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Choose Wisely

Decisions must be made.

How to choose what plants to plant:

Grow what grows.  Start simple and build on success.  For me, in Houston, I grow collard greens because they germinate and grow every day of the year, in nearly every spot, in all types of soil.

Photograph raised bed with collards
Photo Caption: Okra Garden Supply garden with collard greens growing.

 

Collard greens may not be at the top of your list yet.  You may dream of tomatoes or nasturtiums.  I did and I still do as well.  What I have learned is that it is much more rewarding to harvest collards than to watch tomatoes shrivel in the sun or wash away in the rain.  So, choose your plants wisely.

There are four main considerations when establishing a plant for its life long location.  The Okra Garden Supply process for trying to choose wisely is to consider four “4S’s”   The Four words that start with S.

Season: is this the proper time of year from a light and temperature point of view for this particular plant to flourish?

Sprout: how am I going to start this plant, a seed, a slip, a cutting, ordered, homegrown?

Spot: where is this plant going, sunny, shady, wet, dry, inside, outside?

Soil: what is the growing medium and is it appropriate for this plant?

If that seems like a lot.  You are right!  It is a lot!  And many plants are very finicky about these items.  My happiest garden times are when I can find plants that grow all year (season), can be started easily from seed (sprout), can tolerate variable light and moisture conditions (spot), and will fight through poor compacted beds (soil).

So, there are some little ideas that can germinate in your mind.

And then you can enjoy:

Collard Greens Garden to Freezer

 

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Get Started

The First Goal is not the Final Goal

Dear Reader,

Are you wondering how to get started?

The best way to start is to complete the first step.   Just accomplish the first thing.  In gardening the first step is taking a dry hard seed and turning it into a pair of tender leaves.  This is called germination.

Okra Garden Supply Soil Pods (video download- quick and easy)

Soil Pods Expand With Water

plus an egg carton, a window sill, and a devotion to watering are all it takes to germinate a seed.  And once you have, you will be a gardener.

Just take the first step.  Summon forth leaves with love and sun and water. You can do it! We have what you need to get started.  Here is how you do it:

1) Order Soil Pods on Amazon

Visit Amazon Shop

2) Cut apart the bottom half of an egg carton- kind of a challenge, but you can do it!

 

Cut apart egg carton
Use a cardboard egg carton. The bottom can be cut apart to make 12 tiny pots and the lid can be used as a tray.

3) Place a soil pod in each egg carton section and use egg carton lid as tray

Pods in carton in lid
Makes a tidy little package when you load up the lid.

4) Hydrate Pod and Plant seed of your choice

water bottle above soil and egg carton
Water gently

5) Place in sunny location and Water gently twice a day until two leaves emerge

Little green plants in the soil pods
Here you have little green babies. Good job!

6) Celebrate you accomplishment!  Hooray!  You are a gardener.

 

Take care,

Fire Ant Lisa

Owner, Okra Garden Supply