Jeff David

I’ve found that fresh basil stems from the grocery store can be surprisingly useful for propagation.

If you buy a bunch of basil and end up with a few stems you didn’t use, you don’t always have to throw them away. As long as the stems are still green, firm, and healthy, they can often be rooted in water and later planted in soil.

I put together a detailed guide for anyone interested:

I’ve been planting tulips in pots for a while, and one thing that always bothered me is how everything blooms at once… and then it’s done pretty fast.

Recently I started using the layering method with the bulbs, and it actually changed the whole result. Instead of one short bloom, the flowers come up in stages, so the pot stays interesting for longer.

I also noticed that spacing makes a bigger difference than I thought. I plant them pretty close for a fuller look, but still leave a bit of space so they don’t touch.

I filmed the process this time while planting, just to show how it looks in a container and how the layers work in practice.

If anyone’s curious, here’s the video:
https://youtu.be/jfpx3sO0eYo

Rosemary is one of those herbs that a lot of people love to grow, but starting it from seed can be surprisingly frustrating. Germination is slow, progress feels minimal at first, and it’s easy to think nothing is happening.

I recently went through the whole process myself, from sowing and waiting (quite a bit), to caring for small seedlings and slowly ending up with a healthy plant. What helped most wasn’t a single trick, but understanding rosemary’s pace and adjusting expectations along the way.

I put together a detailed step-by-step video guide showing how to grow rosemary from seed, covering the process from the very beginning through the early growth stages:

Lately I’ve been growing green onions from seed, and honestly, it’s one of the easiest and most reliable things I’ve grown. They don’t take up much space, handle containers really well, and even with just a few hours of direct sun they keep growing back after every cut.

What surprised me most is how forgiving they are. I sow them fairly close together, keep the soil evenly moist, and just trim what I need for cooking. A few weeks later, they’re ready again. No special care, no fuss.

Here a simple and practical video guide:

When do you usually start planting your sweet potatoes? I’m in zone 7b and curious how others time it.

By the way, I came across what’s probably the most detailed YouTube guide I’ve seen on growing sweet potatoes. It shows the whole process step by step with some really useful tips. Thought it might help others here too:  

One of the most rewarding crops I’ve grown in containers is grape tomatoes. They don’t need much space, and when grown right, the flavor is incredible, sweet, juicy, and better than store-bought 🍅🍅

There’s a great video that shows the entire growing process in containers:
https://youtu.be/9TSr2bL06Ww

We’ve found that the timing of harvest can really change both the flavor and the productivity of the plant. When you harvest early, around the baby leaf stage, the leaves are sweeter and more tender - great for fresh salads. But letting the plant grow a bit longer gives you bigger, slightly stronger-tasting leaves that hold up better when cooked.

Another thing worth noting: harvesting outer leaves regularly rather than pulling the whole plant allows it to keep producing for longer. It’s a great way to stretch the harvest from a single container.

If you’d like more tips and want to learn how to grow spinach yourself in containers at home, feel free to check out our blog post. We covered everything step by step – from the first seeds to a full harvest.
https://dinasgarden.com/how-to-grow-spinach-in-containers-a-step-by-step-guide-for-beginners/

We’ve just published a detailed guide on how to grow eggplants from seed to harvest.
It’s written in a clear and simple way, with step-by-step instructions and helpful tips to make the whole process easy to follow.

If you’re planning to grow eggplants this season, this guide has everything you need to know.
Give it a read:
https://dinasgarden.com/how-to-grow-eggplants-in-containers-detailed-step-by-step-guide/

There’s a lot of debate around it. Some say it helps the plant grow stronger and bushier, while others prefer letting it grow naturally without pruning the main stem.

Personally, I’m in favor of topping. I’ve noticed it encourages more side shoots, which means a fuller plant and often more fruit over time. It might slow things down a bit at first, but in my experience, the payoff is worth it.

Would love to hear what’s worked for you!

Here a full guide for growing bell peppers on a balcony- from seeds:

One thing that really made a difference in my container-grown eggplants this year: spacing and early pruning.

Once I limited each plant to a few strong stems and gave them room to breathe, the fruit set was more consistent and the plants stayed healthier through the season.

I put together a full video walking through the whole process — seed to harvest, with the small details that actually mattered.

If you’re growing in containers, it might give you a few new ideas: