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Welcome to Fresh From The Garden Journal
My cozy corner of the internet where dirt-under-the-nails wisdom meets simple but joyful gardening. This is where I pull back the curtain on what's happening in my own garden-thewins, the flops, the what in the world? moments, and share the tips, techniques, and discoveries that make growing your own food feel amazing!
Here's what you'll find
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Extensive how-to guides that make the tricky feel simple
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Seasonal growing tips for your zone
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Behind the Scenes Notes from my garden bed and greenhouse
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Plant Deep Dives for veggies, herbs, flowers, and pollinator-friendly advice
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Garden Gear recommendations
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Wellness Support
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And more
Think of this journal as a friendly walk through the garden together, a coffee in one hand and pruners in the other. Let's chat about what's sprouting, what needs weeding, and what needs harvesting!
So grab your gloves and let's settle in.
Let's dig into the good stuff, fresh from the garden, straight to you.
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Seed-Starting Mastery #10 - Celery & Celeriac
Welcome… to the final challenge.If onions were cruel, celery and celeriac are merciless. These are the crops that make seasoned gardeners mutter “Why did I even start this?”… and then beam with pride when their patience pays off.
Jodi McKee
Jan 195 min read
Seed-Starting Mastery #9, Onions, Leeks, Bunching Onions, Chives & Garlic Chive
These are the crops that make even seasoned gardeners mutter, “I’ll just buy onion sets this year,” then quietly feel shame for the rest of the season.
Jodi McKee
Jan 194 min read
Seed-Starting Mastery #8 Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts & Heading Asian Greens
These heading brassicas are the first vegetables in this series that can make you cry in March and then reward you with the sweetest, most tender heads you’ve ever tasted in May–June… or October–December if you’re smart.
Jodi McKee
Jan 195 min read
Seed-Starting Mastery #7 - Peppers & Eggplant – The Slow, Stubborn, Heat-Obsessed Divas
If tomatoes were the queen of the garden, peppers and eggplant are high-maintenance royalty, the kind that refuse to get out of bed unless the room is exactly 85 °F, the lighting is perfect, and breakfast is served on time.
Jodi McKee
Jan 195 min read
Seed-Starting Mastery #6 - Tomatoes – The Queen of the Garden
Every gardener on earth wants tomatoes. And 99% of them start them wrong.
Jodi McKee
Jan 196 min read
Seed-Starting Mastery #5- Curcubits and Squash
Cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash, cantaloupe, watermelon, and their sprawling cousins are the first true warm-season divas in this series. They grow fast, demand heat, and will absolutely let you know when you’ve messed up.
Jodi McKee
Jan 195 min read
Seed-Starting Mastery #4 - Beans & Peas – The Big,Happy Seeds That Teach You Joyful Gardening
Welcome to Post #4, the moment we officially leave the era of tiny, delicate seedlings behind. If radishes were instant gratification, and lettuce and spinach taught patience and finesse, beans and peas are here to teach pure, unfiltered joy.
Jodi McKee
Jan 135 min read
Seed-Starting Mastery #3 - Kale, Collards, Swiss Chard & Asian Greens: The Indestructible Leaf Machines
Kale, collards, Swiss chard, bok choy, tatsoi, mizuna, komatsuna, and their leafy cousins are the closest thing gardening has to a cheat code.
Jodi McKee
Jan 136 min read
Seed-Starting Mastery: Post #2- Lettuce & Spinach
If those radishes from Post #1 gave you your first taste of homegrown victory (crisp, spicy, and pulled straight from the dirt), you're hooked now. But lettuce and spinach slow things down just enough to teach you two critical skills that will carry you through the entire series:
Jodi McKee
Jan 128 min read
Seed-Starting Mastery: Post #1- Radish
Radishes are the gardening equivalent of training wheels; they germinate fast, grow quickly, and forgive almost every rookie mistake.
Jodi McKee
Jan 36 min read
Seed-Starting Mastery: An Introduction
Over the next 10 weeks (plus one epic bonus cheat-sheet post), I’m going to walk you through starting the most common vegetables from seed — in perfect order from dead-easy to expert-level gardener!
Jodi McKee
Jan 13 min read
How Gardening Can Help You Save Money This Year and Why That Matters More Than Ever.
Most people don’t realize how much of the food industry is built around investors, not actual food eaters!
When you’re far enough removed from the grocery aisle, food becomes a spreadsheet, where margins come first and families later.
Jodi McKee
Dec 30, 20255 min read
Seeds That Require Stratification: What It Is, Why It Matters, and What to Grow
For many gardeners, failed germination feels mysterious. You followed the packet. You watered gently. You whispered encouraging words. And still… nothing. Here’s the truth most seed packets don’t fully explain:
Some seeds are biologically programmed not to grow right away.
Jodi McKee
Dec 19, 20257 min read
My Favorite Seed Companies in the U.S. & Canada (and Why I Trust Them)
So today, I’m sharing a curated list of my favorite seed companies in the U.S. and Canada, organized by what they do best. These are companies I trust, recommend often, and return to year after year, whether I’m growing for resilience, flavor, seed saving, or experimentation.
Jodi McKee
Dec 19, 20254 min read
10 Ways to Earn Extra Cash From Your Garden
Earning a bit of extra money from your garden doesn’t mean turning it into a full-time farm. It can be as simple as selling a few bundles of sunflowers when they’re at their peak, offering extra seedlings in the spring, or sharing value-added products made from what you already grow.
Jodi McKee
Dec 19, 20253 min read
Why Gardening Is No Longer Optional: Food, Resilience, and Taking Back Control
Today, gardening is increasingly about food security, affordability, and resilience. Across the U.S. and Canada, food prices continue to rise, supply chains remain fragile, and access to fresh, high-quality food feels less predictable than it once did.
Jodi McKee
Dec 19, 20254 min read
Getting to Know Plant Families (And Why Gardeners Should Care More Than They Do)
Understanding plant families is one of those “ah-ha” moments that quietly changes how you garden forever. It doesn’t require memorizing Latin names (though we’ll dip our toes there), and it definitely doesn’t require a botany degree. What it does require is learning to see patterns — patterns in growth, pests, diseases, nutrient needs, and even flavor.
Jodi McKee
Dec 17, 20256 min read
Bolting Isn’t Failure: What Your Plants Are Telling You About Time and Light
If you’ve ever walked into your garden feeling quietly triumphant, soil amended, watering consistent, pests mostly cooperating, only to find your lettuce stretching skyward in a dramatic, flowering rebellion, you’ve experienced bolting.
Jodi McKee
Dec 17, 20256 min read
Understanding Frost-Free Days
If you’ve ever excitedly planted tomatoes on the first warm spring weekend—only to wake up to limp, blackened leaves after a surprise cold snap—then you’ve already learned this lesson the hard way:
Frost dates matter.
Jodi McKee
Dec 17, 20256 min read
12 Days of Christmas: A Thoughtful Gardener’s Gift Guide
12 Days of Christmas: A Thoughtful Gardener’s Gift Guide
Jodi McKee
Dec 15, 20254 min read
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