Home Gardener’s
Weekly
Issue
No. 56
December
29, 2023
This Week’s Feature:
âď¸ Susceptibility Quiz âď¸
Most of us have our favorite comfort foods that we reach for when we are sad or frustrated or overwhelmed. Many of us also have those foods that we just cannot say ânoâ to, even when we know we shouldnât. Some of us find ourselves munching without actually being hungry!
Why do you crave these foods that you know arenât good for you?
You want to eat healthy. You know what foods are healthy. You make the yearly resolution to lose weight and get healthy.
What are you missing?
Itâs possible that YOUR BRAIN IS BLOCKING YOU from losing weight! The fact is that peopleâs brains respond very differently to highly rewarding foods. This is precisely what GYOV Friend Dr. Susan Peirce Thompson, PhD has spent her professional career researchingâand sheâs unlocked the key to understanding how YOUR brain responds to the most addictive foods.
Take a quick 5-question quiz to discover how your brainâs unique response to food is impacting your weight-loss efforts. When you get your results, be sure to watch the video in which Susan explains how you can use this information to finally find freedom around food and weight loss that lasts.
This little piece of information may very well be the game changer that alters the course of your relationship with food AND your ability to lose weight AND keep it off!
This week is about patience in our series of Habits of a Green Thumb Grower. This tenth gardening habit is important because plants grow on their own timetableânot yours! We believe that anyone can learn to have a green thumb with the right mindset and habits.
Weekly Garden Tip
While it is okay to use just a few materials for your compost pile so long as you get the right brown to green ratios, keep in mind that your compost might be limited in nutrition. The more variety of materials you are able to put into your compost pile, the wider your nutrient and beneficial microbial pile will be. More variety is better for multi-variety gardens.
â Free Resource: Crop Evaluation Worksheet
By taking just a little time to reflect now on your previous garden seasons, you will be even more prepared for your next garden season by having a better idea of where to focus your efforts. To help with your garden reflection, we have created a free downloadable Crop Evaluation Worksheet, which will organize you in reflecting on:
â
What crops experienced issues this season
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What may have contributed to problems
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What your garden wins were
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What to do next season to feel great about your garden
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What action steps to take to nourish your garden
The worksheet includes longform and quick form options so that you can take advantage no matter how muchâor littleâtime you have.
Remember: The first step in preparation is reflection!
đ Product Feature: Bionic Gloves!
We all love to garden, right? But many of us are limited due to painful hand conditions. We have discovered a great solution!
The BIONIC RELIEFGRIP GARDENING GLOVES were designed by an orthopedic hand specialist to support the hand, provide greater flexibility, and keep your hands dry and comfortable. The gloves include patented fingertip pads on the palm surface for a comfortable secure grip. The form fitting wrist closure provides support while keeping out unwanted debris and dirt. These revolutionary, durable, AND WASHABLE gardening gloves provide extra support and mild compression, allowing your favorite gardening tasks to be performed easier and with greater comfort.
đŠđ˝âđž Prepare, Plant, Preserve Course Bundle đŠđ˝âđž
Growing your own fresh food is one of the healthiestâand happiestâchoices that you can make for you and your family. However, many gardeners give up quickly or donât even get started in the first place.
Why?
Most gardeners donât have what they need to make growing food an effective and efficient process that fits into their lifestyle.
Thatâs why we put together a new bundle Prepare, Plant, Preserve Micro Course Bundle that consists of three favorite micro coursesâThrive: Garden Freedom Series, Fresh Food Essentials, and Funky Fermentation.
This bundle gives you the foundation that you need to create efficient garden systems that really work for YOUâŚYOUR GOALSâŚYOUR SPACEâŚYOUR LIFE!
With the Prepare, Plant, Preserve Micro Course Bundle, you can skip Googling and find a tried-and-true complete system to get your garden goingâand keep it growing for years to come!
What's Happening in Harvest Club
This week, download all the stage checklists to help you discover what you donât know but need to about creating a successful garden! When you check off everything on this list, you have completed that stage for each category of your Garden Success Path. Youâll be surprised and may find something new to master.
Not a member of our garden membership Harvest Club? You can get a one-time complimentary two month membership with any of our courses. Harvest Club has tons of resources to help you thrive. Plus, you get access to ongoing garden support through email. Learn more here.
BLOG:
Cultivating Young Minds
In a world dominated by screens and digital devices, connecting children to the wonders of nature is more critical than ever. One powerful way to achieve this is by introducing kids to the joys of gardening at a young age. Gardening offers a wealth of benefits beyond just growing vegetables or herbs. It nurtures essential life skills, fosters a deeper appreciation for nature, and promotes physical and mental well-being, just to name a few
đŠđ˝âđž Garden Kids
Kids absolutely thrive in the garden, invoking their curiosity and creativity. There is so much to see, smell, touch, taste, feel, and notice. Before you know it, theyâll be asking questions and coming up with solutions that never would have occurred to you.
Childhood curiosity and creativity are what the future is made of.
Thatâs why our Youth Garden Instructor Meg Groves created two wonderful resources that you can share with the kids in your life: âPainting with Berriesâ video AND âHow Tulips Growâ printable coloring page.
In the video, Meg demonstrates a simple way to make paint using berries and encourages kids to consider what else could be used to make paint such as flowers, leaves, or even mud. The free printable coloring page âHow Tulips Growâ provides an interactive lesson about plant life cycles. Print on cardstock for best results and color your tulips with crayons, markers, colored pencils, or use your berry paint! đˇ
For the next steps in introducing your kids to gardening, check out our Sprouts: A Childâs Adventure Micro Course. The hands-on online course is packed full of useful information geared specifically to kids. The course is on special for 50% off through the end of 2023.
Dear Arti,
Question: Why can’t I get carrots to grow? I have a raised bed garden that isnât connected to the ground. I seem to plant thickly. We built raised beds in an area with adequate sun, but the neighbor’s trees have grown up and limit afternoon sun. – Dorothy
Answer: Hi Dorothy, so glad you reached out! If you donât have 6 hours of full sunâsun without any shade at all, then your carrots may be smaller and take longer to mature. Also, if you plant too thickly and donât thin your seedlings, your carrots wonât have enough room to develop roots. Carrots donât just need the root space you see from the harvested root portion. Their roots extend beyond this. And If your raised beds that arenât connected to the ground arenât deep enough, the roots will try growing sideways. But if youâre already planting too thick, then your carrots donât have enough space to stretch their feet, so-to-speak!
In general, carrots should be thinned to 2-3 inches between plants in the row with rows 12-18 inches apart. If you need a smaller variety because of space, you might consider growing Parisienne carrots.
Another very common reason people donât get carrots to grow properly is because theyâre planting them in the wrong temperatures. Carrots are a cool season crop, so be sure youâre planting them in the right season. I hope that helps, Dorothy!
đĄ In the GYOV Yarden
One of the ways that Denise Beins, GYOV CEO and Lifestyle Gardener, repurposes her kitchen food scraps is by feeding them to the worms in her worm bin. The red wiggler worms in the bin go to work breaking down the food scraps. Their work now will allow Denise to supplement her garden beds this spring with the nutrient-rich worm castings.
Just for Fun!
Ready for some Tasty Taxonomy? Learn which herbs and vegetables are related and more in this fun quiz.
Let us know which answer surprised you the most in our Facebook Garden Adventure Group.
Events From Our Friends!
FREE WEBINAR:
Avoid the 3 Mistakes That Will Derail Your Progress in 2024
WHO: Bright Line Eating
WHEN: January 2, 2024
WHAT: The Bright Line Eating Webinar explains how to set effective AND achievable goals, as well as how to use this system to reshape your relationship with food and shed your excess weight.
In this free webinar, you will also learn:
đ The #1 reason New Yearâs resolutions fail
đ The two main drivers of success with any goal
đ How to break free from food cravings
If youâre ready to learn about the three mistakes to avoid, this webinar will help you to stay on track with your goals in 2024!
FREE EVENT:
Fantastical Winter Garden Adventure
WHO: Grow Your Own Vegetables
WHEN: Available Now!
WHAT: The Fantastical Winter Garden Adventure is a free five day online adventure that shows you how to grow fresh greens all winterâŚeven if itâs snowing outside! âď¸
In 5 short days, you will discover:
âď¸ How preparing an indoor garden differs from an outdoor one
âď¸ What Thomas Edison can teach you about enjoying a thriving indoor garden
âď¸ How to plant, sprout, and harvest enough lentils in just five days for a family meal and keep up the momentum to grow even more
Donât miss this opportunity to learn how to grow fresh greens all winter long!
FREE EBOOK:
5 Biggest Weight Loss Myths, Debunked
WHO: Bright Line Eating
WHEN: Offer Ended
WHAT: The 5 Biggest Weight Loss Myths⌠Debunked is a free downloadable eBook that explains what makes a difference when it comes to shedding your excess weight and keeping it offâŚfor good!
This free eBook:
âď¸ Sorts through the weight-loss myths
âď¸ Shows a clear path forward on your health journey
âď¸ Includes access to a video that reveals the one huge mistake many make when trying to lose weight
Read this free eBook to discover once and for all whatâs been blocking your attempts to lose weight!
On a lighter note…
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