” I like your way of gardening! Not much hassle but great rewards.”
“I love your common-sense approach to gardening.”
“—that’s why I’m a reader here – no “overwhelm” just practical advice – that works.”
“I’ve been gardening for over 30 years but have learned so much from your posts. I appreciate your thoroughness and orderliness. Thanks so much.”
“Gardening is so much easier and productive since I’ve met you, Theresa. I really mean that–you have helped me so much! I used to break my back fighting weeds, poor soil, etc. Not any more!”
“—you are providing others with invaluable help. — Tending My Garden is a fantastic resource – and (the feedback) is the proof. I feel so thankful to have found it.”
“I’ve just come across your website and found so much information on onion growing it’s amazing! –”
” I came across your site searching for why my cucumber plants were wilting mid-afternoon and whether I should water them. I have not stopped reading your posts since then. —- very addictive —–will be my go-to site for my gardening needs.”
“I’m so glad I found your website!! The info is exactly what I’ve been looking for! —– more than just the typical stuff you find posted everywhere. While landscape design is my profession Vegetable gardening is a passion. I can’t wait to read more of the past posts!!”
“These days, I am no longer googling for my gardening needs. I am TMGing.”
“One of the things that sets you apart is that you know the difference between tried and true advice as opposed to the stuff we read in those ‘generic’ learn-to-garden books. I have stopped worrying about so many things since I began reading TMG.”
“The way you communicate with your readers is just marvelous! You provide such a wealth of gardening information! I am so glad to have found your blog, I`m learning so many new things here!”
“— your blog was instrumental in getting me past the ‘paralysis of over-analysis’ phase of my balcony garden…I was intimidated and lacked the knowledge I needed to get started. Your ‘can-do’ style inspired me to get started and see my summer-fall season as an experimental phase of ‘research and development’…”
“—This is the most in depth, informative blog on gardening I’ve seen.”
“—–This is what folks need to hear and it is exactly what is missing at the book stores as well. —-With all of the books, videos, encyclopedias, and google searches I could get my hands on, THIS SITE is my #1 source and a benchmark to which all other sources are compared and measured.”
“You have changed my whole gardening life! ”
“I love gardening and would never stop my subscription (to TMG). I’m learning more from you than I have in years of trying it by myself.”
” I am just so encouraged by all that I am reading from you. I can’t make myself leave your site!”
“My garden has doubled in productivity since I started reading here.”
“I wanted to let you know that from your guidance, I have discovered that ‘less is more.’ I was planting the old fashioned way–rows with lots of weeds to take care of–. Then I learned your secret of mulching heavily with straw and/or leaves. What an amazing difference. The soil is always ready for a seed or two in an empty spot and weeding is minimal. Last year we harvested twice as much produce in half the space.”
“Theresa, I’ve been gardening for about 40 years, and in the last 10 or so have tried my hand at gardening organically. I bought the books, read the websites, took the magazines, etc., but have been largely overwhelmed and discouraged. I happened upon TMG and have been reading for around 3 months. Now I know I can really do this!!! Thank you so very much for being so realistic and practical. And also for being so open, willing, and giving. You are a blessing!”
“I have learned so much, actually far more from you than from any gardening magazine I have ever subscribed to.”
“— I’m in the process of switching from chemical-based gardening to organic gardening and your website has helped me tremendously. There’s so much info on organic gardening – some of it very conflicting. You present stuff in an easy to understand, logical way.”
“Every time I hear something “out there” about gardening, I think…….wait that sounds too complicated, Theresa keeps it simple…….do what she does. Lol. You have kept me from jumping on the crazy train! ”
“I discovered your blog just last week while searching the web for information on raised bed gardening. I was actually pricing rough-cut lumber from a local saw mill, and looking for design ideas for wooden boxes when I stumbled upon your post “Contained Raised Beds? NO WAY!” I have not left your blog since!
I am so impressed with the information I have found here, as well as how much you put into it. I appreciate how you respond so thoughtfully to your readers’ questions and comments. And of course I LOVE your “common sense” approach.”
“This is only my 3rd or 4th season (of gardening). (Because of TMG) I am literally years ahead of my time in terms of being an accomplished gardener! ”
“Your wonderful blog and the manner in which you handle explaining things in incremental steps is just amazing. I am on a steering committee for a local community garden effort and your blog will be my recommendation to anyone who gets involved.”
“I just found your site —- when I was checking for what to do with onions. I have never seen so much useful information in one place. — What a wonderful site! I learned more in just a few minutes than I have ever gotten elsewhere. Thank you!!!”
“Finding your site thanks to Diane’s flowers has helped continue my education but in a very easy manner. I’ve found that your experience has confirmed that heritage gardening does not have to be exhaustive but more fun. I find your thinking about gardening assured me that my “maybe I’ll just let nature do the work” is ok and now I’m learning why.”
“Just read your post on Garden diversity- as always excellent, thorough and you have this ability to give all the information one might need in a nutshell – keeping the reader engaged all through.”
“I wish I had found your blog years ago. It would have saved me lots of money spent on gardening books & magazines.”
“Even tho I am on the other side of the world and the seasons are reversed, your insight, knowledge and experience are so valuable to me as a starting out organic gardener.”
“I directly credit the MAJOR increase in productivity in my garden to you. —-(it) is amazing compared to how my garden used to operate.”
“I have learned invaluable lessons and methods from you, have found you to be very well researched, very well thought out, and very methodical. And so easy to learn from.”
“— you infuse encouragement and heart into your website and I greatly receive these gifts.”
” I read each post you write as though I am a sponge; sucking up every last word you write, and holding onto it tightly. … your philosophy on gardening is inspiring. I feel light years ahead of some of my friends who have been gardening for much longer than I, and it is all thanks to you and your easy to read, vital information.”
“I just read your post on using straw once sprayed with 2-4D. Then I read a few more snippets … I think I’m in love…just to find an organic gardener blogging in such a practical way.
It is a fact that we live in a world with more than a few undesirable chemicals infiltrating the world we live in, but we have to understand what will decompose, what is persistent, and how to proceed. … reading your commonsense words just made my day. ”
“I can’t imagine not having TMG for reference and inspiration. It’s one of the few sites I go back to every year for specifics — I hope everyone who reads here, in particular newer readers, understand just what gold is buried in (TMG’s) archives. There’s nowhere else to read some of the things I’ve learned here on TMG, and I’m in NO way overstating.”
” I think there are more people than you know who would love to garden with your ideas – they just don’t know it’s possible.”
“Your postings ALWAYS shed light in a slightly different way —. It’s like taking a walk around the garden with a favorite friend who can be relied on to share the truth.”
(I want) ” to tell you how much I enjoy your blog, your style of writing, the clarity of the information you provide and the very obvious expertise you have achieved.
Reading your blog and the information about your book has given me hope that I can try again (to garden), this time with much greater success and a lot less work.”
“Your information has always been the best out there. The style of your writing is informative but also interesting, honest and humorous at times. You always make me smile and want to get back out there and try something new.”
“Last fall I found TMG and purchased your book. I took to heart your wisdom and applied it to my garden. I added lots of leaves and organic matter. After I planted my garden and applied lots of mulch I have done nothing but harvest. My garden is not perfect but my family is eating, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, okra, cucumbers and swiss chard. That is a complete 180 (degrees) from the previous 2 years. Real soil works, mulch works! If you are a new reader to TMG …unplug from Big Food and the chemical marketing matrix!”
“I have finished your book and am so excited to get to work on preparing my vegetable garden — Your book is full of such great information and takes so much of the “mystery” of gardening out of the equation.”
“What I’ve learned here has proven to be a major life changing part of our lives over the past 5 years.”
“—and I love reading your posts and using them as my garden encyclopedia.”
“I finished reading your book! Thank you so much! It was well worth the price and the shipping! ” (This reader is from Japan and her shipping cost was $25)
It’s not hard to find foods marked organic these days but that doesn’t mean they are grown from the best of seeds. When I look at them in stores they usually don’t look any different than non organic. I really don’t see much difference in terms of taste so it seems to me they are the same veggies grown without herbicides and pesticides. I think I’ll stick to my heritage veggies. Enjoy your garden. Ray Kent
Good morning, Theresa,
I just love reading this post.
As an organic farmer, I only sell what I grow and mostly eat what I grow, as well.
I see “farmers” at the early markets with big plump tomatoes, squash, etc., that in no way came from SC in April . Where did they get these.? No one asks and no one cares. They just want produce year round as if it was mid summer’s harvest. It disheartens me to think that consumers don’t think twice about knowing your local farmer. and asking where the food came from.
And when you aptly placed “money maker” in quotations it made me smile. There is no price we could charge for all the hard work going into organic production, the hours spent being diligent and the crop loss because Mother Nature didn’t follow our plan.
Anyone going into organic production to make money ?…well, I suspect has no idea how to farm organically! I always say, “It ain’t easy, but it’s worth the loss!”
Theresa
Thank You again for keeping us informed and educated.
Sad to say, but the profit first mentality applies to much more than just organic farming.
“The love of money is the root of all evil”
Don
THANK YOU THANK YOU!! Do you have any guesstiment of how many people around the world follow you and are inspired to try organic!?!
An aside about cravings: People say buying organic ‘costs’ too much. I notice that I don’t ‘have to’ eat as much to feel satisfied and energized when I eat out of my gardens and buy ‘real-not-fudge-the-numbers’ organic.
On your ‘cloudy’ days please re-remember how meaningful and important your writing is to soooo many of us.
“Our society as a whole has given the responsibility for their food over to big agri-business.” I love this point. We’ve given the responsibility for many things over to other people, haven’t we? Gardening organically is such a wonderful and foundational tool for coming back to the parts of us which are human. It’s wonderful therapy! 🙂 I am excited about how this year’s garden will turn out!
Ray, your observations are right on target. Many organic growers grow the hybrids that have been created for “good shelf life” and for “beauty” rather than taste just as the conventional growers do. As a result we don’t get flavor and all the nutrients from that organic produce.
In the past few years I have made the change to totally open-pollinated and/or heirloom varieties rather than hybrids. (My one exception is Carmen peppers which I can’t seem to resist.) Some may want to review my post http://tendingmygarden.com/garden-seed-heirloom-or-hybrid-information-to-help-make-the-choice/.
Suzanne, you’ve brought up a good point. And your point is the very reason that many have no qualms about making compromises to “organic” for profit’s sake. They feel it is the only way they’re able to make profit. And although it is very possible to make a living from organic, all of us who have gardened/farmed organically and have sold to market know that it’s not always easy. I found much of that difficulty to be in what people “perceive” as how produce should look, what it should cost, and when it should be available. As you said — there is no way that those plump tomatoes and squash come from South Caroline in April and yet folks are programmed to want and buy produce all year no matter where it comes from or how it’s raised.
I agree Suzanne, that with all the hours spent being diligent and all the work involved in raising great organic food for market, no price charged could cover it. And that’s the very reason why we need more organic growers like YOU who have a “real” organic mindset and care very much about what they produce and sell. THANK YOU!
Don,
Yes, it is that LOVE of money that is the root of all evil. And what a shame it is so prevalent. Having money to provide for ourselves and our families and live more comfortably is a wonderful thing. But as we all know, the problem comes in when the profit and “getting” money is the only focus and the person or persons have no problem making compromises (sacrificing standards) and doing anything they have to in order to make it. (Monsanto is the ultimate example.)
Thank you Marsha! I appreciate that. When I first starting writing TMG in 2010, Bill and a friend were my only readers. So I was very surprised when I gained a following. You are very special people and I consider you my family. Unfortunately, I don’t know and don’t do all the things necessary to gain a huge following and bring my site to the attention of the masses. I would love to have more readers join TMG, but my following is small compared to folks who have tens of thousands of readers. Nonetheless, you are important to me and as long as you find my writings beneficial I will try to continue to write.
Yes, Patricia, we as a society have given the responsibility for MANY things over to others – our food and our health and the education of our children being some of the most important things. I’m happy to say that many readers like you, are taking back that responsibility.
Getting your feed back and response if my favorite part of writing! Thank you all.
Theresa
Suzanne@Le Farm – wish you were in my area. There is no one local (w/i 30 miles at least) that carries your mentality. The folks who are able to buy from you are blessed!
Theresa,
Loved the concept, Spirit of the law or Letter of the law. It is true there must be a willingness to garden organically, otherwise you will break the Spirit of the law, which automatically puts one in the category of the Letter of the law. This is where impulse comes from, the Letter of the law. Patience in gardening would be similar to the Spirit of the law. Don’t know if this is what you are intending but it is what I am receiving.
Thank you for the insight.
Steve
Steve, I guess each of us can add another dimension to the meaning of spirit of the law vs. letter of the law only.
To put what I meant more simply:
By spirit of the law — I am indicating the real intent of the law.
Following just the letter of the law in most case does not accomplish the same goal.
For example – one could follow the letter of the law and not use poisons or chemicals and may call themselves organic gardeners. Keeping the spirit goes way beyond that and requires following the principles of nature.
Another example is from big agri-business — there’s a company that produces “organic” milk, but has the same bad conditions for the animals that conventional feedlots have. They’re labeled “organic” because they follow the letter of the law, but there is no way they can produce the healthful milk that will be produced when principles of nature are followed.
Hope that better explains my point.
Theresa
I am new to the site and look forward to learning much – thank you for your care to teach and share – all of you. I need information on successive planting to keep the nourishment going through the summer and most cold months. I do not know when to plant or how much. Seems it should be easy to figure out, but I can eat two spinache plants a day and keeping them from bolting is a problem. Kale, Swiss Chard, Collards and Dandellion are easy. Its the lettuces and micro greens, water cress, arugula that is the problem. I cant afford seeds and space on container gardens. Any suggestions on how to calculate all of the above? Thank you.
Welcome to TMG Aileen!
You’ll want to start reading some of the 600 post on TMG which will help you with all your questions.
Spinach can be a problem plant for many and especially when warm weather hits – it’s ready to bolt.
I’ve written dozens of post dealing with lettuce.
Arugula should be easy. A lot could depend on the variety. My arugula keeps coming back as well as reseeding each year, so I haven’t really planted any in years.
As far as when to plant — if you succession plant – that means you space plantings but continue to plant through out that specific crop’s season.
I’m not sure what you meant by “—and space on container gardens.” Can you explain more?
Do some research on TMG and then feel free to email me with other specific questions.
I’ll help you all I can.
Theresa