3-Minute Timelapse: Planting My Garden on St. Paul's East Side!
Check out this timelapse I made last Thursday!
Minnesota Gardeners: How to Protect Your Container Veggies from the Overnight Chill
Don't let this week's daytime sun fool you! Looking at the forecast for St. Paul, and we;re trapped in a pattern of overnight lows dipping below 50° degrees fahrenheit for the next few days. If you're planting your garden or veggies this weekend
2026 Garden Kickoff: The Main Bed & Containers Are All OFFICIALLY Ready!
Everything is set! Seeds in the ground & every row marked, containers filled with all the transplants and seeds. Now, we just wait and watch it grow. The Main Bed (Direct Sown): • Lettuce & Arugula • Carrots • Broccoli • Snap Peas • Cucumbers • Zucchini • Kale & Cabbage Containers and Grow Bags: • 10 lbs
Garden Update: Planting Day on St. Paul’s East Side!
Planting day is finally here! I picked up all the remaining herbs and veggies last night, planning to move them outdoors to their permanent homes now that the Minnesota weather is finally cooperating. I've got a massive collection of seeds to plant in the ground as well. Take
Pure Garden Zen: A 60-Second St. Paul Spring Soil & Compost Reset
I made this 60-second timelapse of me prepping the garden bed ahead of planting the veggies. First I used a garden weasel to break up the existing soil a bit. I had already weeded the garden bed a day earlier so the base was good and clear. I then added
The Blueberry Plant Moved to it's Forever Home: A Large (Plastic) Whiskey Barrel
Sunday was a gorgeous afternoon to move the Chippewa blueberry into its forever home. I transplanted it to a 22-inch plastic whiskey barrel. The soil base is a mix of homemade and yard-waste compost, finished with a small layer of Miracle-Gro potting soil on top. My understanding is Blueberries thrive
Squirrels, Rabbits & Neighborhood Cats! How to Protect Your Veggie Garden From Outdoor Wildlife
Veggie gardening on the East Side can have its occasional "fluffy" challenges. Two summers ago, some of the local rabbit population began treating my snap peas like a private buffet, so I had to upgrade the security around the garden bed. Ahead of the 2025 growing season, I
St. Paul Gardening DIY: Drilling Plastic Whiskey Barrels for Better Drainage
Still a bit cold over on St. Paul's East Side, but it's almost time to move the new blueberry plant into it's new home. I’ve got two new plastic whiskey barrels this season, one for the blueberry plant and the other for strawberries.
Potatoes are Showing Sprouts – But When Should They Be Hilled?
They survived last weekend's cold snap! The first sprouts have officially emerged, which is a great sign that the tubers are happy, healthy, and finding their footing in the bags. Since moving the potatoes to their outdoor grow bags, I’ve been using a tarp regularly to cover
BONUS CONTENT: Bleeding Heart is Blooming Late April in Minnesota!
While the primary focus of phalenplot.com is my vegetable garden, spring perennials provide a much-needed burst of color this time of year. Tucked away next to the garage, this Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) has begun its late-April show. In my experience, it'll bloom for a few days
I Bought a Blueberry Plant! The First New Addition of the Minnesota Gardening Season
I told y'all I'd be growing something new this year! Although it won't be fruiting until late summer 2027 at the earliest, I bought this Chippewa Blueberry plant from the Bachmann's up off Highway 36 & White Bear Ave. Built for the
FLASHBACK: I Once Grew a Zucchini That Weighed Almost 7 LBS!
Quick flashback from the archives - to the time I grew a zucchini that weighed over SIX LBS! The pictures say it all! This bad boy was the size of our elder Morkie, Zooey, born way back in 2013. My wife thought it would be hilarious to stage a photo