Garden time is coming

[Jimi]

DIY Zero Waste Kit​

DIY Zero Waste Kit - The Urban Farm

DIY Zero Waste Kit By Tayler Jenkins As the immense amount of waste generated by modern society becomes an increasingly alarming and urgent issue, many of us ponder what we […]

www.urbanfarm.org

 

[Jimi]

We Need to STOP Recycling!​

We Need to STOP Recycling! - The Urban Farm

We Need to STOP Recycling! By Janis Norton,Manager of The Urban Farm. Scrolling through social media is a real challenge lately. Not even touching on the political minefields, the reality […]

www.urbanfarm.org

 

[Jimi]

Jimi, the key to a thriving winter garden isn’t just soil or seeds — it’s your mindset! Your mindset shapes your experience (and success) every step of the way.

That’s why we’re inviting you to the 5-Day Fantastical Winter Garden Adventure — no fee to attend! You’ll learn how your mindset affects your garden and your results. It starts today!

>>> Access the Fantastical Winter Garden Adventure

Here’s a glimpse of what’s coming:

Day 1 – Supercalifragilistic Seeds: Avoid the 5 things that can kill your garden
Day 2 – Wonderful Water: Harness the magic of water and positivity
Day 3 – Magic Micro-Heroes: Discover the helpers in your soil that boost growth
Day 4 – Be-You-Tiful You: Nurture yourself and your garden for lasting results
Day 5 – Loopty-Loos: Deepen your connection with nature and embark on your winter garden adventure

Just 30 minutes a day is all it takes — and you can fit it into your schedule whenever it works best.

>>> Your 5-Day Fantastical Winter Garden Adventure awaits!

Register now and get instant access to today’s video. It only takes a few seconds to get started! Join us for this magical journey and start growing fresh greens all year long!

Grow Your Own Vegetables Team

 

[Jimi]

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Some days are way better than others.

Glyphosate “Safety” Study Ghostwritten by Monsanto Retracted After 25 Years of Deception - Science, Public Health Policy and the Law

by Nicolas Hulscher, MPH

publichealthpolicyjournal.com

 

[Jimi]

Here ya go, Jimi!

Click below to download the complimentary eGuide you requested.



>>> Click here for your copy of Edible Flowers for Beneficials <<<


When it comes to protecting your garden, you want the right garden allies without losing any garden space!

Inside the Edible Flowers for Beneficials eGuide, you’ll learn:

8 keys to successfully encourage beneficials to your garden
The amount of garden space that should consist of beneficial plants
30+ edible plants to add to your garden that beneficials love

You want your garden to be strong and resilient to get the healthiest food possible with the least amount of effort. And to do that, you need to attract beneficials to help you manage your garden.

But why sacrifice your harvests when you can plant for both you and the beneficials?

As you partner with nature correctly and deepen your relationship, you’ll find nature can do most of the garden work for you.

To your thriving garden!

Grow Your Own Vegetables Team

 

[Jimi]

Day 2 of the Fantastical Winter Garden Adventure is here!



Today’s theme is Wonderful Water!

Water makes up 71% of the earth’s surface and 60% of our bodies. It is an important and powerful thing! Water can heal communities or devastate them.

One movie that represents this duality beautifully is Frozen . Elsa’s powers can either heal or destroy depending on if she acts out of love or fear.

It’s the same way with your garden. You can either cultivate beautiful, loving energy for your seeds OR your fear can leave your seeds hanging out to dry!

Today, we will learn about how to use water to rinse and prepare your seeds, what to do if your tap water is hard, soft, or anything in between, and much more!

In today’s adventure, we will cover:

The magic of water
The importance of watering your magical seed
An experiment by a Japanese scientist that will change the way you water
Having a positive mindset and blessing your water
Experimenting with winter gardening

>>> Watch now Wonderful Water!

After watching today’s episode on Wonderful Water - please share your takeaway from Day 2 here with fellow adventurers!

The adventure continues!

The Grow Your Own Vegetables Team

PS - There have been a few questions about how your lentils should be stored between rinsing them. Leave them in the strainer, uncovered on your counter … you do not want to leave them in the water. See more about the rinsing instructions on Day 1 of the Fantastical Winter Garden notebook … click here to download and print.

 

[Jimi]

It’s time for our 3rd and most magical day yet!

Today’s theme is Magical Micro-Heroes!

Just because you can’t see something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

Like in Harry Potter when Hagrid tells Harry he is a wizard…Harry doesn’t see there is a whole world of magic going on right around him!

…Just like you might not see the Magical Micro-Heroes of your garden! The bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that we can’t see keep your plants strong and healthy every day.

In today’s session, you’ll learn about…

5 beneficial magical micro-heroes
Microorganisms delivering nutrients to our plants
Bacteria and its key role
Nutrient cycling
Rhizophagy: the escape hatches for microbes

>>> Watch today’s adventure on Magical Micro-Heroes.

Here is what a few people had to say about Day 3:

“Mind blown on that fact about how many micro-heroes are in a handful of soil.” Sue G.

“I look forward to applying this to my indoor and outdoor plants” Lizzie D.

“Glad to know how sprouting works.” Terralee G.

Don’t forget to bring your magic wand to class!

The Grow Your Own Vegetables Team

PS – After watching Day 3: Magical Micro-Heroes - please share your takeaway here.

PPS – There have been a few questions about how your lentils should be stored between rinsing them. More about this in your Fantastical Winter Garden notebook…click here to download and print.

 

[Jimi]

How to Keep Poinsettias Alive After The Holidays​

How to Keep Poinsettias Alive After The Holidays

Poinsettias are often staged near the entry and exit of grocery stores, big box retailers, and our favorite department store as impulse buys. A little holiday music, and suddenly, poof, there's one in the cart. I love poinsettias, and they are certainly a holiday staple and a symbol of the...

seedsnsuch.com

 

[Bliss Doubt]

How to Keep Poinsettias Alive After The Holidays​

How to Keep Poinsettias Alive After The Holidays

Poinsettias are often staged near the entry and exit of grocery stores, big box retailers, and our favorite department store as impulse buys. A little holiday music, and suddenly, poof, there's one in the cart. I love poinsettias, and they are certainly a holiday staple and a symbol of the...

seedsnsuch.com

One year I had a holiday open house for clients and friends, over four consecutive nights in one week in December. I decorated with an insane number of poinsettia plants from the grocery store. They looked good well into January, and when they finally gave out, I pulled them out of their pots and pitched them over the back rail, thinking they would become compost in the rocks and dirt below. There were prickly pear cacti back there at the time, and those wilted poinsettia took root everywhere, in the cactus pads, in the dirt, in the rocks, and they grew and grew and grew. They get really leggy, but it was quite a spectacle, unexpected.

These were my table top trees that year. Unfortunately my pic cut off Santa's bi-plane landing on top of the taller one:

 

[Bliss Doubt]

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[Jimi]

Hi Jimi, Winter doesn’t mean the end of your garden—it’s just a new beginning! This month, we’re diving into the secrets of thriving winter gardens and showing you how to enjoy fresh, flavorful produce even during the coldest months. Whether you’re growing indoors, using movable gardens, or planning for spring, this session will inspire and empower you to make the most of your garden year-round. Join us this Monday for December’s Thriving Gardener: Monthly Garden Masterclass: The Winter Garden Advantage: Taste, Magic & Abundance Monday, December 15, 2025 10am PT / 1pm ET Save My Seat

​

In this live session, Stacey Murphy will reveal why winter gardens can be the most flavorful, nutritious, and surprisingly magical gardens of the year—and how easy it can be to grow fresh food even during the coldest months. You’ll discover: Why Winter Gardens Taste Better – The science behind richer flavor and dense nutrition in cool-season produce. Growing Indoors Made Easy – Simple, low-maintenance indoor setups that work in any home. Preserve Your Abundance – Smart storing and preserving methods to stretch your harvest through the colder months. Plan Your Garden Year with Confidence – How winter gardening naturally supports a more abundant spring and summer. Movable & Flexible Garden Solutions – Portable garden ideas for patios, balconies, kitchens, and small spaces. The Magic of Winter Gardening – Why winter gardening feels grounding, peaceful, and deeply satisfying. Don’t miss this chance to experience the joy, flavor, and magic of winter gardening—and set yourself up for a thriving spring harvest. We can’t wait to see you there! >>> Reserve Your Spot Now To your thriving garden,

 

[Bliss Doubt]

Big Beautiful Bill authorized 4.5 billion to regenerative farming. USDA is giving it only 700 million.

Action link:

TAKE ACTION! Tell Congress to Save Local, Regenerative & Organic!

Organic farmers have never needed you more! Trump's USDA is still withholding payments owed to 30,715 local, regenerative and organic farmers promised $2.3 billion, including a grant OCA administers for an allied organization. Meanwhile, Trump's giving the biggest grain and oilseed...

advocacy.organicconsumers.org

After refusing to disburse 6.062 billion appropriated by Congress for family famers adopting regenerative agriculture practices and serving local markets, the USDA is earmarking 700 million for regenerative agriculture, when it has given 40 billion in bailouts to industrial agriculture this year.

The 700 million isn't new money, the USDA is taking it from the combined 4.515 billion annual budget appropriated by Congress for two regenerative agriculture programs, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program.

Why isn't all of that money going to regenerative agriculture? If regenerative only gets 700 million, that means 3.815 billion (84 percent) goes to factory farms and pesticide-drenched genetically modified field crops.

 

[Jimi]

Home Gardener's Weekly ​

Hi Jimi, As we lean into the quieter months of the year, it’s the perfect time to nourish your body, expand your garden know-how, and set yourself up for a thriving season ahead. This week’s Home Gardener’s Weekly newsletter is packed with tools, tips, and inspiration to help you grow your healthiest self—both in your kitchen and your garden. ​ What’s Growing in This Week’s Newsletter ​ ​

​

Explore the Newsletter​

 

[Jimi]

Big Beautiful Bill authorized 4.5 billion to regenerative farming. USDA is giving it only 700 million.

Action link:

TAKE ACTION! Tell Congress to Save Local, Regenerative & Organic!

Organic farmers have never needed you more! Trump's USDA is still withholding payments owed to 30,715 local, regenerative and organic farmers promised $2.3 billion, including a grant OCA administers for an allied organization. Meanwhile, Trump's giving the biggest grain and oilseed...

advocacy.organicconsumers.org

After refusing to disburse 6.062 billion appropriated by Congress for family famers adopting regenerative agriculture practices and serving local markets, the USDA is earmarking 700 million for regenerative agriculture, when it has given 40 billion in bailouts to industrial agriculture this year.

The 700 million isn't new money, the USDA is taking it from the combined 4.515 billion annual budget appropriated by Congress for two regenerative agriculture programs, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program.

Why isn't all of that money going to regenerative agriculture? If regenerative only gets 700 million, that means 3.815 billion (84 percent) goes to factory farms and pesticide-drenched genetically modified field crops.

All people in political positions LIE daily IMHO

 

[gopher_byrd]

Guess what I did yesterday. I filled up another GreenStalk vertical planter and planted 42 garlic cloves. 4 different varieties, 3 are soft neck and one is a hard neck that is supposed to be for warmer climates like mine.

 

[gopher_byrd]

Today I still had some peppers and tomatoes to pick.

These are sweet peppers.



Tomatoes and hot chilies



Just chilies of pretty much every variety I planted this year. This will be the end as it's getting cold enough that they are giving up.