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https://www.thepatiofarmer.com/

The Patio Farmer, Charlotte, NC (2025)

10/07/2025

SUNGOLDS 🫶 the sweetest blessing of my summer growing space this year! I harvested this final (large) bowlful over the weekend. I adore these bright orange cherry tomatoes SO much.

Over the weekend I planted a second round of fall veg too! The weather is toasty, the sun is shining, and this farmher is taking full advantage of it!

How are your fall plants doing?

10/04/2025

Vacay Plant Pics 🫶 it's been a week since I've been back from a magical journey to ancient lands with my family! Feeling so grateful for the time we spent together, all the sites that were seen, and all the wonderful plants and friends we spotted along the way.

Any guesses as to what the tree in the first picture is?!

09/26/2025

Notes on Building Raised Beds 🌿

Vegetables need at least 6 hours of sunlight per day to grow. Summer vegetables like peppers and tomatoes need more like 8 – 10 hours of sun. Place your raised beds where your yard gets the most sunlight!

Before you place and fill your beds, add landscape fabric or a w**d barrier cloth to cover the native soil where you are going to place your new raised bed frames. This will prevent w**ds and grass from growing through your beds. It is wise to extend the fabric or cloth 2 feet around each bed and in any aisles to help manage w**d and grass growth between beds.

You will want to make sure there is at least 3 feet between and around your raised beds so you are able to walk between them and work them easily.
When considering the dimensions of your raised bed, make sure you have a soil depth of 10-18 inches and a width that matches your wingspan (this is usually 3-4 feet). The length of your raised bed is up to your discretion and what your space will allow.

You can build raised beds out of almost any material. Wood is the most common, but it is also the least durable overtime. All wood is prone to rot and degradation, so if you decide to build your beds out of wood, splurge on cedar or another hardwood. Untreated pine has a shelf life of about 2-3 years.

You may also decide to build your beds out of concrete (pavers of cinder block / CMU’s), vinyl or metal. Ultimately, the choice for material should be a matter of durability and aesthetic. Make your raised beds match your outdoor vibe!

09/19/2025

Spend Daily Time in Your Growing Space 🍃 Finding moments each day to pause and be with our plants can manifest wonderful results!

We become more intentional with our plant care, and we might even become more intentional with ourselves and how we prioritize the day.

I challenge you to see if you can spend time every day in your growing space for the next 30 days! You down?

In my experience, I feel happier, more peaceful and more connected to the world around me when I make time in my day to step outside and see my plants. Even if it is only a few seconds, or minutes, it makes a huge difference.

It is like a nervous system reset. A moment of peace to offer an energizing jolt of mindfulness and perspective. Highly recommend for anyone who feels stressed, anxious, or compelled to hustle through their mighty to-do lists.

Give it a try!

09/12/2025

September Tasks for Your Growing Space

KEEP | Allow the summer vegetables that you love the most, that are still productive or full of fruit to keep growing. Peppers and eggplant are typically the last of the summer crops to kick it in the fall. Keep the plants that are still bringing you joy, and abundance.

FEED | Give those late summer crops a final feeding to inspire their last push of production for the season. You should also feed your soil with compost and an all-purpose plant food before sowing or planting your fall vegetables.

ADD | Rock phosphate is a wonderful soil amendment to add to any space where you will be growing root vegetables. Phosphorus is the macro nutrient our plants need to grow strong roots, and produce seed.

SOW | Arugula, beets, carrots, cilantro, lettuce, pac choy, parsley, radish, and spinach all grow beautifully when sown directly in the place where they will grow to maturity.

PLANT | Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, perennial herbs, and swiss chard are great cool season vegetables to plant from seedling this time of year.

SHOP | Y'all know I love shopping for seedlings and other supplies from in Monroe. The Garden Center opens for the fall season on Saturday.

WATER | Be sure to keep your freshly seeded and planted areas thoroughly watered this month, especially since we are not seeing much rain in the forecast. The more consistently you keep the top layer of soil moist, the better germination success you will have.

WATCH | Are you growing sweet potatoes at home this year? I watch for the vines to bloom gorgeous violet blooms. Then wait two weeks before digging up your sweet taters.

PLAN | Did you adopt a new citrus tree this year? If so, begin thinking of your overwintering home for your tree. Citrus and other tropical fruit should be brought inside when temperatures are consistently under 55 degrees at night. Citrus likes a draft-free spot inside, preferably close to a window for sunlight exposure.

09/05/2025

5 Pro Tips for Abundant Fall Harvests 🍃

1. Plant a handful of "cut and come again" greens and herbs like arugula, lettuce, spinach, cilantro, parsley, kale, collard greens, and swiss chard are at the top of my list for fall considerations for a reason! Once established (give them two to three weeks of patience before you harvest), these sweet greens will offer repeated harvests through the fall, and even into the new year.

2. Inspect your plants daily for pests. With temperatures flip flopping between sweaty weather and sweater weather, the bugs are still out and about... and hungry. Check under the leaves of your fall seedlings. The most common fall pests are cabbage worms (small, sometimes tiny, lime green caterpillars), army worms (chunkier, yellow striped brown caterpillars) and aphids (usually green, slow moving, like to cluster and huddle).

3. Keep up with organic feedings. Do you feed your plants on a monthly basis? If not, I would recommend getting in the habit of it! Especially if you grow in containers or small raised beds. As your plants are growing, they are using up nutrients in the soil (a good thing!). With a monthly boost of nutrition, you will see a significant difference in your harvest yields and plant health.

4. Give everyone the space they need to grow and thrive. If you are like me, you may practice "over-seeding" each season. For me, this is intentional. I like to use more seed than I need (not to excess, but more of an insurance that I will get the germination I'm looking for). I then go back and thin (pull) the extra plants that sprout to make room for the ones that remain to grow and thrive and reach their fullest potential.

5. Keep up with watering. This is particularly essential when you are seeding, which is my favorite way of planting root vegetables, bulb vegetables, and the smaller leafy greens like lettuce, spinach and arugula. When you sow seeds, you place them within the top inch of soil. Seeds will sprout more evenly, consistently, and promptly when the top inch of soil remains moist.

08/29/2025

Labor Day Abundance Sale ✨ this $50 bundle includes a custom selection of tools, supplies, and seeds that have been among my favorites this year (when I love something, I buy a lot of it, hee hee)

No two bundles are the same, as each purchase includes a different set of items!

Guaranteed in each bundle will be 3-5 unique tools or supplies as well as 3 seed packets (including Certified Organic seeds for the fall season)

Examples of tools and supplies include, seeding tools, soil moisture meter, harvest baskets/bags, solar stake lights, watering tools, trellising tools, mosquito repellents, gardening hats, grow bags, sustainable self-care items, etc.

All purchases will be shipped, and shipping is included in the price! No pick-up options available.

Use the link in my bio to snag your abundance bundle today! Sale runs through Monday, 9/1 💚

08/22/2025

Welcome Big Boys of the Cool 💚 broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower are the big boys of the cool season because they are so, well, big, ha! They are the cool season crops that take up the most real estate, and can yield some of the sweetest rewards.

Below are some top of mind things to keep in mind when you are considering these for your fall space. As they are cousins, and members of the Brassicaceae plant family, these characteristics and planning notes apply to all four crops.

🌱 These crops take 60+ days to mature once they have sprouted from seed. Brussels sprouts are known to take the longest, at 100+ days. They need as much time with the sweet sunshine as possible. Plant them early!

🌱 Starting from seed v. seedling... If you want to start these from seed, sow them directly in your space, or inside (if you have the capacity) in late July. Since we are nearing the end of August, it may be best to find seedlings for these big boys.

🌱 Before you plant, be sure to amend any existing soil with a nitrogen rich plant food and / or use compost to fluff up the soil. Any plant we eat the leaves of LOVES a nice boost of nitrogen. (pro tip for the one who is on a budget and does not want to spend extra money on in-puts this season, plant your leafy greens where your green beans were in the summer. Green beans, and other legumes create nitrogen in the soil as they grow. No amendments needed, and it's 100% organic!)

🌱 Be sure to give the boys similar spacing as your tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and other large summer vegetables. Ideally, this is 2-3 feet from the center of one plant to the center of the next. This is the secret to growing larger heads!

🌱 Do you know what part of the plant the floret or head is!? It's the bud, the pre-flower. So when we eat broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower we are eating flowers! Isn't that lovely?

Ready to grow again for fall? If you have any questions feel free to DM me or schedule a Consultation using the link in my bio 🔗

08/12/2025

Y'ALL 🌺 I am beyond ecstatic! My sweet bird of paradise that I started from SEED about 4 years ago just BLOOMED yesterday!

This plant is one of the only non-edibles I keep in my growing space. I picked up a packet of seeds while traveling in Hawaii and this is the only one that took. She is thriving!

She spends summers outside, hooked up to irrigation, nestled next to the eucalyptus, mints, and the other tropical fruits I have while spending winters in my heated greenhouse.

I saw new growth appear about a week ago and it looked different from a new leaf or stem. I thought to myself "huh, that's interesting, I wonder if she's going to flower this year". Then yesterday, I was doing the dishes when I looked up, out the kitchen window, and saw these orangey flashes from the house. I squealed (probably scared the dog) and ran outside to admire her.

WOW.

I'm also sharing pictures of my guava tree, also started from seed that I got in Hawaii, plus my pineapples and passionflower which, as we know, grow beautifully in that state too.

Plants are magic. Grow more food. Grow more plants. Life is good ✨

08/04/2025

Welp 🐛 that's the biggest dang hornworm I've seen in a minute y'all. My index finger for scale 🥴 the craziest thing is... I've had MORE hornworm damage on my HOT PEPPERS this year than tomatoes... I don't know what's gotten into these crazy caterpillars!

If you see "skeletonized" stems and stalks at the top of your tomatoes and peppers, give them a thorough scan for these plant colored munchers. You can also look for their gr***de shaped p**p (see last picture) to help track them down.

My best tactic for catching these fellas is to find the damaged parts of the plant, then the p**p, then look in-between for their red "horn".

This guy wreaked havoc on my porch peppers yesterday. You can see in one of the pictures the pot of peppers he was on v. the other one. I came back to pick him for a chicken snack but he was gone and not on the other plants... I think a bird swooped in for a Sunday afternoon snack.

Another cool thing about hornworms? They bioluminescence! Take a flashlight out at night to easily identify these boogers.

Remember, everything in nature has a role and serves a purpose. Show grace and mercy even to the irritating things, when you can 🙏

07/29/2025

8 Years 💚 of being The Patio Farmer! July 29, 2017 I sat up at an event in Plaza Midwood with a sign, some plants, and no idea what magical journey I was stepping into... Fast forward through the side hustle phase, through the pandemic, through all the ups (and downs) of running a business and I'm simply filled with gratitude!

I love to teach, support, and walk alongside others. I believe there are SO many wonderful reasons to grow your own food at home, beyond the obvious one of filling your plates and bellies with the food YOU grew.

I believe growing your own food can change your life. It has changed mine. It has helped me become more in tune with the world around. It has helped me gain an appreciation for the small things, and not take them for granted. It has helped me celebrate all the victories in life fully. It has helped me reframe life's challenges as temporary, and just here for a season. It has helped me keep a calm, level head. It has helped me sloooooow down. It has helped me smile more. It has helped give me a sense of belonging.

Running this sweet little business is such an honor! Thank you to everyone who has supported The Patio Farmer, showed up to class or an event, bought plants, scheduled a Consultation, joined Plant Club, read my newsletter... I see you, and YOU are why I do what I do 💚

Cheers to all that lies ahead! I have a lot of BIG plans in store for the rest of this year. I can't wait to share them with you!

07/25/2025

A r t i c h o k e 🪷 did you know you can grow these perennial beauties at home?! Next month, we dive in to learn all about how to seed, grow, tend to, harvest, and prepare these edible members of the thistle family!

Artichokes are one of my favorite perennial crops to grow. I use them as edible landscaping around the house. I love watching them produce their towering globes. I always leave a few globes on the plants to bloom bright purply flowers (did you know artichokes are a flower?!). The pollinators LOVE them.

Join Plant Club GROW to get a Grow Kit with seeds, a grow bag, and tools to tend to your perennial artichokes in August, and beyond.

Use the link in my bio to read more about my monthly subscription service and join at the GROW level to get started on your artichoke journey with a community of Charlotte-area growers.

Okie dokie artichokie, see you in the Club!

The Patio Farmer

10/07/2025

10/04/2025

09/26/2025

09/19/2025

09/12/2025

09/05/2025

08/29/2025

08/22/2025

08/12/2025

08/04/2025

07/29/2025

07/25/2025

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Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm