The Most Common Gardening Problems + Real Solutions
forget the hacks, this is what your garden really needs
Today we’re diving into no nonsense garden advice for your most common gardening problems. But first, a few new things you might have missed…
Pasta with Garlicky Greens, White Beans & Lemony Breadcrumbs
A new recipe from my ongoing series, Garden Kneads, where I pair a homemade pasta shape with a homegrown sauce. Short on time? Skip the handmade pasta and go with store bought. The sauces are always simple and seasonal. I loved this pasta dish so much. The garlicky greens are bold, the white beans add just enough richness, and the breadcrumbs are crunchy and lemony. Get the recipe for Pasta with Garlicky Greens, White Beans & Lemony Breadcrumbs here.
Beginner-friendly posts and workshops you may like
& Lastly…
I’ll be back later this week with all the details from my Garden Party. I hosted a little gathering last weekend to celebrate the upcoming launch of the fifth vintage of My Fruit Trees, a wine collaboration with Neighborhood Winery inspired by my garden. This year’s release is a little different. I was pregnant when it came time to blend the wine, so my husband Nick stepped in and crafted this year’s version. Around here, we’re calling it Nick’s Version. Best believe I’ll be sipping it poolside or gardenside as soon as this baby arrives. In the meantime, you can catch the behind-the-scenes party prep over on TikTok and Instagram.
The Most Common Gardening Problems + Real Solutions
“I’m a self-taught gardener” is my way of saying that I’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way. My goal with Carmen in the Garden and this newsletter is to distill over a decade of trial and error into tangible advice so you can have a thriving garden of your own. No cheeky Buzzfeed hacks here (we’re not regrowing green onions in a cut out water bottle). I’ve always been a champion of simplicity when it comes to garden wins: sunshine, compost, water, mulch, and pollinators. Chances are, if you’ve been gardening for even a few days or a few years, you’ve run into at least one of the following problems. Let’s break them down.
Problem #1: slow growth and/or yellowing leaves
Slow growth or yellowing leaves can point to a few key issues. First things first: lush, vigorous leafy growth (a.k.a. what you want) is closely tied to nitrogen, one of the essential nutrients plants need to thrive. The solution: build up nitrogen naturally. But not so fast! We're not going to dump a bunch of synthetic fertilizer into the soil. Inorganic fertilizers may offer a quick fix, but they can wreak havoc on your garden’s ecosystem and contribute to environmental runoff issues. Instead, let’s go with a more sustainable, cost effective, and beginner friendly approach.