Why this site exists
You’re staring at a packet of seeds, wondering if the soil in your pots is good enough or if the light is too weak.
The instructions on the back say ‘easy,’ but you’ve already killed three basil plants this year, and the tomatoes you swore would thrive last summer ended up as a sad, leggy mess.
This site exists to cut out the guesswork—not with guarantees, but with the kind of notes you’d scribble on a seed packet if you could do it over. No fluff. Just what actually grows, what doesn’t, and why.
Who writes this site
Perry Sizemore is the one who still checks the soil pH before planting, even though it’s never changed anything.
Do you test everything yourself?
Mostly. But sometimes a neighbor’s compost pile or a friend’s shady balcony teaches me more than my own garden. If I don’t know, I say so.
What do you get wrong the most?
Watering. I still forget that ‘damp’ and ‘soggy’ are not the same thing. The basil always pays the price.
Why no hydroponics?
I’ve tried it twice. Once the pump broke. The second time, I forgot to add nutrients. The lettuce just… stared at me. I prefer soil.
The only thing I keep in the garden shed is a chipped trowel, a half-empty bag of potting mix, and a photo of my grandmother’s zucchini patch—because hers always grew upright, like something out of a storybook.
How a seed starts here
Every post begins with a seed packet, a failed experiment, or a plant that outlived its welcome. The rest is just dirt, time, and hoping for a leaf.
The first planting
I dig too deep. The roots of a seedling don’t need a grave—they need room to breathe. Half the time, I bury them an inch too low, and they rot before they sprout.
But the other half? Those are the ones that surprise you. The basil that grows through a crack in the sidewalk. The tomato that thrives in a pot too small for its own good.
The fixing
If the leaves yellow, it’s either too much water or not enough. If the stems snap, the stakes were put in too late. I learn this the hard way—every time.
The notes here are the ones I’d scribble on a post-it if I had a garden journal. No theory. Just what worked, what didn’t, and why.
What we will not do
This site won’t pretend your windowsill is a greenhouse, or that every seed packet is a promise. No ‘miracle’ grows, no ‘foolproof’ methods—just plants, soil, and the occasional lesson.
Things you will never find here
- Step-by-step guides for growing bonsai from cuttings (I’ve tried; it’s not happening).
- ‘Best’ lists ranked by beauty alone (ugly plants feed people too).
- Recipes for ‘perfect’ compost (the worms don’t care about your ratios).
- Claims that deadheading makes flowers bloom longer (sometimes it does; sometimes it doesn’t).
Where to start
If you’re new, start with the ‘Failed Plants’ section—it’s the most honest place. If you’re looking for something specific, check the ‘Soil & Seasons’ guide first. And if you still can’t find it? The search bar works.
Say hello
I like hearing about the plants that outsmarted you, the soil that surprised you, or the one garden tool you swear by. If you’ve got a story—or just a question—there’s a contact page for that.
The guides are grouped by category: Advice, Companion Plants, Container Gardens, Diseases, Fertilization and Flowers.