How to Create Flower Pot Arrangements
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Beautiful DIY flower arrangements are an easy way to elevate a space all summer long. For a long time, I thought professional looking flower pots required some kind of special design skill. However, the reality is that most flower pots...
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...
Harvesting Garlic Scapes and Making Pesto
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.This year I tried what I consider to be a true garden delicacy: garlic scapes.Before growing garlic myself, I had never even heard of garlic scapes. They're something you almost never see in grocery stores, and even many...
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!
My Honest Review of the Click and Grow Indoor Garden
From top to bottom (basil, lettuce, peppers). I planted all of them on April 7, and this photo was taken on May 10, just a month later. Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Living in a small space doesn’t mean you have to give up on your gardening dreams. In fact, there are...
Why A Nicer Hose May Be Worth the Upgrade
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.For years, I’ve never considered upgrading my hose. Ultimately, the most important thing having a hose gets water from point A to point B.However, after recently upgrading my hose to a Vego Hi-Flow model, it would be hard to go back. In...
Increasing Tomato Yield: How To Pollinate Your Tomatoes by Hand
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.If you’ve ever struggled to get a good tomato harvest (especially during hot, dry summers) hand-pollination might be the secret weapon you’ve been missing. Even though hand-pollination goes above and beyond what the average gardener...
Hand Watering vs. Soaker Hoses vs. Drip Irrigation: Which Method Is Best?
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.I recently did a poll on my Instagram to learn how you water your garden. With over 1,000 votes, I learned that two-thirds of you mostly hand water! Honestly, I understand why. Hand watering can be peaceful, relaxing, and one of the best...
Should You Remove Flowers From Tomato Plants?
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.You may have seen gardeners pinching flowers off their tomato plants and wondered why they would remove something that eventually becomes a tomato.The reason is simple: when a tomato plant starts producing fruit, it diverts energy away...
Homemade Kimchi Recipe
Kimchi is a common traditional Korean and Japanese side dish that consists of fermented cabbage and other vegetables that are seasoned with Korean chili flakes (known as gochugaru).Think of it like the Asian version of sauerkraut - but in my opinion, way better....
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
Should You Remove Flowers From Tomato Plants?
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.You may have seen gardeners pinching flowers off their tomato plants and wondered why they would remove something that eventually becomes a tomato.The reason is simple: when a tomato plant starts producing fruit, it diverts energy away...
5 Ways to Plant Tomatoes
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Tomatoes are unique because they can grow roots directly from their stems. If you look closely at a tomato stem, you’ll often notice tiny fuzzy hairs or bumps. Those are actually potential root sites.When part of the stem is buried, the...
How to Build My Favorite Tomato Trellis
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.As many of you know, my favorite garden vegetable/fruit to grow are tomatoes.I’m sure many of you have used the classic cone-shaped wire trellises. Unfortunately, they don’t work that well for tomatoes. There are several types of...
Starting Seeds vs. Buying Transplants
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Starting your own garden is an exciting adventure, but before you start, you will need to do some planning. One of the main reasons many gardening efforts fall short is due to lack of proper planning. In this article, I will help you...
Fried Green Tomatoes
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Fried green tomatoes are made from firm, unripe tomatoes that are sliced, coated in a seasoned cornmeal or flour mixture, and fried until golden and crispy. They’re tangy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, often served as a...
My Top 6 Tomato Varieties of 2025
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.If you've been around a while, you know that tomatoes are my favorite crop to grow. In fact, each year I go a little overboard and grow about 30 tomato plants. This is so that I can grow not only my favorite varieties, but also...
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My Experience with Vego’s Elevated Garden Bed
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.This last weekend I put together my new elevated garden bed from Vego. I thought it may be helpful to share my experience and list some tips that I learned along the way. First off, here are some of its key features listed on its...
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...
My 7 Tips for a Small-Space Garden
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.As many of you know, my garden is only about ~15 x 15 ft. However, I do my best to maximize yields as much as possible because it’s fun to grow TONS of food! One of my most frequently asked questions from friends (as well as you guys...
My Top Essential Garden Products
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here. My goal for this blog post is to save you money by explaining need-to-have's vs. nice-to-have's for gardening products so that you are prepared to create your own successful, luscious garden this year. Let's do this!These are all...
How to Build a Homemade Trellis Using Cattle Panel
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.This season, I built homemade trellises made from cattle panel! I have the perfect corner in my garden to put them that is currently unused. They're a great way to support climbing plants like cucumbers, beans, peas, and even melons...
The 3 Best Garden Containers for Every Gardener
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.In this blog post I will share the 3 main types of garden containers that I use and recommend. Note that I use many types of containers, but these are my favorite ones!I will also list out the pros and cons of each so that you can...
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.
