Growing Green Beans: Tips, Harvesting, and Trellis Ideas
Green beans are a favorite among home gardeners because they’re quick to mature, highly productive, and versatile in the kitchen. Whether you enjoy them fresh, sautéed, pickled, or frozen, green beans can provide plentiful harvests from a relatively small space....
Cowboy Candy Recipe: A Sweet and Spicy Snack
Cowboy candy, or candied jalapeños, is a Southern classic that pairs sweet syrup with spicy peppers. While the exact origin is unclear, it likely gained popularity in the American South, particularly in Texas and neighboring states. Ranchers and cowboys appreciated it...
Beginner’s Guide: How to Grow Blueberries in Your Garden
Although blueberries are a delicious and rewarding fruit to grow, they can be tricky for gardeners. Unlike other common fruits such as raspberries, strawberries, or grapes, blueberries require specific soil conditions and growing care.With proper preparation,...
Welcome to Jeff’s Garden Shed
Step into Real Farmer Jeff’s Garden Shed—where small-space gardening meets big harvests. From tomatoes to turnips, I share urban farming tips, seasonal growing guides, and everything you need to turn your balcony, backyard, or patch of dirt into something delicious. I’m glad you’re here!
Making Lacto-Fermented Homemade Hot Sauce With Your Harvest
Hot sauce has been around for centuries, but not all hot sauces are created the same.Some are quick blends of chili peppers and vinegar, while others rely on an ancient technique called lacto-fermentation. This method not only preserves peppers but also transforms...
How to Save Tomato Seeds
Saving seeds from your garden is one of the most rewarding ways to bring gardening full circle. It allows you to preserve your favorite varieties, save money, and grow plants that are better adapted to your local growing conditions. That being said, saving your own...
Pad Prik King (Thai Green Beans Dry Curry)
Pad Prik King is a classic Thai stir-fry that perfectly showcases the bold flavors of Thai cuisine. Unlike traditional curries, it’s a relatively dry stir-fry, meaning the sauce clings to the ingredients rather than pooling on the plate.The star of Pad Prik King is...
3 Ways to Freeze Tomatoes to Preserve Your Harvest
Canning is the classic method for preserving tomatoes, but here’s the catch: to make canning worth the time and effort, you usually need a large harvest all at once.Gathering enough tomatoes, prepping them, sterilizing equipment, and spending hours over a hot stove...
About Deadheading in the Garden
Deadheading is one of those simple garden tasks that can make a big difference.At its core, deadheading means removing spent flowers, buds, or unnecessary growth so plants can use their energy more effectively. In this photo, I am deadheading my tomatoes. I usually...
Guide to Seed Libraries and Getting Free or Cheap Seeds
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.I learned from one of my followers (shoutout Alyssa!) that you can sometimes find free seeds at local libraries.I was so intrigued that I checked out three libraries in my area. I found that one library didn’t have a seed program,...
Explore By Gardening Topic
Soil Health + Composting
Seed Starting + Transplanting
Containers + Raised Beds
DIY + Garden Prep
All About Tomatoes
Gardening Products I Love
The Tomato Zone
How to Prune Tomatoes for Maximum Harvest
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Pruning tomato plants correctly can do wonders for your garden. It boosts your harvest, improves airflow around the plant, and helps prevent common diseases like blight and powdery mildew.But before you start snipping away, it’s...
7 Ways to Hand Pollinate Tomatoes (Ranked Worst to Best)
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Tomato flowers are self-pollinating, but they still need movement to release pollen. This can come naturally from buzzing bees or wind. However, conditions may not be ideal in various situations that include, gardening indoors or not...
Understanding Blossom End Rot: Why It Happens and What to Do
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Blossom-end rot is one of the most frustrating issues for gardeners growing tomatoes, peppers, squash, and some other vegetables. It can ruin a significant portion of your harvest, and because the damage often appears after the fruit has...
Heirloom vs. Hybrid Vegetables: Which Should You Grow?
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.When planning a garden, one of the most common questions is whether to grow heirloom or hybrid vegetables.Both have their own strengths, weaknesses, and ideal growing situations. In this blog post, I'll explain what sets the two apart...
Three Downsides of Upside Down Tomato Growing
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Upside-down gardening sounds great in theory. Theoretically it can: save space, reduce pests, improve airflow, make harvesting easier, and keep produce cleaner by growing plants suspended off the ground. It flips the script on...
Boost Your Tomato Harvest by Simulating Wind
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Tomatoes are self-pollinating, which means each flower contains both male and female parts. However, that doesn’t mean they’ll pollinate themselves without a little help. The most common ways they'll pollinate naturally are through wind,...
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Growing Tomatoes Upside Down: A Space-Saving, Dog-Proof Gardening Hack
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Upside-down gardening might sound like a gimmick at first, but it’s actually a clever, practical solution for growing healthy, productive plants - especially if you're short on space or dealing with pets, pests, or limited garden...
Reencle Indoor Composter: The Easiest Way to Turn Kitchen Scraps into Garden Gold
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by composting - tracking the right ratios, avoiding meat or dairy, or dealing with outdoor bins - I highly recommend the Reencle Indoor Composter.It is truly incredible how it can turn nearly all food...
The Benefits of Fabric Grow Bags in Gardening
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Fabric grow bags are one of my favorite garden containers that I would highly recommend to anyone!Apart from being incredibly versatile, grow backs perhaps give the most cost effective harvest of any garden containers.In this post I will...
Growing Potatoes in Towers: Fact vs. Fiction + Plant Growth Explained
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.When my friend sent me the graphic below showing how to grow 100 pounds of potatoes in just 4 square feet, I was intrigued. With only ~250 square feet of backyard space behind my townhouse, I'm always on the lookout for space-efficient...
Guide to Vermicomposting — Plus My Wormlet Kit Review
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.If you've ever thought about turning your kitchen scraps into garden gold, vermicomposting is a fun option. Not only is it a sustainable way to reduce waste, but it also produces one of the most nutrient-rich soil amendments available:...
Why Pollination Matters in Your Garden + How to Attract Bees
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.One of the essential ways to maximize yields in your garden is to have a high pollination percentage on the plants you are already growing. It's common practice to plant flowers specifically to bring in the pollinators and promote...
Jeff has a deep passion for gardening. Each year, he cultivates hundreds of pounds of vegetables—along with the occasional fruit—turning his garden into a thriving and productive space. Combined with Kyrié’s cooking, together, they create exciting meals using Jeff’s harvest.
