We dig into the world of direct sow gardening and share our favorite tips for growing a thriving garden straight from seed. We talk about the benefits and challenges of direct sowing, our favorite cool and warm season crops, and practical techniques for timing, spacing, watering, and improving germination success.

In this episode you will learn:

• What direct sowing is and why it’s great for beginner gardeners
• The benefits and challenges of planting seeds directly in the garden
• Which cool season crops are best for direct sowing
• Which warm weather crops thrive when direct seeded
• Why some plants dislike transplanting and grow better from seed outdoors
• How soil temperature affects seed germination and plant success
• Why frost dates are only a guideline — and what to pay attention to instead
• Tips for timing your planting based on your own garden conditions
• Proper seed planting depth and spacing techniques
• Why thinning seedlings is important and how to use the sprouts
• How to keep seed beds moist for better germination rates
• Using mulch to conserve moisture and protect young seedlings
• Easy beginner-friendly crops to start direct sowing with
• Simple tricks for improving germination and garden success
• Real-life gardening experiences from our spring season at Small House Farm

More gardening advice can be found in Bevin's books, Herbs in Every Season, Grow Great Vegetables, and Saving Our Seeds. Shop all books at https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product-category/books/

Shop Small House Heirloom and Organic Seed Collection at https://www.smallhousefarm.com/seed-collection/

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

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It’s easy to “eat the rainbow” when you’re growing one right in your own backyard!

Author and gardener Sandra Mao is joining us to talk about her new book Vibrant Harvest.

Sandra started to grow fruit trees and other edibles when she moved to California. Because of the blessings of the weather and lack of freezing temperatures, she is able to grow most vegetables and fruits year-round - though her content is aimed at gardeners from all growing zones. She loves helping new gardeners start growing their own food by sharing her passion for growing colorful and productive varieties, offering unique tips and tricks, and teaching others how to use the harvest wisely.

Follow Sandra on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sandra.urbangarden/

Buy your copy of Vibrant Harvest at https://amzn.to/4cCz5WD

✨ Join our Patreon community for exclusive content, seasonal herb boxes, and more! ​www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

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We’re digging into one of the most overlooked plants in our landscape, dandelion, specifically Taraxacum officinale. What most people see as a weed, we see as a powerhouse of flavor, nutrition, and medicine...and we’re excited to share why.

We walk you through how to properly identify dandelion (and avoid common lookalikes), when and how to harvest each part of the plant, and why timing makes all the difference. From there, we head into the kitchen, where we share simple, practical ways to use dandelion leaves, flowers, and roots—from fresh spring greens to infused vinegars and even homemade coffee alternatives.

Then we step into the apothecary, where dandelion really shines. We talk about how we use it to support digestion, nourish the body, and create everything from mineral-rich tonics to soothing herbal oils.

Along the way, we also reflect on the bigger picture—how a plant we’ve been taught to "despise" might actually be one of the most valuable allies growing right at our feet. So the next time you see a dandelion, don't reach for the shovel to remove it, reach for it with curiosity instead!

Enjoy dandelion inspired products by Small House:
https://seedsandweedspodcast.com/all-about-dandelions/

Learn more about infusing oils to make herbal salves:
https://youtu.be/Rdq-ccoiBdg?si=8WoggWT5-XB8rme_

Harvest and eat dandelion greens with our recipe:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JYJYLGCW04

Learn more about dandelion and other beneficial herbs with Bevin's book Herbs in Every Season: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product/herbs-in-every-season/

Explore our Plant of the Month series on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/smallhousefarm

✨ Join our Patreon community for exclusive content, seasonal herb boxes, and more! ​www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

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We sit down with horticulturist, garden designer, and author Frank Hyman to dig into his new book Ripe Tomato Revolution. With over 40 years of experience, Frank shares practical, no-nonsense techniques to help you grow more tomatoes with less work—whether you’re planting in rows, raised beds, or containers.

From smart seed-starting strategies to choosing the right supports (and why rebar might be your new best friend), this conversation is packed with actionable tips for gardeners of all levels. We also explore the rise of dwarf and micro-dwarf tomatoes—perfect for small spaces—and uncover a “revolutionary” approach to preventing blight by rethinking how we protect our plants from rain.

Along the way, we swap stories, challenge common gardening practices, and even talk peanut butter sandwiches (yes, really).

If you’ve ever struggled with tomato diseases, limited space, or just want a better harvest with less hassle, this episode is for you.

Tune in and start growing smarter this season 🌱

Connect with Frank https://www.instagram.com/mushroomswithoutdying/

Purchase Ripe Tomato Revolution via Bookshop : https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=Frank+Hyman

or on Amazon https://amzn.to/4m7lbyF

Buy a copy of Craig LeHoullier's book Epic Tomatoes https://amzn.to/4m9l2eg

Shop for Dwarf Tomato Seeds at https://forgottenheirlooms.com/

✨ Join our Patreon community for exclusive content, seasonal herb boxes, and more! ​www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

Support the show

In this episode of the Seeds and Weeds podcast, we're sharing our list of the ten plants we think every gardener should grow!

With so many amazing crops to choose from, narrowing it down wasn’t easy — but we selected plants that are reliable, beautiful, productive, and useful in more than one way. Many of these crops offer dual or even triple purposes, giving you food, medicine, pollinator support, and garden beauty all in one plant.

We begin with powerful herbs and flowers like calendula, a cold-tolerant annual that thrives in the garden, self-seeds readily, supports pollinators, and offers both culinary and apothecary uses. We also talk about comfrey, a perennial powerhouse known for its deep taproot, dynamic accumulation of nutrients, and incredible value as a natural fertilizer — along with its traditional medicinal applications. Another standout is echinacea, a native perennial that supports local ecosystems while providing beautiful blooms and versatile medicinal parts from root to flower.

From the vegetable world, we highlight staples like tomatoes and peppers, two of the most popular garden crops for good reason. Tomatoes bring unmatched flavor and diversity, while peppers offer ease of growing, container-friendliness, and a wide spectrum of sweetness and heat levels. We also discuss beans, one of our foundational crops here at the farm — whether pole or bush varieties, beans provide fresh harvests, dry storage staples, pollinator support, and educational opportunities for gardeners of all ages.

To bring in additional perspective, we're joined by Enoch Graham from The Urban Gardener, who specializes in small-space gardening. Enoch shares his favorite compact varieties, including leafy greens perfect for containers, multi-use crops like peas and beets, and quick-growing favorites such as radishes. His approach emphasizes maximizing space, stacking functions, and choosing plants that deliver multiple benefits — a philosophy that aligns beautifully with our own.

Shop Herb, Flower, and Veggies Seeds
https://www.smallhousefarm.com/seed-collection/

Our Totally Tomatoes Episode:
https://seedsandweedspodcast.com/totally-tomatoes/

Our recent Episode All About Peppers:
https://seedsandweedspodcast.com/all-about-peppers-in-the-garden-kitchen-and-apothecary/

Enoch's last visit to Seeds & Weeds:
https://seedsandweedspodcast.com/jon-jackson-enoch-graham/

Check out Enoch's Youtube channel and Let's Get Growing Show
https://www.youtube.com/@theUrbanGardener

Join our Patreon community!
https://www.patreon.com/c/smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

Support the show

In this flavor-packed conversation, we dive deep into the vibrant world of peppers—from seed to harvest, kitchen to apothecary. Timed perfectly for late-winter seed starting, this episode walks you through everything you need to know to successfully grow thriving pepper plants, including seed-starting tips, heat and light requirements, transplanting, and maximizing yields in the garden.

But the journey doesn’t stop at the harvest. You’ll explore how peppers transform in the kitchen—fresh, dried, fermented, or smoked—and how heat levels (thanks to capsaicin) influence both flavor and culinary creativity. We share our personal experiences crafting unique hot sauces and spice blends straight from the garden.

Finally, discover the powerful medicinal side of peppers, including their role in circulation, digestion, and topical pain relief, along with simple ways to incorporate them into your home apothecary.

Whether you love sweet bells or fiery super-hots, this episode is your complete guide to growing, using, and benefiting from one of the most versatile plants in the garden. 🌶️

Dive further with more information:

Planning your garden in 3 Simple Steps (featuring info about seed starting equipment): previous podcast episode: https://seedsandweedspodcast.com/planning-your-garden-in-three-simple-steps/

Seed Starting Tips & Tricks on Youtube: https://youtu.be/pEvbvYLrPa0?si=ZQByYqYKPjktINx4

Tabasco Seed Story on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EJQM_U2v5Zs?si=Wtg8Fh2WZZ-sQSdR

Shop Pepper Seeds in the Small House Seed Collection: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product-category/seeds/peppers/

Shop Small House Salves made with Capsicum: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product-category/herbal-body-care/salves/

✨ Join our Patreon community for exclusive content, seasonal herb boxes, and more! ​www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

Connect with us!
IG: @small_house_farm
FB: @smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

Support the show

Unlock the secrets to a low-maintenance, high-yield garden. Gardening expert and author Charlie Nardozzi shares how his book The Continuous Vegetable Garden helps growers maximize harvests while reducing time and effort.

From perennial vegetables and self-seeding crops to succession planting, overwintering, and season extension, this episode delivers practical, approachable techniques to help gardeners enjoy fresh food from early spring through late fall—no matter their garden size or experience level.

Learn more about Charlie and order his book:

https://www.gardeningwithcharlie.com/

Sign up for Charlie's gardening webinar:

https://www.gardeningwithcharlie.com/webinars/the-continuous-vegetable-garden-webinar/

Order The Continuous Vegetable Garden from Amazon:

https://amzn.to/4qj15SG

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

Support the show

In this first episode of Season 4, we dive into the art and science of herbal extracts—simple, powerful ways to turn the plants you grow, forage, or purchase into food, medicine, and everyday remedies. Explore how the dormant season is the perfect time to slow down, take stock, and work with herbs in the kitchen and apothecary.

This episode breaks down four essential extraction methods—water, fat, alcohol, and vinegar—explaining what each one extracts best and how to use them in real life. From teas, syrups, jellies, and broths to infused oils, salves, tinctures, fire cider, and oxymels, you’ll learn how to pull flavor, color, minerals, and medicinal benefits from plants using accessible, at-home techniques.

Along the way, the conversation is filled with practical tips, seasonal inspiration, and creative ideas for reducing waste, using garden leftovers, and crafting herbal remedies that support stress, sleep, digestion, skin health, and more. Whether you’re brand new to herbalism or deepening your practice, this episode offers approachable guidance and plenty of encouragement to experiment.

If you’ve ever wondered how to get more from the plants in your life—or how to start building your own home apothecary—this episode is a cozy, empowering place to begin. 🌿

✨ Links mentioned in this episode:

Make the Perfect Cup of Herbal Tea https://youtu.be/2q452gOBY3k?si=9XwommsPz5Cgjzpq

Making a Herbal Salve https://youtu.be/Rdq-ccoiBdg?si=-LS-ECsz4o3isv9O

Make Fire Cider https://youtu.be/yUYsSSHdygU?si=4Fwl-aZZDUuOJok8

Shop for Herbal Tinctures: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/herbal-tinctures/

Harvest Spruce Tips with us! https://youtu.be/qT0GRRM7zXY?si=xboRaEFR7JkXEK56

✨ Join our Patreon community for exclusive content, seasonal herb boxes, and more! ​www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

Connect with us!
IG: @small_house_farm
FB: @smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

Support the show