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Gifts for gardeners is one of our favorite topics because every year there are new gadgets and tools gardeners will love! Read our top 10 garden gifts of 2019, complete with links!

Some folks think ordering vegetable seeds for a new season of gardening is the most fun part of garden planning. We’ve gathered all your seed resources and tips in one place to help you get set planning your 2020 garden.

As gardening season ends, our thoughts inevitably turn to “Next Year.” As a Minnesota Twins fan, we often do this as, once again, the Twins get bounced from the playoffs by the Yankees (and the Yankees got bounced by the Astro’s – sweet justice). “Next year” is always hopeful and can lead to a better gardening experience in the future. As long as you have a garden plan.

So, what needs to happen between now and next year (FYI – pitchers and catchers report February 12th so gardening can’t be far behind)? We see garden planning in three phases. Find out what they are in this week’s blog post!

The Holiday Season is just around the corner – are you ready? From turkey to ham, sweet potatoes to cranberries, or stuffing to pumpkin pie, this foodie season is a perfect time to raid the garden (or the pantry if you have stored your garden bounty well) to make dishes that warm hearts and remind us all that friends and family are truly the foundation of our lives.

Ahhh, garlic. Such a popular additive to so many dishes and a wonderful food in its own right. Garlic has been a staple in cooking and gardening for many many years but how did it achieve this cult status? Let’s explore the very cool world of growing garlic.

As Fall progresses in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, we begin to focus on what is commonly termed “The Smile.” This phrase comes out of the feed and ag business where the geography from Seattle through California and then into Texas, across the Southeast and up into the Maryland area is seen as a great place for Winter gardening & production – whether livestock, second crops of popular commodities (such as wheat) and gardening.

Growing Vegetables Indoors: How to become hardcore in the gardening world Have you ever tried growing vegetables indoors? We don’t mean a lone basil plant or a mock orange tree or even starting your seeds indoors (check out #300Clifton for some serious seed starting). Have you ever considered finding a location in your home (basement, living room) or garage to build out a vegetable growing haven? If so, then you are like our friend Kevin Espiritu (#EPICGardening) and a very committed gardener. If you do choose to go down this pathway, an Eco Garden Systems’ Original Garden may be the perfect garden. With a few simple additions, a little bit more time and an understanding of how growing indoors differs from the great outdoors you can become the envy of your neighbors – or at the very least the interesting neighbor who can’t stop ranting about how great fresh vegetables are and how annoying indoor pests can become. So, how do you get started growing vegetables indoors? Here are a few things you might consider. Make sure your garden is self-contained – indoor water leakage can be a bit troubling so make sure you have a leak-free garden (shameless plug – an Eco Garden is the perfect answer). Get the right grow lights – this can be the difference between disappointment and elation. When it comes to growing vegetables indoors, folks often start out with inexpensive (like we did this past year) and end up wishing they had forked over the cash to get the proper lights. We have found two that we like: Yehsence 1500w LED Light with Bloom and Veg switch (Veg for emerging and bloom for when the flowers begin – use both when in full production). This is the light that Concordia University used for their…

As we move towards Fall here in Minnesota, we see a lot of activities that drop off dramatically after Labor Day. From golf to lake and cabin visits to outdoor restaurant seating, as the weather cools, folks tend to move on to other activities. Unfortunately, this is a bit of a trend in vegetable gardening as well. You’re not alone if you too are wondering how to extend your growing season.

As Winter approaches, we have been seeing a lot of information on how to best leave your soil over the Winter – by planting ground cover plants or heavily mulching your space. We see merits on both sides and have a preference for our own gardens (more on that at the end) so let’s explore the benefits!

We have shared before some things you can do at home to re-use things around the house to “hack” your gardening experience and implement sustainable gardening methods. Now, we want to share some ideas on how to make a season’s worth of fertilizer over the Winter months and into Spring. We will also share any cautions we have experienced or come across. All of these are easy – but they require a bit of thought as well.