Two years ago, for only the second time in the history of “The joegardener Show,” I recorded the podcast on location in my garden here in the Atlanta area, sharing my garden reflections and observations as I moved among my 16 raised beds. It was a favorite episode of mine, so I am sharing it again this week for those who missed it or would enjoy hearing it again.
The week after the Fourth of July each year, my garden is typically lush and beautiful. I describe it all to help you picture it in your mind, but I’ve also included many photos here to help you follow along. For a full recap, check out the show notes from the original airing two years ago. Or read on for a condensed summary.
I had a blast joining a native plant rescue — and I went home with free plants that otherwise would have been destroyed by development.
Fewer Tomato Plants, Less Stress, Better Results
I always start my gardening day with my tomatoes. In 2023, rather than the 60-70 tomato plants I typically grow, I cut back drastically to just 16 — four raised beds with four plants each.
I finally realized I was taking on more than I could reasonably manage. Tomatoes are demanding, especially when it comes to diseases. Staying ahead of issues means frequent checks and pruning — and with dozens of plants, it becomes exhausting.
Having scaled back, I enjoy the process more. My 16 plants thrived, with fewer signs of disease and very little maintenance. The tomatoes were big, plentiful and delicious. Even with a couple of plants showing soil-borne issues by early July, it was the healthiest tomato season I had in years.
I am growing fewer tomato plants so my garden will be more manageable. I still have a plentiful harvest.
Flower-Packed Borders Bring My Garden to Life
We added flower beds along the inside edges of my raised bed garden, and the impact has been amazing. The garden has always attracted pollinators, but the increase in wildlife is dramatic thanks to all the added blooms.
The perimeter beds are 6-8 inches deep and under 2 feet wide, filled with strawflower, Celosia, Gomphrena, snapdragons, Dahlias, Zinnias, cosmos, Salvia, sunflowers, milkweed, and Rudbeckia.
Beyond the borders, we’ve also planted flowers among the vegetables. Herbs like borage, basil, oregano, fennel and dill are going to flower, and we’ve mixed in nasturtiums and marigolds, making the whole space more vibrant and pollinator-friendly.
Pollinators are loving the beebalm in my perimeter flower garden beds.
Compost Bins Are Full — and That’s a Good Thing
With the growing season far from over, all nine bays of my three-bin pallet compost system were already full. Garden cuttings (excluding diseased material), leaf litter, kitchen scraps, and more keep the piles active.
To balance out carbon-rich materials like leaves and paper, I add grass clippings for nitrogen. I collect them with my mower every other week and compost them, knowing they’re chemical-free. On the other weeks, I mulch the clippings back into the lawn.
This is the perfect time to load up your compost with garden waste and kitchen scraps. I’m taking full advantage—and you should too.
My compost system made out of pallet wood, with one bin for adding new inputs, one with “finished” compost that I can draw from and one bin that is on its way to becoming useable compost.
Check for Wildlife Before You Trim — It Could Save a Life
Before using my string trimmer, I check the weeds for wildlife. Without checking, I won’t know if there is a turtle, frog, snake or other creature I may be putting in harm’s way. These creatures take shelter where we might not expect, and they deserve our care and caution.
Years ago, I brought a turtle home after rescuing it from the road — something I’ve since learned not to do. Turtles have small home ranges, and moving them far can harm them. Now I simply help them across in the direction they’re going.
One eastern box turtle used to visit my garden daily to eat strawberries — I called him Boomer because he kept coming back, like a boomerang. I have spotted box turtles since then that may or may not have been Boomer. Either way, seeing a turtle on my property is always a delight.
I’m glad I checked for animals being using my string trimmer. I found this box turtle among my grow bags.
Making the Most of My Greenhouse, Season After Season
My greenhouse has been a blessing. I use it heavily through winter and spring to start seedlings, and if you follow me on Instagram, you’ve seen how quickly it fills up. In summer, it’s the perfect space to cure my garlic and onions.
The greenhouse offers the warm, dry, well-ventilated conditions needed for curing, much better than my old setup in the garage with fans. The greenhouse has proven useful year-round.
My greenhouse is where I raise seedlings and cure onions and garlic.
Plant Propagation: Figs, Hydrangeas, and an Addictive Hobby
Propagation is one of my favorite hobbies — almost an addiction. I start tons of seeds in winter, and in summer I switch to taking cuttings, which is a form of asexual propagation (essentially cloning the parent plant).
Figs and hydrangeas are great for beginners. Figs are almost foolproof: stick a cutting in moist soil, preferably in shade, and it’ll likely root. I recently turned one accidental fig pruning into 20 successful cuttings. I rooted them under grow lights and humidity domes, before moving them into pots outdoors. Hydrangeas are also easy. Spring and early summer are ideal times to take cuttings when new growth is transitioning from green to woody.
For a step-by-step guide on hydrangeas and more, check out my podcast with propagation expert Brie Arthur — it’s packed with helpful tips.
Hydrangea cuttings propagated in trays. Spring and early summer are ideal times to take cuttings when new growth is transitioning from green to woody.
When You Can’t Plant Right Away, Pot Up and Wait for Fall
Every year I bring home more plants from a local native plant sale than I can plant right away. I usually buy them in 1-gallon pots. If left too long, they struggle in the summer heat and don’t transplant well unless you’re diligent with watering.
If not getting the plants into the ground, stay on top of watering and pot them up into 3-gallon containers with well-draining soil and pine bark. That will give them more space to grow roots and keep them healthier through the heat.
If you have unplanted containers, pot them up now and move them to a shady spot. Then come fall — the ideal transplanting season — you’ll have strong, healthy plants ready to go in the ground.
When I bring homes plants that I purchased or rescued, I don’t always get them planted when I should. But in the meantime I pot them up with good quality potting soil amended with finely shredded pine bark.
Saving Native Plants Before the Bulldozers Arrive
In 2023 I joined my first native plant rescue — something I’ve wanted to do for years. Organized by the Georgia Native Plant Society, these events take place on soon-to-be-developed land, with full permission and oversight.
About 15 of us gathered with our tools and split up based on sun or shade plant preferences. I focused on shade lovers and brought home some beautiful ferns and rare finds you’d never see in a nursery.
Spending time in the woods with fellow native plant enthusiasts was a joy. I potted everything up and have been watching them settle into my woodland garden. I look forward to the next rescue.
Don’t Forget the Wildlife When the Rain Stops (or Pours)
In dry spells, don’t just think about watering your plants — remember the wildlife too.
Adding a bird bath, small pond or moving water source can make a big difference. Flowing water, in particular, attracts more animals because they hear it.
Whatever you use, keep it clean. Dump and refill every few days, and scrub it out with a brush to prevent buildup.
It’s a small effort with a big impact — helping keep local habitats healthy and wildlife cared for in your own backyard.
You don’t need a fancy birdbath or pond to supply birds with water throughout the winter.
Managing Garden Pests: Patience, Identification, and Natural Balance
Pests are part of gardening, but biodiversity helps attract predators that keep them in check. I focus on healthy soil and plants, which makes pests less of an issue, though diligence is still required.
Plants can tolerate some damage — up to 30% leaf loss — without reduced production. So you should tolerate a few pests in your garden too. Overreacting and using chemical pesticides will do more harm to your garden’s balance than good.
When Japanese beetles show up on my potatoes, my simple control method is to tap them into soapy water. Regular removal over weeks keeps populations manageable without panic. When whiteflies infest my kale, I use an organic botanical insecticide sparingly. It works without harming beneficial insects or contaminating my compost.
Correctly identifying insects is crucial since most are neutral or beneficial. For example, eggs on squash plants might be squash bug eggs or harmful squash lady beetle eggs, but there is also a chance they are beneficial ladybug eggs.
When whitefly finds you garden, it can quickly lead to an infestation. (Photo Credit: Tobi McDaniel)
Why Birds Sometimes Act Drunk in Your Yard
I spotted a downy woodpecker sprawled on my deck, wings out, seeming stunned. It flew to a nearby tree but stayed still for hours. The next day, a robin fledgling nearby acted similarly, seeming too tipsy to walk.
I discovered that birds feeding on fermented, overripe berries — like pokeberries and blueberries — can get intoxicated. So, when birds act strangely, they might just be a little drunk, not injured. Keep an eye on them, but they may not always need help.
Stay Cool and Safe: Garden Clothing for Hot Days
Midday gardening in a T-shirt and shorts might feel natural, but professionals wear long sleeves, pants, hats, and gloves to protect themselves.
I switched to sweat-wicking long sleeves and pants, plus a wet bandana for cooling. This change became clear last summer while filming in nearly 100-degree heat — my crew stayed cool while I suffered in cotton.
Long sleeves and hats also protect against skin cancer. I add Farmers Defense sleeves for scratch protection, and even layered, I stay comfortable in the heat.
Long plants, a sweat-wicking T-shirt, Farmers Defense sleeves and a hat combine for protection from summer heat and UV rays. (Photo Credit: Tobi McDaniel)
Kick Off Fall Gardening
I start fall seeds indoors in mid-July. My greenhouse gets too hot then, so I use my winter seed shelves and grow lights instead.
Cool-season plants thrive starting in warm conditions but need to mature before cold or short days arrive. I transplant them outdoors by late August or early September, aiming for a harvest that can last into December, depending on your frost date.
I stir the seed starting mix in a bucket, adding water until it reaches the right consistency before evenly distributing it into each cell.
I hope you enjoyed my summer garden reflections. If you haven’t listened yet, you can do so now by scrolling to the top of the page and clicking the Play icon in the green bar under the page title.
What are your summer garden reflections this year? Share with us in the comments below.
Links & Resources
Some product links in this guide are affiliate links. See full disclosure below.
Episode 011: Plant Propagation Basics, with Brie Arthur
Episode 012: Beneficial Garden Insects – Bringing Nature Home with Doug Tallamy
Episode 019: GardenFarm Audio Journal – First Day of Fall, 2017
Episode 050: Organic Pest Control: Beneficial Insects and Beyond
Episode 067: Predatory Beneficial Insects: Feared Foes of Garden Pests, Pt. 1
Episode 071: Gardening for Wildlife: How-to Create an Inviting Habitat, with NWF’s David Mizijewski
Episode 076: How to Create a Bird-friendly Yard
Episode 114: Understanding Hydrangeas: Pruning, Blooming, Color-Forcing & More
Episode 218: Squash Bugs: How to Manage and Control This Challenging Pest
Episode 246: Growing Figs Anywhere, Even in Cold Climates, with Lee Reich
Episode 321: Joe’s Summer Observations and Takeaways from the GardenFarm™
Episode 352: Greenhouse Hacks and Tips: Lessons Learned in My First Year
joegardener Blog: Japanese Beetle Prevention and Control
joegardener Blog: Understanding the Ladybug Life Cycle
joegardener Online Gardening Academy™: Popular courses on gardening fundamentals; managing pests, diseases & weeds; seed starting and more.
joegardener Online Gardening Academy Organic Vegetable Gardening: My new premium online course. The course is designed to be a comprehensive guide to starting, growing, nurturing and harvesting your favorite vegetables, no matter what you love to eat, no matter where you live, no matter your level of gardening experience.
joegardener Online Gardening Academy Master Seed Starting: Everything you need to know to start your own plants from seed — indoors and out.
joegardener Online Gardening Academy Beginning Gardener Fundamentals: Essential principles to know to create a thriving garden.
joegardener Online Gardening Academy Growing Epic Tomatoes: Learn how to grow epic tomatoes with Joe Lamp’l and Craig LeHoullier.
joegardener Online Gardening Academy Master Pests, Diseases & Weeds: Learn the proactive steps to take to manage pests, diseases and weeds for a more successful garden with a lot less frustration. Just $47 for lifetime access!
joegardener Online Gardening Academy Perfect Soil Recipe Master Class: Learn how to create the perfect soil environment for thriving plants.
Dramm – Our podcast episode sponsor and Brand Partner of joegardener.com
Milorganite® – Our podcast episode sponsor and Brand Partner of joegardener.com
Disclosure: Some product links in this guide are affiliate links, which means we get a commission if you make a purchase. However, none of the prices of these resources have been increased to compensate us, and compensation is not an influencing factor on their inclusion here. The selection of all items featured in this post and podcast was based solely on merit and in no way influenced by any affiliate or financial incentive, or contractual relationship. At the time of this writing, Joe Lamp’l has professional relationships with the following companies who may have products included in this post and podcast: Milorganite, Soil3, Territorial Seed Company, Proven Winners ColorChoice, and Dramm. These companies are either Brand Partners of joegardener.com and/or advertise on our website. However, we receive no additional compensation from the sales or promotion of their product through this guide. The inclusion of any products mentioned within this post is entirely independent and exclusive of any relationship.
