am old school, I store the knowledge in my head and in my heart and garden mostly from experience. When I move to a new area, of course that throws everything off for a little while until I learn what my new area is like. I'm going to take your advice and put out as many of the perennial plants as I can this Spring.
Anyway, as always you have done an excellent job of delivering great content in a pleasing way. What you are doing in your garden and with your organization is quite impressive.
Thank you! I think the actual mapping can be a big help for folks just starting out who are still getting a feel for spacing. I notice that much like I tweak dates I tweak plant spacing too, as compote what the apps advise. I do find the mapping really handy for making sure I’m rotating crops from year to year, planning successions, and to get a general idea how much I can plant.
@@GrowfullywithJenna Ah yes, I remember when I heard you say that, that what was planted where was the major reason for a garden map. Hmm good point. I suppose I shouldn't rely on my memory for long on that. lol
WHICH brings up a question. With trellises I'm tempted to plant the same climbing plants on them. Do you do that or do you have so many different climbing plants that you can rotate them? I'm thinking of getting some cattle panels and setting up at least another place and then I can at least rotate and skip a year.
I have so many rocks that I just can't put a trellis up anywhere. I have to figure out an alternative way of putting them up. I put in some raised beds and I hope I can attach to them.
@@Javaman92 I try to rotate- though I often end up planting tomatoes in the same spot. It’s not ideal for me- but really, if you don’t have issues with certain diseases or pests that overwinter in the soil it’s not much of an issue.
I have a whole excel workbook with tabs - comp planting info on one, dates to start, temps, depth of seed, time to germ, how many per sq ft and fertilizers for each crop I am growing and I only grow what we eat but want to grow 10x what I do now….. its addicting!!!
It is absolutely addicting!
I used the “garden planner” from territorial seed, it’s a free trial for 7 days, then a cost each year. I got the subscription as a Christmas gift this year, and found it really helpful, mostly because it has so much information to reference all in one place. I agree with the start date thing, it uses your zip code to calculate dates, but is ultimately ball park. It’s really visual chart that is endlessly adjustable. I will see how it goes.
For me, garden planning is a huge project that I CANNOT do in one sitting, I started in September and was finally happy with it just after Christmas. I’m also a newer gardener, not green, but not experienced either. Companion planting, spacing, indoor seeding vs outdoor direct seed, etc was a lot of bit by bit gathering for me.
You make such a good point, Abby! I think for most folks (myself included) mapping out the gardens takes quite a bit of time, as they tend to evolve and change!
The main thing is don’t stress it. After all, it’s enough work to get a harvest. If I was a new gardener and did what you did, I think I would have scrapped the whole thing 🤣. I use to worry or concentrate on companion planting and figured if I just throw in marigolds here and there along with anything else it all works. However, I do like to consider planting by the moon as it’s a lot easier and worth while.
I have to add a 2nd comment. My husband has his own sneaky recording of gardening. I have been trying lettuce and spinach inside again and it’s going quite well, I think. My husband said, oh it’s doing great…see as he shows me pics of DAILY growth🤪🤣😂. Actually I was impressed! They were actually growing quite a bit each day.
😆😆
I’m a beginner. We just moved to a house where I actually have room. Last year was my trial year and I didn’t do too well. None of my strawberries were good (I think the squirrels ate the good ones) two of my tomato plants got blight. My cherry tomatoes did so well that they crowded out my rosemary, jalapeños, bell peppers, and banana peppers 😆
My parsley did the best. I physically could not harvest it fast enough.
But this year I want a bigger space so I can space things out better. My problem is that I want to grow everything but deep down I know I should start small 😅
I suspect the 'wanting to grow everything' problem is very common with us gardeners! I hope this year goes great for you!
OMG.....your life is the garden. How can you handle it all? Do you have family that helps you? Cudos to you!! Enjoy!
Haha-- I don't always handle it all so well! But yes- I do get some help with the big infrastructure type things (building beds, fences etc.) from my hubby and my dad helps with the gardens at my parents' home!
I am so glad I found your channel! I live in NE Ohio, I love to hear your expert advice and professional experience. Thank you for your videos!
I’m glad you found me too, Krissy- always great to hear from a fellow Ohioan!
I am thinking about starting a garden next year. It will depend entirely on funds, as I am currently unemployed. I am a planner, but when I start a new hobby like this, I forgive myself for being a novice. So right now, I'm in an investigation phase, and am excited to find your channel in my plant zone.
Your spreadsheet is so thorough. Gave me some great ideas to update my garden journal. Thanks!
Glad you got some ideas!
I am using SEEDTIME this year and it is AWESOME! Yes- it now offers Layout which is a mapping program😊
Good to know!
Well Jenna, thank you again for the excellent video! Fantastic! What I do is this last year, and now this year, I take a notebook I write everything down that I want to plant. In the first column I write the date I want to start them in the house. The name, and where I bought the seeds in the next column, and then when I plant it I just check it off. And if I don't like the vegetable that I decided to grow, then I will not order it probably again. It makes a lot of sense to take some notes on it for me. If I had a much larger garden, then I would take more notes. Thank you again for all your gardening wisdom! Have a good evening!
That sounds like a great method, Paul!
Thanks ever so much for the video. I must confess it was quite informative. Frankly speaking I'm really spontaneous when it comes to gardening. There is no planning and I'm not equipped like u so I tend to do things ad hoc but I find your tips proved quite helpful I shall try to see how I could improve and use those techniques which would allow me to be more productive too.
You're very welcome!
Great video. I have to admit I try and plan everything in my head. Think I need to try using the app. For me management of time is my hardest task. I always have more things going then time needed. And I like outside more than computer and notes time. Speaking of which got 15 Khaki Campbell ducklings in today and tomorrow I start to sow my corn in. I'm in Central Florida so things I imagine would be backwards to your timing.
I run ducks, chickens and turkeys in conjunction with my new gardening ventures.
Thanks Jenna.
How fun! Have you kept ducks before? I keep thinking about them because people claim they are good pest control and you can let them in your garden without them destroying everything (like chickens do).
@@GrowfullywithJenna I have had ducks never Khaki Campbells. And never had a garden when I had ducks. Will have to get back to you. I do know they love the bugs and slugs. Not sure if I would trust in the garden. Maybe try an experiment see how they do. I just love the duck eggs for baking brownies. 🦆👍😂
@@boonmsgt I'd love to hear about it! But, brownies sound like a good enough reason for me!
You make a lot of good points! It would be very good for a new gardener to listen to what you are saying. This is really a great tutorial! Three years ago I made a scale map of all 14 of our raised beds. Then scaled out where everything was to be planted. My first time companion planting. Well, lol, once I changed my winter idea, it slowly went down hill after that. So I just get on line with catalogs next to me and make a list of wants. Let it sit for a couple of days and then I start the whittling down process. I grown really nice eggplant, but this year I decided not to. I'm trying a different type of sweet pepper instead. Our bed sare all different sizes...a couple only 2'x2' with trellises all the way to 2'x26', 4'x20', etc. What ever I could find at the time laying around to make them out of. Last year I put in two 3' diameter fire rings for annuals. No more maps lol! I went back to my old school ways to make it less confusing for me lol. I just wing it. I had overwhelmed myself with all the notebooks and maps lol. But, I do do some of the things you talked about naturally. Enjoyed your take on preparing! Take care!
I use a monthly planner, but yes, I throw what ever at it and what sticks-sticks. Have fun with it and I think too many overthink companion planting. Throw in some flowers and all will be well. Enjoy it!
It sounds like you found what works for you, which is really the most important thing!
Your seed filing system is EXACTLY. how I've kept mine for years!
Nice!!
I'm currently winter sowing in milk jugs and putting them in a snow cave before the (hopefully) last storm of the season comes in a few hours. We are supposed to get 10-18 inches (Alaska). I would really like to get this chore done before the snow falls! I have no idea how many plants I need of what. As of yet we have no infrastructure. After getting seeds finished off outside, the next project is building some wicking raised beds out of pallets. (be careful with using pallets as they can sometimes be treated with chemicals. Do some research about which pallets are safe). Not sure how many I will get built before breakup happens and the snow gets out of my way. While building those I am also going to be learning vermicomposting. I've been saving kitchen scraps outside (natural freezer) for when I was able to take on the task of setting it up. I've also saved the cardboard from renovations that we are currently recovering from.
I've been learning about things while I was in a "season" of not being able to do anything, so I learned what to gather. now I have several parts collected waiting to be put together for their purpose. I'm hoping I can get everything timed well for when I need it all. Renovations ran late and now I'm trying to play catch up while also trying to unpack and settle in. I'm thankful I took the time to learn about the kind of life I wanted so that I would recognize opportunities as they presented. Had I chosen to watch mindless TV shows I wouldn't have been ready for those opportunities.
I’m so glad you are choosing to live the life you want and working hard towards that goal. Best of luck!
Jenna, I just want to say that I am loving your channel. Im a relatively new gardener (only been at it 3 years) and as someone who didn't grow up with gardening at all, its a real uphill climb for me to learn all of this. I've appreciated a few gardening channel along the way, but I have to say that your videos are so comprehensive (without being overly heavy with unneeded details), and you are a gifted presenter as well, that Im just blessed to have found this channel. I've shared it on social media for my fellow-gardeners or wanna-be gardeners. :) God bless!
Thank you so much! And I'm so glad to hear that you are gardening yourself- even without having grown up with it! It's definitely a learning experience- but can be so rewarding. Best wishes for a wonderful season!
I'm a planner too. I use Google sheets to plan out my veggie beds and cut flower garden. It's not perfect but I'm able to plan for pretty close to how many plants I can fit and that really helped last year for seed starting. Last year was the first year for the new cut flower bed and I got so wrapped up in getting that set up that the veggie garden was a bit of a mess. I didn't label great, I forgot to start some things, etc. Hoping this year I can multi-task a bit better. Love that gardening is a hobby that you can learn and grow each year!
Yes! That is one of my favorite aspects of gardening- the learning never stops!
I have gone to spreadsheets too since my last note app failed to migrate to the new phone. I have my planning in my yearly household planning file, and notes in a garden notes file with tabs by year and insert pictures as well as notes. I love your comments about the things you put in your spreadsheet. It is way more detailed than what I have done so far, and we help me figure out why I planned certain things certain ways.
I've already started so many seeds with the intention of selling some. I'm hoping to can a lot more tomatoes this year as it seems to be what we use the most of. I've got a lot of San marzano, and amish paste as well as a few other hybrids I want to try. Last year I figured out how to can dried cherry tomatoes in evoo. You don't pressure can, instead wash them in vinegar, put them in a dehydrator, and then pack them in hot (but not boiling) evoo, lid on and then put them in the oven at 250. The trick is to fill your pint jars about 3/4 full (so leave a lot of head space). It took about an hour at that temp to get the oil to 250. Which kills botulism. Then turn the oven off and let them cool down in there. I used 1 without a lid for temperature testing purposes. It's one of my favorite pasta add ins.
Oh cool! I’m going to try this. I love dried cherry tomatoes in evoo, but have always frozen them. Thanks!
Lol, I dried cherry tomatoes and tossed some in EVOO and they stayed hard😂. I was going to put them on a pizza like a Rocky Rococos Chicago pizza. Not even close, the next day they were still little hardtacks. Never dried before and the new dehydrator must work great😂
@@dustyflats3832, think raisins, not cardboard 🤣
Yes I love it. I am actually starting my seeds indoor right now and taking notes. ❤❤❤
Doesn’t it feel great to be starting seeds again!? 😁
@@GrowfullywithJenna yes it does. I love it. Gotta get through the snow season but I’m so excited to get to some growing again.
So glad I stumbled upon your channel! We moved to 14 acres last year and this will be my first time growing in anything more than my 4x2 raised bed 😅 I’m excited and going into it with a learning mentality. If I get *anything* this year, I’ll consider it a win. Starting small is definitely my biggest struggle 😂
I'm so excited for you! Best wishes!
I use OneNote for all of my documenting in the garden. I have the app on my phone and can easily snap a photo and add comments on whatever I am looking at or thinking about. I have on notebook for the year with one tab per month for daily/weekly updates, then another notebook for jotting down ideas, keeping inventory, and planning out my future gardens. I also use an excel spreadsheet for keeping track of seed inventory and germination dates. I love organizing everything in the winter! I will definitely give any new organization tool a try!
I love this idea- thanks for sharing!
I definitely have been more of a wing it person but this year I created an excel sheet with each bed in it and what I’m putting in each bed. It’s been great for knowing how much dirt I need to buy and how many plants I can put into each bed for seed starting. I’ve also logged the date I planted each of my seeds. Something I never did in the past.
Nice! I’m glad you’re seeing benefits from the excel sheet!
Getting so eager and excited to start gardening again. Planting indoor seeds in February. Living in very snowy California, so this year it will take longer than usual for all the snow to melt. Our raised beds are covered in straw, black plastic and about 5 feet of snow, so very insulated. I love being inspired and excited by watching your channel, Jenna!
I am too! Best wishes for an awesome season!
This will be my 3rd season gardening! I'm in zone 5B in Illinois, so not too far from you. This year I am planting way more of what we actually ate the past 2 seasons as well as trying out 3 or more varieties of those things... I have 13 different peppers (we will use/eat every single one in some way) and 14 different tomatoes 🙈 5 varieties of corn... Stuff like that 🤣🤣🤣🤦🏻♀️I think every year I will try something new just for the fun of growing it and learning something new, though. I have found I really enjoy trying new things and experimenting. Fun learning through trial and error! I just mapped out my beds and where I want to plant everything, I am a HUGE planner so been looking around to see if there are any resources to double check my work 🤣 found your video/channel! Thank you for this!!!
So much fun stuff going on- I'd love to hear about some of your favorite peppers & tomatoes from this season!
Oh this is my kind of channel!
Actually planning some of my garden stuff this year! I am not very good at planning it out but I am already working on what I actually want to plant based on what we need and eat. I stocked up on 20 gallon grow bags at the end of the season last year because I don’t have space to put a large in ground garden but bags I can manage.
Smart to plant what you need. And if there is room, sneak in a new to you variety.
Nice! Smart idea stocking up at the end of the season!
I have a similar process to yours, but I haven't been as on the ball with tracking once plants go into the ground. I have my Google spreadsheet and then I have a Goodnotes "notebook" where I write out what I need to do monthly, as well as what I actually get done. And I take pictures of each bed as I plant it and label them in the notebook as well, which is helpful for when I forgot what I direct seeded or when volunteers come up. You've given me a lot of ideas of things to track, especially when it comes to usage of what I grow.
Love the idea of taking photos of each bed as you plant!
This is my FIRST time to ever have garden plans prior to seeing plants in the big box stores. Hopefully I am starting small, time will tell. I actually have already set up 3 raised beds (only 3x4). I started my garden plan 2 days ago and fell into sorting seeds by zip lock system. (I loved all seeds equally last year-about 50 packets.) I have already determined I need 4 additional seed packets, going to see if I can get them at the big box tomorrow.
Very exciting, Diane! I hope it’s a great growing season for you!
Four? That’s all?😂🤣😂🤣😂
I just did a third visit today😅 as listening to all these great garden channels talking about favorites drove me to it. Before RUclips I was always stuck in the whatever was offered and same ole same old. Not this year. I’m trying the most varieties ever and the tiller better rest up as I have plans.😅
I map out the big plants. Smaller and/or quicker things like greens I sneak in where there is a gap. I have to have a plan, but it can't be rigid. I do it all on paper, and this year's goal is to actually keep up with it all season long!
That is key isn’t it-Not Rigid! I like that! Have fun with it!😊
This is perfect!
This is so neat, going to share with my mom. We are moving way out in the woods of Alaska to a pretty raw piece of five acres. Praying this first years garden will still produce a bounty no matter the size.
Best wishes for a successful move and great garden this year! That's very exciting!
Totally agree on brassicas. I'm in 6A Rhode Island, and if I do not start my broccoli and cauliflower in late January or early February (which a lot of people think is crazy early), I run a big risk of the plants bolting by as early as late May or early June. I have also gone to heat-resistant F1 hybrid varieties from Johnny's to help as well.
Yes! Some of those varieties have done really well for me here!
Just found your channel and subscribed! We've been winging it for years, and done decent, but we are ready to take it to the next level! We are in Ohio too. We have a 25x50 garden but are willing to expand. Great video!
Yes! Love to hear that you are taking your garden to the next level- very exciting!!
Great video, that app is exactly what I've been looking for. Great stuff!
Thank you!
I’m new. Last year was the first garden in 15 years. It is a small raised bed but I would like to make another one. This is great advice. I’m in 6 a and I’m going to start winter sowing and some direct sowing. I am planning where to place my plants. I didn’t do a great job last with that. My peppers were shaded out. I planted my brassicas too late so there’s that. I’m excited to try again. I really liked how you talked about having the right tools and methods to deal with pests. I will be referring back to this video. Thanks very much.
Its always different from year to year, and we keep learning what works and does not work in each of our gardens. And we learn what we want to “waste” time, energy, money, and water on. I dont feel the need to grow cauliflower- no one in my family likes it. I dont want to grow cabbage…too much space that I want to use for other things.
I have found that my flower gardening and landscaping wins out over vegetable production and enjoyment.
I love cut flowers in my house and to give away.
I guess what I am saying is that you start to figure out what you like to see and to do, and don’t waste your time on things that you wont eat or enjoy.
I’m so glad to hear you’re back to gardening, Pete!
I just completed an excel spreadsheet last weekend of all of my seeds, similar to yours- I like excel because I can sort by dates when to plant inside, outside, etc. and add all my notes. I also use graph paper and pencil to plan my gardens
Sounds great!
Well I typed a big explanation of my system and RUclips got stuck in a loop so all was lost. Oh well. Going to look into the Hortisketch app.
Argh- that's frustrating. I feel like YT has been extra glitchy lately.
@@GrowfullywithJenna Happens to me regularly. I usually copy my comment before posting in case it doesn't go through. Then I can try again. 🙂
You're closing in on 100k! Congrats!!
Thank you!
We eat a LOT of hot peppers and run out by January. But I still have plenty of dilly beans left to enjoy.
Are you planning on planting more hot peppers this year?
I love SeedTime - the visual planner IS coming this year!!! Also has area to have a journal and add photos - and has a seed market built into it as well.
Oh cool! I didn’t know they had a planner coming!
This was very helpful! Thanks Jenna! Greetings from Austria!💜💜💜💜💜
I'm glad it was helpful- and lovely to hear from you all the way in Austria!!
Just found your channel, and really appreciate your level of detail and scientific approach!
Thank you, Andy- and welcome to the channel! I’m glad you found me !
For note taking, obsidian is by far my favorite app. But it's takes a little bit of time to get used to
Looking over the Garden Savvy programs and I really think it's one I would love using. The only problem is that I am pretty much "anti-cloud" which they tout as a benefit. My question is whether or not you've noticed if the program can be used as a "stand alone" without the cloud being involved??? Thanks Jenna, you're my go to!!
Hi Lorrie- I completely understand this! Unfortunately, Garden Savvy can't work as a standalone program.
Jenna, thank you for your invaluable videos. I am watching and rewatching them as I plan my first garden.
I am in-ground planting pole beans, carrots, celery, corn, cucumbers, kale, melons, onions, peppers, tomatoes and myriad herbs in zone 5b.
Very exciting! Best wishes for a wonderful garden this year!
Glad to be here. Thanks for your channel.
Thanks for visiting!
Actually, I am planning an old-school pen and paper. I find it easier to reference what I need in a written journal when planting. However, if I had a larger garden space, I would definitely be interested in the online tools. I just find water & paper vs. electronic method better. Bonus, I can take my journal in the garden and add dates when the photo is taken, then go back and look. Great video on planning.
Ditto. I take out a monthly planner and at a later date I can enter into my master 3 ring binder any main info-on a rainy day. That’s where I store big stuff like empty seed packets and receipts, drawings and info I print off.
I suspect this method works great for many folks!
Thanks for all the great information and direction. Liked and subscribed. Happy gardening! :)
Thank you, Heather!
love the AM Leonard hoodie! ;) I LOVE their tools!!! Yay for great Ohio company!
Yes! I’m a big fan!
Onions seeds bunches and big yellow in my pots in my sunroom.I will follow you as I'm 6a and having good leadership so far. I'm selecting less unknown and more favorite tomato believe I'll have more tomatoes in 80 percent of space and have more cabbage and greens .re-adding fresh corn 🌽 ordered that sweet corn you didn't raise but love it.
I'm hopeful your advice on cover crops improves and bet it helps. Winter wheat is where tomatoes are to be planted and few other
Thanks 👍
That sounds great, John! Looking forward to hearing how your garden does this season!
Couldn’t wait anymore, started lettuce to grow under the lights 🥬🥬
Do you have any speaking engagements scheduled?
Other than for a few local gardening groups, none yet this year.
Hopefully you’ll get a full schedule, and if you make to the NE part of the state it will be announced…..
@@jef8528 thanks! I’m actually not taking on many speaking venues this year as I don’t have much spare time. But if I do come up that way I’ll let you know!
You should install outdoor subwoofer speakers that you can connect your phone Bluetooth to and play good vibez for the babiez...plants love the resonance.
I actually did a junior high science experiment based on this concept 😄
@@GrowfullywithJenna you should tune a harp to 528, 639, 741, 852, 963, 174, 285, 396, 417 hz frequencies, strum the harp and amplify it through the subwoofers...That frequency code comes from the Egyptian Ring of Sound
Thank you so much for telling us about the Garden Saavy app! I have THOUSANDS of photos on my phone that I don't want to delete, yet don't want to keep on my phone! 😄 so I love that you can add pictures to each crop! Is there a way to add additional years though? I'm curious how that works in tue future, when you go to add another pucture- will it let you add multiple? I'm just thinking of some crops, & how I like to try to grow the largest one possible, & would love to see successive years of photos... 🤔 not a huge deal breaker if not though!
I've also not found a garden planning app that I love. I don't like that when you add beds, that you either have to add every single plant in by hand, one by one, (I'd rather draw it on actual paper before doing that!) or it auto populates for you, but diluent give you the option to change spacing. I like to be able to plant some things closer than the recommendations. Because I grow cutflowers, they don't need as much room as if they were growing in the landscape, & then with some of my veggies, I like to plant closer as well, or I like to underpants a taller crop like corn, or tomatoes, & these apps usually don't allow for that sort of thing. Does this app?
You’re welcome. You can add multiple years and still entry will let you add a photo. But it does not let you tweak spacing, which kind of drives me crazy!
Just something to consider- if you were to upload all of those photos to the app, you would loose all of them if you stopped paying the subscription at some point in the future. That's why I hate subscription based apps and sites....you're only "renting" the software for as long as you continue to pay and if you ever stop paying, you loose all of the data and photos etc that you uploaded :(
That Zip-Lock bag idea is great! I had never thought of that and I'm going to organize my seeds in a few minutes. Zone 7B
It works great!
I have the exact same seed storage system! Not pretty, but it gets the job done.
It does indeed!
Can you do a video on how to become a seed trial manager, how much money you can make doing it, etc?
On a tiny, 5-raised-beds scale, I am sort of organized. The only part I need to pay more attention to is noting when to side dress with fertilizer (and what fertilizers/amendments are needed) after the plants are in the ground and established.
This is a great point, Linda! That’s one thing I’m not super organized about either!
I don’t know of you will see this, but I’d love to see a video covering how you feed plants and how to treat for pest the organic way. I know very little on this and could use some help as my cucumber and squash get decimated with bugs and my my cabbage and broccoli do too. And most of my other plants just struggle, I know they need food and I feel overwhelmed to figure out what is organic or as natural as possible that’s not putting unwanted chemicals in my garden. 😳
I'm hoping to do more of these types of videos this season!
@@GrowfullywithJenna I’ll be watching for them!!!
I started my onion seeds after watching your video… I need to go back and see what you used to feed them when I move them into their own cells. 😊 I’m going to try to feed my plants better this year! I’m in your similar area and have the same soil and it’s been slow and steady to improve my soil. Starting season #5 now! I’m hopeful it’s going to do great!
Mainly, because computers and I really do not like each other, most of my planning goes on between my ears and on paper. I do get a lot of benefit from reviewing the videos and pic's of the garden from previous years. I keep a journal, but that usually gets forgotten even before all the planting is done. Going to try and do better with that this year.
Really enjoy your videos.
I understand this! I’m sure many folks feel the same way. And I agree- reviewing photos/videos helps me a lot too.
Wonderful video. This year I'm going to mix Captan wp fungicide with Surround wp to try to control apple scab which mainly affects my pears. I have not had much success with copper or sulfur sprays in early spring as prevention. I do rake up all fruit tree leaf litter, but it doesn't seem to help. Captan is not organic. When I buy perfect apples/pears in the grocery store I know that these fruits have mad multiple sprays of some non-organic potions. Kind Regards. Craig
I find that fruit trees tend to be more difficult to manage organically!
Horticultural oil may help. James Prigioni uses kaolin clay (Surround) for leaf curl problems they have in NJ.
@@dustyflats3832 Thanks for the comment. I have used horticultural oil for 40 years, with and without cupper and/or sulphur fungicides. The oil may smother overwintering insect eggs...hard to prove any other benefit. I used Surround wp last year with great succes against codling moth, apple maggot and plum curculio. So I feel I can now manage the insect pests, but the fungal problems persist...thats why I'm trying Captan wp.
While in my garden I usually have gloves on or dirty hands and cannot easily jot a note. I’ve found that I can text them to myself (I do it by talking into the phone). Once back in the house I can transcribe my notes into a book that never leaves a specific space so I stop losing notebooks or leaving them in the rain.
Sounds like a great way to do it!
I’ve was binging your videos last night , great content! And you are here in Ohio which makes everything you talk about relevant for me! Keep it up! 👏🏼
Thank you so much!
Wow. Third year gardening in a large space and I’m just now learning of these apps 🤦🏽♂️
Jenna , thank you! You have a lot of good ideas, and I’m totally going to use them this year. I am in my second year of my own garden, I would say I am right in the middle, I have a little bit of a plan, but am going to wing it!
Thank you again for the helpful information!❤
Sometimes right in the middle is the best place to be!
I go with the Freeze/Flash plan. Make a plan, work the plan, forget about the plan.
😆
When you said you get rid o seeds, did you mean throw them away? This was one of the most helpful planning videos I’ve seen in a long time. Love it!
No- I typically give away to friends or family, donate to seed libraries, plant out for my chickens, or use as a sort of cover crop.
@@GrowfullywithJenna I plant for my chickens, too. They love me. 🐓🐓🐓
Thanks for mentioning the discrepancy of start dates and microclimates. I've tried to grow broccoli in the Spring, and I never get a large head before it gets hot. Maybe I'm just starting my seeds too late! I spend a lot of time planning my garden on graph paper, but I usually make some small changes at planting time, regardless. My biggest downfall is not planning ahead for subsequent crops, such as what to plant after garlic and onions mid-summer and getting that started indoors if need be. I'm working on being better organized, and I want to try kaolin clay this year. The cucumber beetles were ridiculous last year.
You’re welcome! I mention it because I had the exact same experience as you and it always frustrated me!
So far I’m a “wing it and see what happens girl.” The only planning I’ve done so far is the garden lay out and seed shopping
Nothing wrong with that!
Jenna, I wanted to say that I think you great quality content and have learned quite a bit from your channel. So thanks for that 🙂. And I’m surprised that you only have 93k subscribers! Keep at it, and I think you will grow to a 1M+ garden youtube channel. Keep up the great work 👍🏼
Yeah, this is definitely a favorite channel--good info, delivery, and production quality. I am 60 miles east of the Ohio line in zone 5b PA with clay soil so it helps that my situation is closer than with many other youtubers.
Thank you so much @Dman, I really appreciate it!
Thank you @Anissa Ferringer !!
I agree! Being a fellow Ohioan I get much useful methods from your channel. Lets all share this video to help her get to 1 mil!!
Hi Jenna. I'm so glad to have found you. We've been watching for quite a while now as we are fellow Ohioans. I had to laugh a bit about your quantity chart. I feel like we try to grow as much as we can, just hoping enough produce actually survives to be able to use it. My neighbor dug out clay to build a patio and piled the material next to my fence (also edge of garden) and has yet to move it. Now I have a vole problem. Grrrrr.
It’s wonderful to hear from a fellow Ohioan, Christopher! I absolutely understand just growing as much as you can- I feel like I still do that. Honestly the chart was born more out of my frustration at spending time canning or preserving food we didn’t use. It felt like such a waste! So I became more diligent about that part and by default, what I was actually growing!
My 2nd year gardening, first year starting seeds. Family of 2 so being realistic about what we will eat is a challenge. 😝 I feel like I'll be planning and replanning where everything will go right up till I plant them.
I totally understand this!
Seedtime does offer the garden layout planning now! Also if you go to the advanced settings for each crop, you can change the planting times.
Yep- I saw that update, pretty exciting! Have you tried it out?
One thing I failed to mention.
My main crops are pretty much set where they will be going before planting, the one thing I really enjoy is putting in the herbs and flowers.
Last year, it took me almost 10 days to place everything. I was like an artist with a pallet waiting to splash paint on the canvas, or a conductor of an orchestra tapping his baton on the podium for quiet. Mixing marigold, dill, lavender cilantro, petunias, 4'Oclocks, comfrey, borage, chamomile and a bunch I do not remember is my favorite thyme of planting. The planning comes in, what is new for this year? Gotta love gardening.
I love this so much!
What fun! I think this is a great approach especially for a small time grower .
You should use monoatomic gold extracted out of sea salt as a plant fertilizer, 15 mL of monoatomic gold to gallon of water fed to the plants once a month.
That’s a new one on me!
No matter how hard I try to get & stay organized, something always goes wrong.... Murphy's Law definitely applies to gardening!
Oh my goodness… it absolutely does!
Your system is better than mine 😂. My seeds are in an old baby food container that has seeds all in the bottom of many different kinds. Needless to say we’re getting organized this year
Another great video full of useful info! 🎉
Glad you think so!