The Nursery Run That Turned Into an Instant Garden
🌤️ I said we were just getting peppers…
But you might already know how that went.
My husband and I dropped by a nursery here in North Carolina with a short, sweet list. Just peppers. Simple, right? Well…
We left with peppers, tomatoes…
And a few other ‘how could I not?!’ plants.
Thinking About Starting a Garden?
If you’ve been wanting to start a veggie garden but feel overwhelmed, here’s a sign: JUST START.
You can grow from seeds, seedlings, or even larger plants—whatever works for you.
I use all three.
No shame in mixing it up.
Growing from seeds saves money and is super satisfying.
But if you need a fast start?
🌱 Go with seedlings (aka baby plants)…
🪴 Or even potted plants that are already growing strong!
No matter what you start with–every little step adds up.
Not sure where to begin?
Here’s one of the fastest ways I know to get growing—right now…
Get An Instant Garden In Minutes
Wanna start a veggie garden right now??
This is how you get an instant garden in minutes…
1️⃣ Visit a nursery or garden center.
2️⃣ Pick up some seedlings (baby starter plants) and plant what’s in season.
That’s how you walk into a nursery and leave with an…
✅ Instant garden.
✅ Instant progress.
✅ It’s instantly satisfying. 🫰🏽✨
But no matter how you begin…
Starting will take you where you wanna grow (pun intended)!
You Don’t Need A Huge Yard or Acres to Grow Food
☝🏽 My personal opinion…a little bit of homegrown food is better than no homegrown food.
❌ So you don’t need acres of land to grow your own food.
❌ You don’t need a huge yard or some grand plan either.
You just need:
✅ A few healthy plants
✅ The right season
✅ A little bit of vision + a few simple steps
And what if you’re short on space?
Don’t worry—this next tip has you covered.
Short on Space? Try Vertical Gardening
If space is tight?
Grow up, not out.
Vertical-growing plants—like the Rise & Shine Squash I just planted or the Pole Beans I grew last year—can help you:
- Save space in small areas
- Make harvesting easier (less or no bending at all)
- Promote better airflow between leaves = healthier plants
🌱 Insider Tips for Buying + Planting
Some garden wins–and a few garden woes taught me…
✅ WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN SEEDLINGS
🚩 Big and flowering doesn’t mean better.
🚩 To be honest, it can be a red flag.
Instead, look for seedlings that are:
- Green and healthy
- Compact (not leggy)
- Free from insects and disease
✅ WHEN TO PLANT
⛈️ Avoid planting right before extreme weather (check that forecast)!
💦 Water your soil before planting so it’s moist–not dry.
🌥️ Plant on a cloudy day or early evening to reduce transplant stress.
🪲 Transplant stress can weaken plants to attacks from pests and disease—which hurts your harvest.
😩 Know what else hurts your harvest? Overwatering and letting the soil dry out.
✅ HANDLE WITH CARE
When it’s moving day for your plants—treat them with love, care, and caution! That means be gentle with those roots when transplanting.
✅ WANNA KEEP IT ALIVE? WATCH IT.
Seriously! New plants need more attention.
My suggestion? Walk your garden daily to check on your plants.
🚩 Are they wilting?
🚩 Do you see half-eaten leaves, bugs, or tiny bug eggs hiding underneath?
🚩 Are they turning brown, black, yellow, or white?
Catching an issue early can save your harvest.
And if daily check-ins don’t work for your schedule, no stress — just do a daily check on what you just planted for the next several days.
Honestly, fresh transplants need extra attention for weeks but start with tomorrow…then the next day…and the next!
From there, I believe once you start seeing growth, check-ins will be easier!
I check on my seedlings about twice a day to make sure the soil near the surface stays moist for their shallow roots.
@lolacabaya 🌱 Growing Pole Beans in a Small Pot! 🤤 These are the prettiest veggies I’ve grown. ✨✨✨ I grew Trionfo Violetto and Blue Lake FM-1K Pole Beans in a 12-inch pot 🤯 AND they’re thriving! 🙌🏽 Bamboo sticks help them climb. 🌿 Turns out, beans can grow in 8-10 inch pots (at minimum). I thought their roots were deeper! But I guess not. 😆 #thesmokingprophet #hardlyfarmers #thingsiwishiknewyesterday #startingagarden #ContainerGardening #PoleBeans #GrowingVeggies #SmallSpaceGardening #UrbanGardening #BotanicalInterests #FallGardening #PlantLover ♬ original sound – Lola Cabaya
🌍 Plant What’s In Season
Want to know what veggies are best to plant right now–where you live?!
Besides browsing what’s available at your local nursery or garden center…
👉🏽 Use a local planting calendar for what’s in season + when to plant.
Here are THREE WAYS to find that info:
🔎 Visit your state’s Extension Office site–like NC State’s Planting Guide.
🔎 Try tools like Almanac Planting Calendar–enter ya’ zip code for a list.
🔎 Ask your local nursery if they have planting calendars for your zone.
Okay, let’s talk fertilizer…
Using a soil mix that already has fertilizer?
This next part’s for you. 👇🏽
Fertilizer Cheat Sheet
You need to know this if you’re 1️⃣ using a soil mix that already has slow-release fertilizer and you 2️⃣ plan to use fertilizer!
🌱 FERTILIZE SEEDS YOU START:
➡️ Three weeks after planting + again when it has two sets of true leaves.
✅ True leaves come after the first leaves sprout
✅ True leaves have the mature plant’s leaf shape
🪴 FERTILIZE TRANSPLANTS (aka seedlings, sets, starts):
➡️ Three weeks after planting.
Diluted liquid fertilizer may be best for tiny plants–use half of what the product recommends.
🌳 FERTILIZE FRUIT TREES when you see new growth.
➡️ Yes, you can grow trees in containers and tight spaces!
Look for patio + dwarf plants—like the columnar apple trees I recently added to our garden!
😄🍎 They grow 8–10 ft. tall and just 2 ft. wide. SO cool!
⚠️ Again, these fertilizer tips apply when you’re using a soil mix that includes fertilizer.
Better Soil = Better Plants
Now let me tell you what really made the biggest difference in my garden…
I posted a video of my watermelon patch and the massive melons I grew with just three plants.
Someone asked what fertilizer I used once they started growing…
@lolacabaya Our melon patch did crazy work in its first year. 🍉 My husband + I grew 3 varieties: Crimson Sweet, Jubilee, Charleston Gray About two years ago, we added high-quality garden soil to this spot. My plan was for a cut flower patch. But I changed my mind. So, this year (2024), we turned it into a melon patch… And planted watermelon seedlings 🌱 (not seeds) with compost + manure. Our melons are tasty + sweet —— so you know we gotta save seeds to grow the next season. 😬 #thesmokingprophet #ncgardening #melonpatch #hardlyfarmers ♬ original sound – Lola Cabaya
Truth is–I didn’t use any.
I used good soil, because I know:
Better soil = better plants.
So, every season, we invest in Premium Garden Soil by the yard—it includes manure, mushroom compost, peat moss, sandy soil, sawdust, composted nursery finds, and leaf compost.
I also usually visit a garden store to buy things like…
- Compost and manure
- Black Kow Manure
- Mushroom compost
- Earthworm castings
- Clay Breaker Soil Conditioner
Having bags of soil on hand to amend my gardens is SO useful.
Because I’m always planting or growing something! ⬇️⬇️⬇️
How I Actually Use Fertilizers
Do I use Miracle-Gro?
No shame if you do.
But…nope.
Or at least, not on purpose.
That’s because I prefer organic, slow-release fertilizers.
They work best with my low-effort, high-impact gardening style.
So, I go for organic options like:
- Espoma Bio-Tone
- Espoma Plant-Tone
- Espoma formulas for evergreens + acid-loving plants (like camellias, blueberries, hydrangeas)
I’m also excited to try fish emulsions soon!
Now, let’s get back to what really makes a difference in my garden…
Rich, Living Soil
Here I sit on top of premium garden soil and pine bark fines.
I think this haul was 6 yards.
But to be honest…
My real go-to is rich, living soil and natural organic matter like compost, pine bark fines, and leaves.
To be clear, leaves from healthy plants are good.
⚠️ Get rid of leaves from plants that are sick from bugs or disease.
Back to this…
Now, here’s what I mean when I say I feed with Espoma:
- I use Espoma Bio-Tone or Plant-Tone when I’m planting shrubs, trees and some flowers. It helps them get a solid start.
- For the trees and shrubs already growing in my garden, I use other Espoma fertilizers annually—usually at the beginning of the growing season. Why? I like to keep my garden chores simple (low effort, high impact). So, once a year usually works for me. But please read the instructions to see if you can fertilize more.
- For flowers like dahlias, I sometimes feed them Plant-Tone once a month during their bloom season to help boost their blooms.
- I sometimes use Plant-Tone to refresh the soil in my potted plants—especially when I’m not repotting them. I’ll sprinkle some in and mix it with organic materials like compost, manure, or whatever else I have on hand to enrich the soil naturally.
So, when I say ‘feed with Espoma,’ that’s what I mean☝🏽…
I’m giving my plants a little extra support. 🌿 🌿
⚠️ One More Thing About Fertilizer…
Do NOT fertilize sick plants or dormant plants.
If your plant is already stressed or sick, fertilizer can actually make things worse.
And dormant plants are sleeping. That means they aren’t absorbing nutrients from the fertilizer like they would during growth season.
That’s why fertilizer is for healthy plants during their growing season.
So, save the boost for when your plant is ready to thrive, not just survive.
Final Thought
Why wait for the ‘perfect’ time?
Start small. Start messy. Start now.
Because the real joy is in the growing. 🌱
If this post helped you…
✅ Leave a comment
✅ At me @LolaCabaya on SOCIAL.
✨ Can We Grow Together!?
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👋🏽 Hi, I’m LOLA ⸻ the creator of offbeat life advice brand, The Smoking Prophet, owner of a growing content agency, and cultivator of life (family first)!
Most days, you can find me at my desk, in my garden, or on the go. My super-social family keeps me on my toes!
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