Homegrown: Your Backyard Garden Podcast

If you've ever struggled to get carrot seeds to germinate, you're not alone. Carrots have frustrated me for years - until a simple garden experiment completely changed the way I grow them.

In this episode we'll discuss planting tips for carrots, why fresh carrot seed makes such a difference, the carrot life cycle, why it's important to grow open-pollinated seeds if you want to save your own seeds, and one of my favorite ways to attract pollinators and beneficial insects to the garden.

Companion article:
https://www.oakhillhomestead.com/2026/08/carrot-germination.html

My favorite open-pollinated seed sources:
Mary's Heirloom Seeds (affiliate link)
Baker Creek Seeds

Related episodes and articles:
Survival seeds - Are They Necessary? - Episode #13
Heirloom vs Hybrid seeds 
Listener's question: Saving Seeds From Hybrid Tomatoes - Bonus episode
Subscribe and Review
New episodes drop every other Tuesday during the gardening season - subscribe so you don’t miss a single one! Subscribe to my emails for even more gardening tips and seasonal ideas.

If you’re enjoying HOMEGROWN: Your Backyard Garden Podcast, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify

Keep in Touch
Website: https://oakhillhomestead.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/oakhillhomestead
Instagram: https://instagram.com/oakhillhomestead
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/oakhh

You spot a dark, sunken patch on the bottom of a beautiful tomato - and immediately wonder what went wrong. Blossom end rot is frustrating, but the good news is that it isn't a disease, and it doesn't mean your whole crop is doomed.
In this episode, we'll talk about what really causes blossom end rot, and how watering, weather, and growing conditions affect your tomato plants' ability to take up the calcium they need.
You'll also learn what to do when blossom end rot appears and some simple ways to help prevent it from happening again. Don't worry - your tomato harvest can be saved!
Companion article:
https://www.oakhillhomestead.com/2026/08/blossom-end-rot-in-tomatoes.html
Visit the HOMEGROWN Podcast Page:
OakHillHomestead.com/p/podcast
Tomato Resources:
https://www.oakhillhomestead.com/p/gardening.html#tomatoes

Subscribe and Review
New episodes drop every other Tuesday during the gardening season - subscribe so you don’t miss a single one! Subscribe to my emails for even more gardening tips and seasonal ideas.

If you’re enjoying HOMEGROWN: Your Backyard Garden Podcast, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify

Keep in Touch
Website: https://oakhillhomestead.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/oakhillhomestead
Instagram: https://instagram.com/oakhillhomestead
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/oakhh

After 30 years of growing tomatoes, I've made just about every mistake there is to make. I've experimented with varieties, trellises, pruning methods, containers, raised beds, and just about everything in between.

In this episode, I'm sharing the biggest lessons my tomato plants have taught me. We'll talk about finding what works in your garden, why experimenting is part of the process, and the simple practices I've settled on after three decades of trial and error.

If you've ever wondered whether you're "doing it right," this episode is for you.
Transcript/related article:
https://www.oakhillhomestead.com/2026/07/tomato-growing-tips.html
Download your FREE Tomato Growing Guide here.
Tomato growing articles on OakHillHomestead.com:
https://www.oakhillhomestead.com/p/gardening.html#tomatoes
Homegrown Garden Blueprint:
https://homegrown-garden-blueprint.milotreecart.com/
Sign up for garden tips, seasonal ideas, and to be notified of new episodes by email:  https://oakhillhomestead.myflodesk.com/homegrown
Subscribe and Review
New episodes drop every other Tuesday during the gardening season - subscribe so you don’t miss a single one! Subscribe to my emails for even more gardening tips and seasonal ideas.

If you’re enjoying HOMEGROWN: Your Backyard Garden Podcast, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify

Keep in Touch
Website: https://oakhillhomestead.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/oakhillhomestead
Instagram: https://instagram.com/oakhillhomestead
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/oakhh

The seed packet says your carrots should be ready in 70 days - but what if they're still tiny? Or your broccoli starts flowering before you harvest it?
In this episode of HOMEGROWN, we're talking about how to know when your vegetables are truly ready to harvest. You'll learn why "days to maturity" are only a guideline and how to recognize the signs that common garden crops are ready to pick.
Thanks for hanging out in the garden with me today!
Transcript/related post: https://www.oakhillhomestead.com/2026/07/when-to-harvest-vegetables.html
Homegrown Garden Blueprint workbook - https://homegrown-garden-blueprint.milotreecart.com/

Subscribe and Review
New episodes drop every other Tuesday during the gardening season - subscribe so you don’t miss a single one! Subscribe to my emails for even more gardening tips and seasonal ideas.

If you’re enjoying HOMEGROWN: Your Backyard Garden Podcast, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify

Keep in Touch
Website: https://oakhillhomestead.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/oakhillhomestead
Instagram: https://instagram.com/oakhillhomestead
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/oakhh

Tomato hornworms are one of the most destructive pests in the vegetable garden. These giant green caterpillars can strip a tomato plant of leaves before you even realize they're there.

Learn how to identify tomato hornworms and tobacco hornworms, recognize the signs of damage, protect your tomato plants using companion planting, beneficial insects, and other organic gardening methods. You'll also discover a surprising and fun way to find hidden hornworms.
Download your FREE Tomato Growing Guide here.

Related post/transcript:  https://www.oakhillhomestead.com/2026/06/tomato-hornworm-control.html
Blacklight flashlight (UV light): https://amzn.to/4xOnEnm  (affiliate link)
Companion Planting episode #31 for more information on preventing insect pests: https://www.oakhillhomestead.com/2026/05/beginners-guide-to-companion-planting.html
If you’re ready to take your garden a step further, the Homegrown Garden Blueprint workbook will help you map out your entire garden with confidence, from what to plant to how it all fits together. 
Sign up to be notified of new episodes by email:  https://oakhillhomestead.myflodesk.com/homegrown

Subscribe and Review
New episodes drop every other Tuesday during the gardening season - subscribe so you don’t miss a single one! Subscribe to my emails for even more gardening tips and seasonal ideas.

If you’re enjoying HOMEGROWN: Your Backyard Garden Podcast, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify

Keep in Touch
Website: https://oakhillhomestead.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/oakhillhomestead
Instagram: https://instagram.com/oakhillhomestead
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/oakhh