• Long, Skinny Garden? Hear How We Tweak This Space
    Jun 19 2025

    Are you thinking of growing a potted olive tree? Or maybe you already have one…but you’re still waiting for olives. Olive trees are tough as nails. They can take more cold than many people realize. And they’re really beautiful, too. Put these all together, and you have a great potted plant for a cold-climate garden.
    In my new book, Grow Olives Where You Think You Can't, I tell you everything you need to know to successfully grow an olive tree in a pot!

    ***


    Not sure what to do with a long, skinny, straight-edged garden beside a driveway, patio, or building?


    In this episode, we take a long, slender ornamental garden and reimagine the space with edible plants.


    The garden we’re thinking about is actually a little sliver of the Joan of Arc Garden in Quebec City. But these same ideas work well in in many home-garden situations.

    We talk about:

    • Crop ideas (kales, Thai basil, borage, shiso, and fern-leaf parsley)
    • Groupings vs. individual plants
    • Urns for adding height an interest in this skinny space
    • Plants that last into the fall vs. plants that fade with fall weather


    If you’re looking for more on edible flowers like borage, check out this article about edible flowers.


    ***

    - Join the 5,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang who stay on top of home food-growing ideas with our weekly e-mail. We’re making the world a better place one garden at a time!

    - Grab the free e-books: Small-Space Food-Gardening Hacks and Growing Figs in Cold Climates.

    - And say hi—we love to hear what you think!

    Voir plus Voir moins
    19 min
  • Want to Switch Out Your Annuals? Try These Herbs Instead
    Jun 5 2025

    Are you thinking of growing a potted olive tree? Or maybe you already have one…but you’re still waiting for olives. Olive trees are tough as nails. They can take more cold than many people realize. And they’re really beautiful, too. Put these all together, and you have a great potted plant for a cold-climate garden.
    In my new book, Grow Olives Where You Think You Can't, I tell you everything you need to know to successfully grow an olive tree in a pot!

    ***


    Do you have a garden where you use traditional annuals, but you want to switch it up for something edible?

    Herbs are one option.

    In this episode, we look at a space that has a tidy, slightly formal feel.

    We replace the tightly clipped shrubs with edible alternatives.

    And then we change out the annuals for herbs.

    If you’re looking for more on using edible plants instead of traditional bedding plants, check out this post.


    ***

    - Join the 5,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang who stay on top of home food-growing ideas with our weekly e-mail. We’re making the world a better place one garden at a time!

    - Grab the free e-books: Small-Space Food-Gardening Hacks and Growing Figs in Cold Climates.

    - And say hi—we love to hear what you think!

    Voir plus Voir moins
    19 min
  • Hear How We Tweak a Public Space to Keep the Aesthetic but Add Edibles
    May 22 2025

    Are you thinking of growing a potted olive tree? Or maybe you already have one…but you’re still waiting for olives. Olive trees are tough as nails. They can take more cold than many people realize. And they’re really beautiful, too. Put these all together, and you have a great potted plant for a cold-climate garden.
    In my new book, Grow Olives Where You Think You Can't, I tell you everything you need to know to successfully grow an olive tree in a pot!

    ***


    Wondering about adding edible plants to an existing gardening without spoiling the aesthetic?

    With the right plant choice, along with an understanding of how the space is used, you can add edible plants without spoiling the looks.

    In this episode, we take a public space and reimagine it with edibles.

    It’s a big space, with lots of lawn. We talk about plant choice for this shady spot, and about plant placement that doesn’t interfere with how this space is used. We include:

    • Edibles as bedding plants
    • Using height to make a focal point
    • Edibles for colour
    • Edible perennials
    • Fruit for shade

    If you’re looking for more on crops for shade, check out this post.


    ***

    - Join the 5,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang who stay on top of home food-growing ideas with our weekly e-mail. We’re making the world a better place one garden at a time!

    - Grab the free e-books: Small-Space Food-Gardening Hacks and Growing Figs in Cold Climates.

    - And say hi—we love to hear what you think!

    Voir plus Voir moins
    23 min
  • From Geranium Glut to Playful Herb Planter Box! A Container Garden Makeover
    Apr 24 2025

    Are you thinking of growing a potted olive tree? Or maybe you already have one…but you’re still waiting for olives. Olive trees are tough as nails. They can take more cold than many people realize. And they’re really beautiful, too. Put these all together, and you have a great potted plant for a cold-climate garden.
    In my new book, Grow Olives Where You Think You Can't, I tell you everything you need to know to successfully grow an olive tree in a pot!

    ***


    Thinking of veggies for your container garden? Or planter boxes with herbs?

    In this episode, we look at a patio surrounded by planter boxes that are filled with red geraniums...nothing but red geraniums.

    Our goal? Transform this linear container garden from a continuous line of red into something varied, colourful—playful—and edible.

    Hear two different approaches to reimagining the planter boxes so that they’re a low-maintenance edible container garden.

    If you’re looking for more on the sub-irrigated planters from this episode, find out more here.

    ***

    Join the 5,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang who stay on top of home food-growing ideas with our weekly e-mail. We’re making the world a better place one garden at a time!

    Grab the free e-books: Small-Space Food-Gardening Hacks and Growing Figs in Cold Climates.

    And say hi—we love to hear what you think!


    ***

    - Join the 5,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang who stay on top of home food-growing ideas with our weekly e-mail. We’re making the world a better place one garden at a time!

    - Grab the free e-books: Small-Space Food-Gardening Hacks and Growing Figs in Cold Climates.

    - And say hi—we love to hear what you think!

    Voir plus Voir moins
    23 min
  • Bare Ground, Hard Clay, and not Much Sun: Hear How to Transform this Space
    Apr 9 2025

    Are you thinking of growing a potted olive tree? Or maybe you already have one…but you’re still waiting for olives. Olive trees are tough as nails. They can take more cold than many people realize. And they’re really beautiful, too. Put these all together, and you have a great potted plant for a cold-climate garden.
    In my new book, Grow Olives Where You Think You Can't, I tell you everything you need to know to successfully grow an olive tree in a pot!

    ***


    Got a spot you’d like to use to grow food but not sure where to start?

    In this episode, we tackle a bare space with hard clay, in zone 3.

    Let’s not forget the deer and rabbits. Oh, and there’s a narrow “hell strip” that’s needs to be planted too.

    The good news is that there are lots of ways to add edibles to a garden. The way to start is by choosing a creative direction, and then getting started.

    We work through two entirely different approaches to this space.

    First, we explore a low-maintenance “grazing” garden with perennials. Next, we think about how to use a potager style in this space.

    For the plant palette we’re including options for:

    · Partial sunlight

    · Good cold tolerance for perennials (zone 3!)

    · Less attractive to deer

    · Plants that give options for adding colour, texture, and height

    If you’re looking for fruits, vegetables, and other plants that you can grow in the shade, here’s a post to get you started.

    ***

    -->Join the 5,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang who stay on top of home food-growing ideas with our weekly e-mail. We’re making the world a better place one garden at a time!

    -->Grab the free e-books: Small-Space Food-Gardening Hacks and Growing Figs in Cold Climates.

    -->And say hi—we love to hear what you think!


    ***

    - Join the 5,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang who stay on top of home food-growing ideas with our weekly e-mail. We’re making the world a better place one garden at a time!

    - Grab the free e-books: Small-Space Food-Gardening Hacks and Growing Figs in Cold Climates.

    - And say hi—we love to hear what you think!

    Voir plus Voir moins
    28 min
  • Too Cold for Tender Fruit? Hear What this Prairie Grower Does
    Jun 6 2024

    Are you thinking of growing a potted olive tree? Or maybe you already have one…but you’re still waiting for olives. Olive trees are tough as nails. They can take more cold than many people realize. And they’re really beautiful, too. Put these all together, and you have a great potted plant for a cold-climate garden.
    In my new book, Grow Olives Where You Think You Can't, I tell you everything you need to know to successfully grow an olive tree in a pot!

    ***


    Think your climate is too cold to grow tender fruit?

    Find out how this grower harvests peaches, plums, cherries, apricots, and more…despite winter temperatures that can dip to -38°C (-36°F) and a short summer.

    In this episode, Donna and Steven chat with Saskatchewan fruit grower Dean Kreutzer.

    We talk about:

    • Fruit adapted to cold climates
    • Using unheated greenhouses to grow tender fruit, grapes…and figs
    • Heat sinks and insulated tarps
    • Capturing heat from the ground—without an elaborate geothermal heating system


    Kreutzer and his wife run Over the Hill Orchards in Saskatchewan.

    If you’re looking for more on cold-hardy fruit, check out this post on Saskatoon Berries.

    ***

    -->Join the 5,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang who stay on top of home food-growing ideas with our weekly e-mail. We’re making the world a better place one garden at a time!

    -->Grab the free e-books: Small-Space Food-Gardening Hacks and Growing Figs in Cold Climates.

    -->And say hi—we love to hear what you think!


    ***

    - Join the 5,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang who stay on top of home food-growing ideas with our weekly e-mail. We’re making the world a better place one garden at a time!

    - Grab the free e-books: Small-Space Food-Gardening Hacks and Growing Figs in Cold Climates.

    - And say hi—we love to hear what you think!

    Voir plus Voir moins
    33 min
  • Not Enough Space? Fit in More Crops With These Ideas
    May 30 2024

    Are you thinking of growing a potted olive tree? Or maybe you already have one…but you’re still waiting for olives. Olive trees are tough as nails. They can take more cold than many people realize. And they’re really beautiful, too. Put these all together, and you have a great potted plant for a cold-climate garden.
    In my new book, Grow Olives Where You Think You Can't, I tell you everything you need to know to successfully grow an olive tree in a pot!

    ***


    Do you have more seeds and plants than you can fit into your garden?

    It’s a common problem for the enthusiastic food gardener!

    In this episode, Donna and Steven talk about finding more growing space so that you can fit more crops into the same space.

    Get ideas for:

    • Growing in ungardenable spaces…like the root-infested space next to hedges
    • Reducing space used by pathways
    • Tiering crops in a garden
    • Using paved areas, decks—and stairs!


    If you’re looking for more on garden planning, check out these 7 vegetable garden layout ideas.

    ***

    -->Join the 5,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang who stay on top of home food-growing ideas with our weekly e-mail. We’re making the world a better place one garden at a time!

    -->Grab the free e-books: Small-Space Food-Gardening Hacks and Growing Figs in Cold Climates.

    -->And say hi—we love to hear what you think!


    ***

    - Join the 5,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang who stay on top of home food-growing ideas with our weekly e-mail. We’re making the world a better place one garden at a time!

    - Grab the free e-books: Small-Space Food-Gardening Hacks and Growing Figs in Cold Climates.

    - And say hi—we love to hear what you think!

    Voir plus Voir moins
    22 min
  • Tips for Growing Great Tomatoes
    May 23 2024

    Are you thinking of growing a potted olive tree? Or maybe you already have one…but you’re still waiting for olives. Olive trees are tough as nails. They can take more cold than many people realize. And they’re really beautiful, too. Put these all together, and you have a great potted plant for a cold-climate garden.
    In my new book, Grow Olives Where You Think You Can't, I tell you everything you need to know to successfully grow an olive tree in a pot!

    ***


    Want to grow great tomatoes?


    With the right transplanting and care, your tomatoes will be off to a great start.


    In this episode, Donna and Steven talk about:

    • Transplanting tomato seedlings
    • Protecting transplants from cold spring weather
    • How to stake, train, and support tomato plants
    • Pruning tomato suckers
    • Watering and feeding
    • Tomato challenges, including pests, diseases, and blossom end rot.

    If you’re looking for more on how to support tomato plants, check out this article.

    -->Join the 5,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang who stay on top of home food-growing ideas with our weekly e-mail. We’re making the world a better place one garden at a time!

    -->Grab the free e-books: Small-Space Food-Gardening Hacks and Growing Figs in Cold Climates.

    -->And say hi—we love to hear what you think!


    ***

    - Join the 5,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang who stay on top of home food-growing ideas with our weekly e-mail. We’re making the world a better place one garden at a time!

    - Grab the free e-books: Small-Space Food-Gardening Hacks and Growing Figs in Cold Climates.

    - And say hi—we love to hear what you think!

    Voir plus Voir moins
    32 min