Welcome to Home Garden Joy! My name is Jeanne Grunert, and I am the writer behind this website. Home Garden Joy is dedicated to my passions: home, garden, and living a joyful, slow, seasonal lifestyle. My goal is to help you grow a lifestyle that nourishes you; to inspire curiosity in the natural world; and to rekindle joy in home and hearth. I share gardening, nature, and lifestyle-inspired articles centered on finding joy in your home and garden.
I think every gardener starts with growing radishes. And why not? Radishes germinate readily, grow quickly, and add interest to salads. They’re also great when you have cabin fever after a long winter and you’re dying for something fresh from the garden. And while their spiciness may be an acquired taste, in some cuisines (including…
Every gardener loves a good experiment, and this year mine involved stepping outside my usual vegetable lineup. I tried growing a few Chinese vegetables in my garden, and the results were delicious, a little surprising, and a whole lot of fun. If you’ve ever wondered whether these crops are worth a spot in your garden,…
Growing tatsoi (Brassica rapa subsp. narinosa (sometimes listed as Brassica rapa var. narinosa) offers fresh, leafy greens in USDA hardiness zone 7b throughout the fall and possibly the winter. Tatsoi isn’t sold in my local Kroger, Food Lion, or Walmart Super Center, but it’s easy enough to grow, and so delicious, that I plan to…
Tidying Up, Winding Down, and Looking Ahead Here in central Virginia, the first hints of fall show up in October, and by the end of the month cool nights are the norm. By November, frost is a given, the leaves have all turned, and most of the trees stand bare. November is a month for…
