I run a 60×90 foot garden in North Idaho. Some years everything grows like it’s trying to win something. Other years the squash gets powdery mildew, the tomatoes curl their leaves for reasons that take three days to diagnose, and something I can’t identify eats half the cabbage overnight.
That’s real gardening. And that’s what this section is about.
These aren’t generic guides written from a desk somewhere. They’re written from a garden that deals with short seasons, late frosts, clay-heavy soil, and the occasional mystery pest. If something went wrong in your garden today and you need a straight answer — you’re in the right place.
Find your problem below and let’s fix it.
Table of Contents
- Start Here — Garden Problems & Fixes
- Garden Pests — Find It and Fix It
- Tomatoes — From Planting to Harvest
- Garlic — Growing, Harvesting & Storing
- Planning & Planting
- Soil, Water & Garden Health
- Harvesting & Garden Extras
- From the Garden — Projects & Tours
Start Here — Garden Problems & Fixes
Something went wrong and you’re not sure what. Start here. These are the most common “what is happening to my plant?” moments — the ones where the leaves look wrong, the plant stopped growing, or something just seems off. Find your symptom and get a straight answer.
Garden Pests — Find It and Fix It
If something is eating your garden, you need to know what it is before you can stop it. These guides cover the most common garden pests — from aphids and ants to fungus gnats — with natural solutions that actually work without reaching for chemicals.
Tomatoes — From Planting to Harvest
I grow over 250 pounds of tomatoes a year on this homestead. San Marzanos, Romas, Early Girls — the whole operation. These posts are what I’ve learned from years of doing it wrong and then getting it right.
Garlic — Growing, Harvesting & Storing
Garlic is one of the most rewarding things you can grow — low maintenance, stores well, and nothing from the grocery store comes close to homegrown. We grow a serious amount of it here. These guides cover everything from choosing your variety to pulling it out of the ground at exactly the right moment.
Planning & Planting
Getting the timing right makes everything else easier. These posts cover when to start seeds, what to plant and when, and how to get your garden set up for the season — whether you’re working with a short Zone 4 window or trying to squeeze one more crop in before frost.
Soil, Water & Garden Health
Most garden problems start underground or come from inconsistent watering. These guides cover the basics that hold everything else together — how much water your garden actually needs, how to keep your soil healthy without crop rotation, and the foundational habits that separate struggling gardens from thriving ones.
Harvesting & Garden Extras
Getting the harvest right matters as much as the growing. Pull onions too early and they won’t store. Let mint run wild and you’ll be finding it in places you didn’t plant it. These posts cover the details that make the difference between a harvest you can use all winter and one that goes to waste.
From the Garden — Projects & Tours
Not everything in the garden is about fixing problems. Sometimes it’s about building something that makes the whole operation easier — or just taking a walk through what’s growing. These posts are a little more personal. The garden shed post especially — Rick with my help built it almost entirely from reclaimed materials and it cost us next to nothing.
You grew it. Now let’s make it last.
Everything from tomatoes to garlic to cucumbers — if it came out of your garden, chances are there’s a way to preserve it. Browse the Canning & Preserving hub →