O'Henry Garden

06/24/2026

A successful garden is not just about what you plant—it's also about where you plant it. Certain vegetables naturally support each other by improving growth, deterring pests, or making better use of available space. Others compete for nutrients, attract the same pests, or simply don't thrive together.

Tomatoes often benefit from growing near basil, marigolds, and carrots, while cucumbers pair well with radishes, beans, and nasturtiums. Onions can help protect carrots, lettuce, and beets, while beans and corn famously support each other's growth in traditional planting systems. These combinations have been used by gardeners for generations because they help create healthier growing conditions.

Before filling your garden beds, take a few minutes to think about plant relationships. A well-planned companion garden can reduce pest problems, improve harvests, and make the entire space more productive without requiring extra fertilizer or treatments.

02/19/2026

You just grabbed your pruning shears to clean up the winter garden. You have 60 seconds before you destroy a nursery.
RIGHT NOW: 30% of native bees (like mason and leafcutter bees) are overwintering inside the hollow stems of last year’s dead flowers and berry bushes.
What happens: Silent. Fast. You cut the stalks down, bag them up, and throw this year's entire generation of pollinators into the municipal wood chipper.
What to do TODAY:
→ DO NOT cut back dead stems yet.
→ Wait until temperatures are consistently above 50°F (10°C).
→ When you do cut, leave 15 inches of the stalk standing.
→ New spring growth will quickly hide the old stems.
They spent the whole winter surviving the freezing cold. Don't let your spring cleaning be the thing that kills them.
Leave the stems. Every. Single. One.

02/12/2026

When bees feel stressed or threatened, they release an alarm pheromone to warn the rest of the hive of danger. This chemical signal is called isoamyl acetate, and to humans it smells surprisingly similar to bananas. The pheromone alerts nearby bees and triggers defensive behavior, causing them to become more aggressive. As more bees release isoamyl acetate, the scent intensifies and helps them focus their attack on the same target. This is why beekeepers avoid banana-scented products near hives, as they can accidentally trigger this alarm response.

02/11/2026

Some vegetables grow perfectly… and still shouldn’t be eaten.

The problem sometimes isn’t watering, fertilizer, or sunlight.
It’s what the roots are sitting inside for the entire season.

Warm, moist soil pulls substances out of whatever surrounds it. Plants don’t choose — they absorb. And edible crops store what reaches the roots long before leaves show any warning.

Container gardening makes us focus on soil quality.
Food safety often depends on container material.

Before planting this year, turn every pot and bucket over and look at the bottom. If you can’t identify what it’s made from, don’t use it for food crops.

The harvest begins the day you choose the container.

🌱

01/29/2026

Be careful in the greenhouse, they love the heat !

12/24/2025

12/08/2025

Bees work tirelessly for us, pollinating our food, our flowers, and the ecosystems we depend on. 🌻

🐝 But their lives are getting harder, and they need gardeners to stand with them. Plant bee-friendly blooms, avoid harmful chemicals, and protect the places they nest. A small effort for us is survival for them.

💛 Please share to help protect these tiny workers.