How to Up-Pot Plants: A Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.In my time gardening, I have found that potting-up my plants once before planting outside is ideal for maximum harvests. I'll touch on why exactly in this blog post!I especially love doing this with my tomato plants because tomatoes are...
8 Reasons I Swear by This Fertilizer in My Garden
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.There are a few garden products I simply don’t garden without anymore. And to be clear: this is not a sponsored post. After consistently strong results over the past five years, I wanted to share why this specific brand's fertilizers...
Soil vs. Dirt: Understanding the Difference and How to Make Your Own Soil
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Whether you're a beginner gardener or a seasoned grower, understanding the foundation of plant health - soil - is crucial.Many people use the terms soil and dirt interchangeably, but in gardening and agriculture, they are very different...
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!
How and Why I Brought Native Bees to my Garden
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Every year, I hand pollinate my tomatoes (hand pollinating a tomato means manually helping the plant transfer pollen from the male part of the flower to the female part so it can produce fruit). There’s something satisfying about knowing...
Choosing the Right Temperature for Seedlings
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here. If you've ever grown your own seedlings before, sadly you may that it's not always a smooth road. In fact, I feel like every year I face some sort of issue with at least some of my seedlings. Oftentimes, I’m able to correct the issues...
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...
Six Ways to Protect Your Garden from the Frost
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Protecting my garden from freezing temperatures is a constant battle during the spring. I live in a part of Utah (Zone 7A) that is a sub desert, and so even though the days often get warm, the nighttime temperatures can drop by over 20...
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...
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
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...
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...
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...
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...
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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...
Comparing Grow Boxes: Garden Patch Grow Box vs. EarthBox
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.I love grow boxes and have used them heavily for years! My grandparents were the first ones to introduce them to me many years ago. They're especially valuable for beginner gardeners, small space gardeners, people growing on decks or...
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...
Microgreens: A Complete Beginner-Friendly Guide
Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Microgreens are young vegetable or herb seedlings harvested just after their first true leaves appear, usually around 1 - 3 inches tall. They’re grown densely, harvested quickly, and pack intense flavor and nutrients into small, tender...
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.
