Just Grow Something | Evidence-Based Home Gardening

Karin Velez
  • 4.9 (70)
  • HOME & GARDEN
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Grow a better vegetable garden, whether you're a seasoned gardener or have never grown a thing in your life. Karin helps home gardeners learn to grow their own food using evidence-based techniques and research. She talks all about specific plants, pests, diseases, soil and plant health, mulch, garden planning, and more. It's not just the "how" but also the "why" that makes us better. The goal? For everyone to know how to grow their own food no matter what sized space they have or their experience level. Tune in each week to plan, learn, and grow with your friend in the garden, Karin Velez.

  1. Garden Goal Setting for the New Year – Ep. 281

    DEC 23

    Garden Goal Setting for the New Year – Ep. 281

    We’ve reached the end of another gardening year. Maybe your garden was spectacular. Maybe it was just so-so. Maybe it was an absolute disaster in certain beds and you’re still a little salty about the squash vine borers. However it went, this is a powerful moment in the gardening calendar. Today we’re going to slow down and talk about taking time to reflect on the past season, reset your expectations, and reimagine what you want from your garden next year. Extension programs and planning guides consistently recommend end-of-season evaluation, note-taking, and mapping as key pieces of long-term garden success. Research on goal-setting shows that specific, challenging, and meaningful goals help people follow through and actually change their behavior. So, in this final episode of the year, we’re going to weave those two ideas together: 1. Why the end of the year is the best time to reflect on your garden 2. What goal-setting research can teach us about making better garden goals 3. Turning reflection into 3–5 clear, realistic goals for next year 4. A healthier mindset for handling “failures” and unexpected seasons By the end, you’ll have a framework to close the book on this year’s garden and open a new one with intention. Let’s dig in. References and Resources: Iowa State University Extension – Yard and Garden. “Garden Journaling.”: https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/garden-journaling Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. “Building a Practically Useful Theory of Goal Setting and Task Motivation.” American Psychologist, 2002: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12237980/ Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch andDownloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething

    26 min
  2. Seed Catalog Season - Ep. 280

    DEC 16

    Seed Catalog Season - Ep. 280

    Seed catalog season is fun, but it can also be overwhelming. If you’ve ever ordered way more seed than you can possibly plant, chosen a variety that just did not perform in your climate, or gotten confused by all the codes, abbreviations, and marketing language this episode is for you. Today on Just Grow Something we’re going to talk about how to read a seed catalog. We’ll cover: 1. Why seed catalogs are tools, not just wish books 2. The key pieces of information in a catalog listing (and what they actually mean) 3. Days to maturity, and why that number is not as simple as it looks ... and more By the end, you’ll be able to flip through a catalog and quickly decide, “Yes, this variety makes sense for my garden” or “Nope, that’s just clever marketing” and make a wish list that can actually be fulfilled. Let’s dig in. Resources: 1. Washington State University Extension. Tips to Making Strategic Vegetable Seed Selections (EM057E), 2025: https://wpcdn.web.wsu.edu/wp-extension/uploads/sites/2073/2025/01/Vegetable-Seed-Selection.pdf 2. Oregon State University Extension. “How to Read Seed Packets Before You Buy.”: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/how-read-seed-packets-you-buy Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething

    29 min
  3. Winter Sowing 101 - Ep. 279

    DEC 9

    Winter Sowing 101 - Ep. 279

    Winter sowing is a seed-starting method that sounds a little bit wild the first time you hear it but makes sense if you think about it from a horticultural standpoint. Basically you are sowing seeds in recycled containers like milk jugs and placing them outside in the winter as a very hands-off way of starting your spring garden. If you’ve ever: • Run out of space under grow lights • Been frustrated by leggy indoor seedlings • Or just felt like you don’t have the time or money or inclination for a full seed-starting setup …winter sowing might be your new favorite technique. Let's dig in! References and Resources: University of Missouri Extension. Winter Sowing Seeds (YM105), 2021. https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/ym105 Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension. “Winter Seed Sowing Handout.” 2023. https://ocean.njaes.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Winter-Seed-Sowing-Handout-Final.pdf Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething

    32 min
  4. Indoor Greens and Herbs for the Winter - Ep. 278

    DEC 2

    Indoor Greens and Herbs for the Winter - Ep. 278

    When the garden beds are frozen, the days are short, and you’re staring at bags of store-bought salad mix, it can feel like fresh homegrown food is a long way off. But it doesn’t have to be. Today on Just Grow Something we’re talking about growing herbs and leafy greens indoors in winter—on a windowsill, under a simple grow light, or with one of those countertop indoor garden systems If you’ve ever thought: • “I’d love fresh basil in January.” • “My house is too dark to grow anything.” • Or, “Are those indoor garden gadgets actually worth it?” This episode is for you. Let's dig in. References and Resources: How Do We Measure Light: https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/houseplants/light-for-houseplants/ University of Minnesota Extension. “Growing Herbs Inside is Easy and Healthy.” 2022. https://extension.umn.edu/news/growing-herbs-inside-easy-and-healthy Penn State Extension. “A Step-By-Step Guide for Growing Microgreens at Home.” 2023. https://extension.psu.edu/a-step-by-step-guide-for-growing-microgreens-at-home Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething

    31 min
  5. How to Prepare for Seed Season: Reflection, Inventory, and Smarter Ordering - Ep. 277

    NOV 25

    How to Prepare for Seed Season: Reflection, Inventory, and Smarter Ordering - Ep. 277

    Prepare for seed season with practical tips on reviewing your garden's performance, taking seed inventory, and ordering smarter for a more successful growing year. Today on Just Grow Something we walk through the essential steps to get ready for seed season: how to reflect on what worked (and didn't) in your garden, take a proper seed inventory, and create a more intentional seed order when the flood of catalogs leads to plant-filled daydreams. Whether you're planning next year's layout or just trying to avoid overbuying, this episode gives you the tools to start strong. Let's dig in! References and Resources: Downloadable chart for what each plant yields on average: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/yield Ordering seeds from garden catalogs | Over the Garden Fence | Illinois Extension | UIUC: https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/over-garden-fence/2021-01-04-ordering-seeds-garden-catalogs Seed Storage Protocols : USDA ARS: https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/fort-collins-co/center-for-agricultural-resources-research/paagrpru/docs/seed-program/seed-storage-protocols/ Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething

    31 min
  6. Essential Fall Garden Clean Up - Ep. 276

    NOV 18

    Essential Fall Garden Clean Up - Ep. 276

    Today we’re talking about one of my least favorite but probably most important fall garden rituals: the great garden clean-up. This is the part of the year where we get to close one chapter of the garden season and start quietly writing the next chapter. Now that most of the chaos of the garden is done, it's time to be putting things in order, protecting the soil, and setting yourself up for success next spring. So, today on Just Grow Something we’re talking about: • What to remove and what to leave in your garden beds • How to handle diseased or pest-infested plant material • Best practices for soil testing, amending, and protecting your beds over winter • And a few tips for the gardeners who have really just had it for now and don’t want to completely clear everything out in this moment. Because I feel you. Let’s dig in! Resources: How to Amend the Soil in Fall for a Better Garden in Spring - Ep. 222: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/how-to-amend-the-soil-in-fall-for-a-better-garden-in-spring-ep-222 Getting Started with Cover Crops - Ep. 166: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/getting-started-with-cover-crops-ep-166 Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething Bonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething

    28 min
  7. How to Store the Fall Harvest - Ep. 275

    NOV 11

    How to Store the Fall Harvest - Ep. 275

    The frost has settled, most of the garden has gone to sleep, and now we’re turning our attention to what’s left — the fruits (and roots) of our labor. I’m talking about how to store and preserve that late-season harvest, so all your hard work continues to pay off well into winter. Today on Just Grow Something We’ll look at how long certain crops can remain in the garden, essentially in storage mode before you truly have to bring them inside, best practices for storing roots and late fall greens, and preservation options that retain nutrition and flavor. Let’s dig in! Resources: Preparing to Preserve: Basic Canning Supplies for Beginners - Ep. 211: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/preparing-to-preserve-basic-canning-supplies-for-beginners-ep-211 Ep. 109 - Preserving, Part One: Freezing: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/ep-109-preserving-part-one-freezing Ep. 110 - Preserving Basics, Part Two: Water-Bath Canning: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/ep-110-preserving-basics-part-two-water-bath-canning Ep. 111 - Preserving Basics, Part Three: Pressure Canning: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/ep-111-preserving-basics-part-three-pressure-canning Ep. 113 – Dehydrating, Cold Storage, and Fermenting: More Ways to Store Your Harvest: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/ep-113-dehydrating-cold-storage-and-fermenting-more-ways-to-store-your-harvest Getting Started in Fermenting - Ep. 160: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/getting-started-in-fermenting-ep-160 National Center for Home Food Preservation: https://nchfp.uga.edu/ Get my weekly newsletter: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/news

    20 min
  8. One More Month of Harvests - Ep. 274

    NOV 4

    One More Month of Harvests - Ep. 274

    If your forecast is flirting with frost and you still have all those lovely greens and root veggies out there, don’t panic, prepare. Today on Just Grow Something we’re talking row cover and low tunnels: what to buy, how to set up fast, how to vent so you don’t cook your greens, and exactly which fabrics and plastics can squeeze out one more month of salads, herbs, and even late summer crops like beans or peas. We’ll talk about using fabric covers versus when to use plastic, floating row covers versus building a low tunnel, venting, anchoring, avoiding disease and more. By the end you’ll even have an emergency plan in place if you get a sudden frost warning you weren’t quite prepared for. Let’s dig in! Resources: Landscape fabric staples: https://amzn.to/47ogCKW Frost Cloth: https://amzn.to/47zA5a7 Plastic row covers: https://amzn.to/3WCpSF2 Get my weekly newsletter here: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/news

    29 min
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4.9
out of 5
70 Ratings

About

Grow a better vegetable garden, whether you're a seasoned gardener or have never grown a thing in your life. Karin helps home gardeners learn to grow their own food using evidence-based techniques and research. She talks all about specific plants, pests, diseases, soil and plant health, mulch, garden planning, and more. It's not just the "how" but also the "why" that makes us better. The goal? For everyone to know how to grow their own food no matter what sized space they have or their experience level. Tune in each week to plan, learn, and grow with your friend in the garden, Karin Velez.

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