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Understanding Fertilizer: A Complete Guide for Home Gardeners

a wheelbarrow with bag of soil, trowel, pots and plants

Understanding fertilizer is an important skill for beginning gardeners. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the basics. By the end of this article, you’ll understand fertilizer, what it is and what it does, and how to use it appropriately in the garden. Introduction: Why We Use Fertilizer in the Garden . Plants absorb nutrients…

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Grow What Nourishes You at Home Garden Joy

garden educator Jeanne GrunertWelcome to Home Garden Joy! I’m Jeanne Grunert, the writer, master gardener, and amateur herbalist behind the blog. You’ll find a wealth of articles here to help you grow what nourishes you, whether that’s growing your first vegetable garden or your skills in cooking with your garden produce. Home Garden Joy’s focus is on gardening: growing fruit, vegetables, and herbs.  I also share how to cook with your seasonal harvest as well as preserve it to enjoy all year long. Grow, cook, and savor the harvest with Home Garden Joy.

 

a wheelbarrow with bag of soil, trowel, pots and plants

Understanding Fertilizer: A Complete Guide for Home Gardeners

red lettuce, mexican tarragon, and chard

The Best Organic Fertilizers

water droplets in sunbeams over a raised bed vegetable garden

Irrigation Tips for Home Gardens: Drip vs. Soaker Hose

chive plants in bloom with lettuce

The 10 Easiest Herbs to Grow

a blue borage herb flower

How to Start Herb Seeds the Right Way: Free Course

raised bed garden

How to Prepare Raised Beds for Spring Planting

a shovel with compost on it

How to Start Composting in Winter

tomato seedlings

Seed Starting Indoors in February: Best Vegetables for Zones 4–8

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Disclosure

Home Garden Joy participates in two affiliate programs: Amazon and The Herbal Academy. Home Garden Joy earns a commission from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate. As an Herbal Academy Associate, HGJ also earns a commission when you sign up for classes or purchase herbs or supplies from The Herbal Academy. Herbal information and recipes on this site are provided for educational purposes only.

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water droplets in sunbeams over a raised bed vegetable garden

Irrigation Tips for Home Gardens: Drip vs. Soaker Hose

Watering is one of the most essential tasks in maintaining a healthy home garden, yet it is also one of the most misunderstood. Many gardeners rely on overhead sprinklers or hand-watering, both of which can waste water and fail to deliver moisture efficiently to plant roots. Two of the most effective alternatives are drip irrigation…

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chive plants in bloom with lettuce

The 10 Easiest Herbs to Grow

Grow them in pots, containers, window boxes, raised beds, or tucked among your flowers. These are the 10 easiest herbs to grow in almost any temperate garden. They take up little space, are generally unfussy, and are used in lots of recipes. What Do I Need to Start an Herb Garden? You don’t need a…

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a blue borage herb flower

How to Start Herb Seeds the Right Way: Free Course

Learn how to start herb seeds the right way with The Herbal Academy’s new, FREE online course! Home Garden Joy is an Herbal Academy affiliate. We love their ebooks and courses. I’ve taken many of them and found them to be very helpful. They get to the heart of herbalism without introducing spiritual aspects in…

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raised bed garden

How to Prepare Raised Beds for Spring Planting

The snow and ice have finally melted. In the mornings when I walk my dog through our farm, I can hear a rooster crowing on a neighboring farm. Cardinals have begun singing in the dawn. It’s spring, folks. And while the calendar reminds me we can still feel winter’s icy breath, spring planting is just…

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