For my Organic Vegetable Gardening Consulting Customers

I have a private blog that is complimentary for consulting customers (those who sign up via the Consulting Options page) ​and loaded with photographs and bite-sized tips--tasty bits of my experience, research, techniques, observations, and more from over the last 5 years of organic vegetable gardening in Phoenix, AZ (the last two years have been almost exclusively container vegetable gardening) for helping you to decide what you want help with and to formulate your highest priority questions. The 275 posts on growing food organically should also reduce the amount of consulting that is needed and get the idea-wheel turning. One blog post contains consulting ideas/topics, and I've added a section below with some of those topics.​

 I recommend giving yourself time to read through the blog content before starting your own organic vegetable garden and contacting me with questions once you sign up for consulting.​​

A Few Consulting Ideas/Topics

 The goal of my complimentary private blog + consulting is to remove your trepidation, get your gardening juices pumped, and greatly shorten the learning curve for you with details galore! A gardening friend always helps!

The following are some of the topics we can discuss for helping your own organic vegetable garden (container, raised bed, or perhaps in-ground though there are more limitations applicable to the third option) thrive:. If there are item numbers that you think you are in most need of, feel free to list them for me in the Contact form.
​
potting mixes​
pots/containers I like and where I get them  
all things fertilizer: types of organic fertilizer, how much fertilizer to use, how frequently I fertilize, which fertilizers to use with some plants but not other plants, where I get my fertilizers, and the ratios I use in my mixes​
local suppliers and products I love
online suppliers and products I love (e.g., hand watering tools I love)
how much time it takes me to hand water my garden at various times of the year and discussion of pros and cons of drip irrigation
methods of producing shade if in a climate like Phoenix
tips for buying plants online safely (there are risks that many don't know about; I try to not buy plants online, but I do often buy seeds online)
what to plant (including the best varieties: the best tasting, most productive, most disease-resistant and/or pest-resistant, and/or fastest growing varieties; we can also discuss flavor notes of the varieties I’ve tried)               
how often do the plants produce food and in which seasons (helping you choose varieties that flower and fruit at a time of year that works for your climate)  
how much waiting time before harvest (it varies by plant and research may need to be done for the plants you have in mind)   
disease and pest management methods         
some pest insects and diseases to watch out for     
some beneficial insects to protect and invite into your space (or even purchase) as well as some simple methods for doing so  
when to plant
where to plant
how much to plant
plant dimensions and plant spacing
pruning for shape and proper fruiting       
pruning for disease and pest control
whether to start from seed, when to start from seed, how to start from seed
how I choose where to plant seeds in each pot from the best survival chances and other considerations
when to harvest
in-ground, raised bed, and container gardening pros and cons
heirlooms versus hybrids: pros and cons, the best of each
how much water
when to water
how to water
signs of overwatering and underwatering to look out for
hand-pollinating different kinds of plants
how I decide where to plant seeds
how much sun or shade
how much heat and cold can the plants take
trellis options (I use and make utilitarian ones for my own garden, but I can help you find decorative ones for your garden if you wish)
which pots
saving seeds (a simple method that works well for me)
organizing seeds (I do many things inexpensively so my method is simple and inexpensive)
to mulch or not to mulch
how to compost safely
vermicomposting aka earthworms the easy way

A Video Sample from my Blog as it was in 2022

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