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
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
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.
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
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
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
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 shoot
Spring on St. Paul's East Side can be a rollercoaster, but a few hearty herbs and veggies can withstand the weather. Chives are definitely one of them. Here's the 101: * 2-inch rule: Leave at least two inches of green above the soil to ensure the
Last summer, I had three small pots with chives growing. As fall came around, I left them in their containers, and now they're growing again! No human intervention required. That's my type of crop - easy growth with minimal maintenance! Since chives are perennials, they survive the
Three weeks in, and the microgarden is proving that some herbs simply have more grit than others. While almost everything is thriving, the basil is currently staging a quiet, stubborn protest. Here is the latest status report on what’s winning and what’s stalled: * Arugula looks perfect! No complaints.
The verdict: too soon to tell! We'll have to wait & see. I did use some of the potato fertilizer I bought on 4 of the bags. It'll be interesting to see if that makes a difference in the yield! RELATED: Shielding Potatoes from the Weekend
Here's a quick breakdown of the plant food and fertilizers I'll be using on my garden herbs and veggies this summer. The Feed Lineup * Miracle-Gro All Purpose: The 'Swiss Army knife' of the shelf, provides a basic, fast-acting nutrient boost for general