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Cheryl Holmes

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How I Turned My Overgrown Backyard Into a Pollinator Haven

Last year, I decided to stop fighting “weeds” and let certain areas grow wild. I planted native flowers, left clover patches, and let milkweed flourish. Within weeks, bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds moved in. My backyard became alive in a way I hadn’t imagined. I also noticed something else: letting plants grow naturally helped the soil recover. Clover added nitrogen, dandelions loosened compacted soil, and tall grasses protected roots from the sun. The lesson: not every plant needs to be controlled. Observing what grows and learning its purpose can save labor, improve biodiversity, and make your garden healthier. #Gardening #PollinatorGarden

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Cheryl Holmes

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The Simple Trick That Stopped My Potted Plants From Dying

I used to kill potted plants constantly. I’d water, fertilize, rotate them — nothing worked. Then I learned the problem was drainage. Holes alone don’t cut it; soil often clogs them. A gardener at the nursery taught me: Add a thin layer of gravel at the bottom Place a square of mesh over it Fill with well-draining mix Water slowly until excess drains The first plant I tried this on — a struggling rosemary — immediately perked up. Leaves stopped yellowing, and new shoots appeared within weeks. Proper drainage makes all the difference. Sometimes the smallest change saves months of frustration. #Gardening #ContainerGardening

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Justin Guerra

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My neighbor's palm tree gets the most extreme haircut every year

Every summer or early fall, Santa Ana winds strip all those fronds right off the tree, and they can really cause damage. They can hit cars, fall on people walking by. It's generally a liability if they're not taken care of. #PalmTrees #SantaAnaWinds #GardeningProblems #HomeownerLife #SeasonalMaintenance #Gardening

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Cheryl Holmes

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the irrigation timer setting that finally gave me stress-free mornings

For years, I watered at night because it fit my schedule. I’d get home from work, eat, then walk the yard with a hose like a tired groundskeeper. Then I read a study showing night watering encourages fungal disease — and suddenly everything made sense: the mildew, the leaf spots, the random die-offs. So I switched to a dawn-only irrigation schedule, using a $25 mechanical timer. The difference was instant: Plants dried quickly after sunrise → fewer diseases Soil stayed consistently moist → less cracking Birds ate pests early in the morning I gained 20 quiet minutes to drink my coffee while the garden glowed in soft light It feels like the garden works with me now, not against me. If your mornings feel chaotic, automate your watering. It’s the closest thing to a free upgrade your yard will ever get. #Gardening #HomeIrrigation

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Cheryl Holmes

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the only mulch that keeps weeds away AND fixes your soil

I used to buy bark mulch every year because it looked “nice.” But it did almost nothing for weeds, and by August, my soil was still dry and cracked. Then a local master gardener told me: “Switch to shredded hardwood, not bark. It’s heavier, breaks down slower, and feeds the soil.” He wasn’t kidding. After switching, I saw: 80% fewer weeds Soil stayed moist even during heatwaves Earthworms everywhere (a good sign) Almost no fungus gnats The real bonus? Hardwood mulch creates a “microclimate” under the surface that keeps roots cool. My hydrangeas finally stopped wilting every afternoon. Plus, it’s usually cheaper because cities give it away after tree removals. #Gardening #Mulch

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Cheryl Holmes

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the $7 fertilizer that beats every name-brand product

I’ve bought every fancy fertilizer on the shelf — the $25 organic blends, the liquid concentrates, the slow-release pellets. But the best results I ever got came from something embarrassingly simple: alfalfa pellets. The same stuff people feed to horses. $7 for a giant bag. Sprinkle a handful around roses, tomatoes, peppers, or perennial flowers, water well, and walk away. What happened shocked me: Tomatoes doubled in size within two weeks Roses pushed new shoots like crazy Peppers went from slow and sad to vibrant and deep green Alfalfa releases a natural growth hormone called triacontanol. Plants love it — especially in early summer. My neighbor thought I switched to some professional-grade fertilizer. Nope. Horse food. #Gardening #FertilizerHack

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Cheryl Holmes

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the pruning mistake that cost me a whole season — and how i fixed it

Last year, I almost swore off roses. I pruned them the way YouTube said — short, aggressive, everything cut back to a tidy shape. But when June came, I only got a handful of blooms. My neighbor, a 68-year-old retired horticulturist, walked over, looked for five seconds, and said: “You pruned them like they’re in California. You live in the Midwest. Big difference.” He showed me the real method: Don’t cut roses too early. Late frost destroys fresh growth. Aim for airflow, not shape — remove crossing canes first. Leave more old wood than you think; it stores the plant’s strength. Seal any thick cuts with a bit of wood glue to prevent borers. This spring I did exactly what he said. My roses exploded — deep red clusters, no black spot, no weak stems. People walking their dogs literally slowed down to stare. Sometimes the “rules” aren’t wrong… they’re just not for your climate. #Gardening #Pruning

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wmadden

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Grow a garden’s worth of free plants by spring

Imagine turning a few snips from your favorite shrubs into a whole tray of new plants—no greenhouse needed! Local expert Neil Bell swears by the “snip and stick” method, using just a tray, some perlite mix, and rooting hormone. Even if only a handful of cuttings root, you’ll have fresh rosemary, hydrangea, or dogwood to plant or share by spring. It’s simple, low-cost, and surprisingly fun. Anyone else tried this? What plants would you love to multiply for next year’s garden? Let’s swap tips and success stories! #Home #gardening #plantpropagation

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Cheryl Holmes

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how i doubled my tomato production by fixing one simple mistake

For years, I planted tomatoes the way the internet told me: water often, fertilize every two weeks, cage them, hope for the best. Then last year I discovered why my yields were mediocre — my plants were drowning. Overwatering is the #1 tomato killer. So I changed everything: I watered deeply once every 4–5 days. Added 3 inches of mulch to keep soil cool. Pruned the bottom 8–10 inches for airflow. Used one tablespoon of crushed eggshells in each planting hole. The results? I harvested twice as many tomatoes. Fruit was bigger, skins didn’t crack, and I barely had any blossom rot. My neighbor asked what fertilizer I used — I told him it wasn’t fertilizer at all. It was finally giving the plants the right environment, not more products. #Gardening #Tomatoes

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Cheryl Holmes

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the “don’t buy soil” trick every home gardener should know

Garden centers charge ridiculous prices for bagged soil. A single raised bed can cost $80–120 just to fill. Here’s a trick I learned from an older veteran gardener: use logs and branches as the base layer. This method (hugelkultur-style) works great: Place old firewood, branches, or even untreated scrap lumber on the bottom of the bed. Add leaves, grass clippings, and kitchen compost on top. Finish with 4–6 inches of actual garden soil. Why this works: Wood slowly decomposes, releasing nutrients for YEARS. The bed stays moist longer — wood acts like a sponge. You need far less soil, cutting your cost by half. I filled two 4x8 beds for under $40 each using this method. Plants grew taller than any previous season. Plus, it’s the perfect use for those random branches your yard keeps producing. #Gardening #BudgetHacks

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