First, there’s nothing better than a fresh tomato from backyard vegetable gardens. Fresh vegetables have been welcomed on the dinner table since I was a little girl. My grandfather had a small farm when I was growing up. Furthermore, family members were expected to help maintain and harvest the produce. I learned to grow most of my vegetable plants from seed. My grandfather tilled the land and planted the seeds by hand. However, I have tried to improve on his backyard vegetable gardening production by starting my seeds in bottle greenhouses and under grow lights to get a jump start on the growing season.
When I was growing up, there weren’t many houses without a backyard vegetable garden. Self-sufficiency was expected. I agree. My family will never go hungry, and I can be a frugal with my grocery bill. I can be frugal by freezing and canning my harvest so my family can have fresh vegetables during the winter. Stay awhile and check out my tips, tricks and recipes for backyard vegetable gardens.
So, I focus mostly on heirloom tomatoes in my backyard vegetable garden. Furthermore, I turn them into homemade tomato sauce, fresh salsa or preserve them diced or whole for winter dishes. Preserving green beans, fresh corn, and peppers are on my list too. I love being able to have fresh vegetables for my dishes year round. Most importantly, it saves on the grocery bill too.
I have several recipes that I have perfected from my backyard vegetable gardening produce. Be sure to check out my famous tomato sauce recipe. It’s kid approved, at least by my daughter and grandchildren. I have been told by several, it’s the best sauce they’ve used.
Gifts Ideas for Gardeners
Holiday Gift Ideas for Gardeners – Check out these gift ideas for family and friends who have backyard vegetable gardens.
Garden Soil Preparation
How to Prepare Your Soil for Next Year’s Garden – A successful spring and summer garden starts in the fall.
Garden Seed Germination Tips
Why You Should Winter Sow Seeds– Winter sowing garden vegetables and flowers gives you a jump on the growing season. You simply move them from the container to your garden, flower beds or containers.
How to Harden Off Garden Seedlings – If you start seeds indoors under grow lights, they must be hardened off before you place them in the garden. Learn how to get transition your seedlings from the grow lights to the garden.
My Winter Sow List – Learn what seeds germinate using the outdoor sowing method, and start planning your vegetable garden for next season.
Kitchen Garden Sowing Schedule – Learn when to start sowing vegetable seeds and when to transplant them to the garden.
How to Make Bottle Greenhouses – I use this method to germinate my sunflower seeds each growing season. I have a 95% germination rate. Germinate tomatoes, herbs, watermelon and more in bottle greenhouses.
How to Make Newspaper Seedling Pots – Recycle your newspapers, and use them to make pots for your indoor seedlings.
Winter Sowing Vegetable Seeds – Learn how to winter sow vegetable seeds in bottle greenhouses.
Tips for Growing Tomatoes
How to Stake Tomato Cages – Learn how to stabilize your tomato cages to withstand wind, rain and heavy tomato plants. This tip is imperative for backyard vegetable gardens.
How to Blanch Tomatoes – Learn how to prepare tomatoes for canning or the freezer.
Favorite Heirloom Tomatoes & Their Characteristics – Heirloom tomatoes take up most of the space in my garden. Learn about heirloom tomatoes and their characteristics.
Heirloom Versus Hybrid Tomatoes – Learn the difference between heirloom and hybrid tomatoes.
Recipes
How to Make Homemade Tomato Sauce
Gardening Compost Tips
How to Create Garden Compost From Leaves and Lawn Care Tips – Organic compost is heaven sent in a vegetable garden. No chemicals, just nature doing her thing.
Vegetable Container Gardening Tips
10 Vegetables For Container Gardening – You don’t need to have an acre of land to have a backyard vegetable garden. Check out my tips on what vegetables you can grow in containers on a patio or balcony or just in a sunny spot in your yard.
Organic Gardening Tips
Golden Rules of Organic Gardening – Learn how to use natural products in your vegetable garden so you can produce a chemical free garden.
Tips to Save the Planet While Caring for Your Garden – Start recycling milk jugs and plastic bottles as well as eggshells and coffee grounds. You can recycle them and more in your vegetable garden.
Organic Gardening 101 – Are you new to organic gardening? Check out my tips on organic backyard vegetable gardening.
Using Eggshells in the Garden – Stop throwing out those eggshells. You can use them for your tomato and pepper plants and the birds love them.
Growing Garden Herbs
10 Garden Herbs That You Should Grow – Basil, Oregano, and Mint are a few are my favorite kitchen garden herbs. Check out the other herbs on my list
Growing Dill In The Home Garden – Dill can be used for pickling recipes, dip and sauces.
Backyard Kitchen Garden Herbs – Stop paying high prices at the grocery store, and grow your own.
13 Ways To Use Garlic: Health and Food Uses – Garlic has more uses than tomato sauce and other food dishes. It’s great for your health too.
5 Benefits of Garden Chives – Chives are great on baked potatoes and other dishes, but they are a draw for kids too. Butterflies love them. Check out the health benefits too.
Growing Fresh Garden Vegetables
Top Vegetables for Outdoor Gardens – There are certain vegetables that every gardener grows regularly. Check out these top vegetables for outdoor gardens.
9 Tips to Increase Your Vegetable Garden Production – Gardening requires more than sticking plants in the ground. Learn how to increase your vegetable production.
How to Shuck Corn in the Microwave – This is a great way to shuck large quantities of corn if you’re canning or freezing your harvest. It’s also a great to shuck corn for family meals.
Growing Cantaloupe In Your Kitchen Garden – Fresh cantaloupe out of your kitchen garden will leave you smacking your lips and licking your fingers.
How to Build a Green Bean Trellis – Build this fun green bean teepee. Your pole beans will love it and so will the kids.
Planting and Harvesting Garlic – Here’s a tip, planting garlic in the fall will give you large and flavorful bulbs in the summer.
How to Freeze Fresh Corn – How to prepare corn for the freezer. Pull out a quart when needed for soup, casseroles or more.
13 Money Saving Fruits and Vegetables – Check out this list of money saving fruit and vegetables.
How to Companion Plant in a Kitchen Garden – Companion planting is a great way to repel bugs, control space, provide nutrients and more.
How to Grow Carrots In Your Garden – This is a fun crop to plant with the kids. Carrots come in colors of the rainbow. Purchase seeds and surprise them.
Gardening Options When Space is Limited – Gardening can be done on a large plot of land, a small plot of land, in containers or vertical. Check out the options that you have if your space is limited.
Gardening Accessories You Will Need This Fall – Having the right gardening accessories will help make your gardening task easier.
What You Should Know Before Growing Garlic – I love using fresh garlic from my garden. Check out the tips on hard neck versus soft neck and more before you plant garlic.
Garden Inspiration
10 Reasons I Preserve My Garden Harvest
10 Benefits of Vegetable Gardens
Gardening with Kids
Nature and Gardening Tips for Kids – Getting kids outside and in the garden is a perfect way to instill the love for gardening in them. Pulling weeds and planting seeds in my grandparents garden is how I learned.
Preschool Vegetable Garden Printables – Coloring vegetables is a fun way to get kids involved gardening, and familiar with vegetables.
Garden Product Reviews
Haus & Garten Titanium Garden Shears Review – Garden shears are a must for remove vegetables from the vine or removing branches from the plants. Check out my review on these garden shears.
Finally, I hope that you have found my tips for backyard vegetable gardens helpful. Be sure to try a few. They will change your gardening experience. You may also like: Flower Garden Tips and Tricks.