Growing in the Garden

10/16/2026

What if the fruit in your yard was ready to harvest almost every season? When you're planting, choose varieties that ripen at different times so the harvests keep coming. More in the first comment.

10/16/2026

It’s kind of a big dill in the fall garden.

I scatter seeds into empty spots as they open up, especially through the cool season. It’s easy to grow, useful in the kitchen, and if you let some of it flower, those blooms attract beneficial insects and swallowtail caterpillars too. You can even harvest the seeds for cooking or planting again.

Comment DILL and I’ll send you my complete growing guide.

10/15/2026

This apple Dutch baby has become one of our favorite family breakfasts. Warm apples, cinnamon, and a puffed golden pancake all bake together in one skillet. It’s surprisingly simple to make. More in the first comment.

Make this German apple pancake with tender cinnamon apples and a puffed, golden Dutch baby batter. Fresh or canned apples both work.

10/15/2026

I was sent this new countertop freeze dryer to test, and I’ve been using it nonstop for a couple of weeks. My family eats everything as fast as I make it. Mangos, bananas, kiwi. So good.

I had a larger freeze dryer before this one, and this one is much better. It has a smaller footprint and is fully self-contained, with no messy tube, bucket, or pump sitting next to it. The vacuum pump and drain pan are built in, and it looks great on my counter. I just press start.

It launches today. They are more affordable at $1295.

Comment FREEZE and I’ll send you the link.

10/14/2026

Coral vine handles the heat, grows fast, and by fall it’s covered in pink blooms and bees. If you have room for a vigorous vine, consider adding one to your yard. More in the first comment.

10/14/2026

It feels so good to be back in the garden!

Comment WATCH and I'll send you the link to my first YouTube video since my cancer diagnosis.

When I got my diagnosis this summer, everything stopped. My garden kept growing, but I couldn't keep up. Some things survived, some didn't, and a lot of work was waiting for me.

I'm slowly getting back to gardening, with plenty of help from family and friends. In this video, I'm sharing a fall garden tour, an update on my treatment, and what I'm learning about slowing down and asking for help.

There are still empty beds and unfinished projects, but when I look around, I see so much hope. It feels so good to be back.

10/13/2026

Fall is a good time to give tired containers a fresh start. The right pot, soil, drainage, and plant combination makes a big difference in how long they look good and keep growing. I share my best tips in this post. More in the first comment.

10/13/2026

You spent September getting your garden ready. Now it's time to plant!

October is the best planting month here in the low desert. There are so many vegetables, herbs, flowers, trees, shrubs, and roses you can plant this month.

All that preparation is about to pay off. I love this time of year!

Comment OCTOBER and I'll send you my complete October planting lists and resources.

10/12/2026

I’m always looking for simple ways to make gardening easier. These are the little tricks I actually use in my garden because they save time, solve problems, or just make things work better. More in the first comment.