NaturallyHicks on LTK

Picking berries for days 🍓
We’ve been harvesting daily, and somehow… there’s still more waiting for us each morning. It’s that sweet spot in the season where the garden gives and gives.⁠
⁠
Fresh berries straight from the garden — is there anything better?
⁠
#BerrySeason #Zone4Gardening #HomesteadHarvest #GrowYourOwnFood #StrawberrySeason

Picking berries for days 🍓 We’ve been harvesting daily, and somehow… there’s still more waiting for us each morning. It’s that sweet spot in the season where the garden gives and gives.⁠ ⁠ Fresh berries straight from the garden — is there anything better? ⁠ BerrySeason Zone4Gardening HomesteadHarvest GrowYourOwnFood StrawberrySeason

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It’s garlic season! 🧄

Prepping this raised bed for garlic planting, an in depth video of how I plant garlic coming soon!

It’s not too late to order some or grab from your local nursery

🌿 Quick Rule of Thumb
• Hardneck = better flavor, easier peeling, larger cloves but shorter storage. Better for colder climates. I’m planting music and red chestnut this year, both hard neck garlic
• Softneck = milder flavor, more cloves but smaller, longer storage, good for braiding. Better for mild climates.

Fertilizers I used are linked in my bio. Blood meal from @true_organic_ & mineralyte from @redmondagriculture Agriculture

Are you planting garlic this fall season?

Happy planting!
#garlic #plantinggarlic #raisedbedgarden #midwestgarden

🧄🌱 Garlic is one of the easiest (and most rewarding) crops to grow! In Zone 4, fall is the perfect time to plant!

👉 Planting tips:
• Break bulbs into individual cloves
• Plant pointy side up, 2–3 inches deep
• Space 4–6 inches apart
• Cover with mulch for winter protection

Tuck them in now and you’ll be harvesting big, beautiful bulbs by mid-summer!

Full video on YouTube or check out my Garlic highlight

Happy planting!

#GarlicPlanting #GrowGarlic #FallPlanting #Zone4Gardening #ColdClimateGardening #OrganicGardening #KitchenGarden #HomesteadGarden #GardeningTips #GrowYourOwnFood

Harvesting the last of my cucumbers for the season - bittersweet.

Cucumbers + trellises are a match made in the garden 💚 I love walking under the trellis and seeing cucumbers hanging.

Here is why I grow vertically - harvesting is so much easier! It saves me precious bed space and keeps the plants healthier. Have you tried growing cucumbers this way?

#raisedbedgarden #verticalgarden #trellis #gardentrellis #cattlepaneltrellis

A greenhouse wrapped in hydrangeas? Yes please! 🩷

#midwestgarden #hydrangea #hedge #hydrangeahedge

End of season cleanup? Nope — I’m letting my plants do the work 😉 Dead plants = free mulch, happy soil, and way less work come spring! Skip plants that had disease or major pest issues.

Pro tip - break up this foliage into small pieces with a shovel so it breaks down quicker. I’ll be adding a good layer of leaves once all my crops are done for the fall.

#lazyGardener #soilhealth

Fertilizing my berries

#LTKSeasonal

Garden at the beginning of September 🌺

How is September already almost over? The garden is slowly starting to loose its lushness but the season isn’t over yet.

I’m getting ready to plant garlic this week 🧄 If you’re planning on planting garlic stay tuned for a video!

Happy gardening friends!

#fallgarden #fallgardening #midwestgarden

In my cut flower era

Cupcakes Blush Cosmo

Cosmos are my favorite cut flower to plant in the garden. Double Click Rose Bon Bon

🌱 Planting a fall crop of broccoli today… with my little “helper” 🐶 by my side. Gardening with a puppy means twice the dirt, twice the laughs, and hopefully just as much broccoli come harvest time! 🥦✨

#fallplanting #fallcrops #backyardgardening

Buckwheat is one of the best “quick fix” cover crops, especially for summer and early fall plantings.

Here are the main benefits of growing buckwheat as a cover crop:

🌱 Soil Health & Fertility
• Improves phosphorus availability – buckwheat’s roots exude acids that unlock phosphorus in the soil, making it available for future crops.
• Adds organic matter – when tilled or composted, it breaks down quickly, enriching soil structure.
• Boosts microbial activity – its rapid growth stimulates soil life.

🌾 Weed Suppression
• Fast-growing smother crop – buckwheat can shade out weeds in just 10–14 days.
• Outcompetes summer weeds like pigweed, lambsquarters, and foxtail.

🐝 Pollinator & Beneficial Insect Support
• Abundant flowers – bloom in as little as 4–6 weeks.
• Nectar source – attracts bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and predatory insects that help manage pests.

🌍 Erosion Control
• Dense canopy – protects bare soil from rain impact and wind erosion.
• Fine roots – hold soil particles together, preventing washouts.

🌿 Flexibility & Ease
• Fast turnaround – matures quickly, can be mowed or tilled in after 30–45 days.
• Grows in poor soils – tolerates low fertility better than many cover crops.
• Great for succession – can be planted between spring and fall crops.

Happy planting!

#covercrops #gardening #raisedbedgarden #midwestgarden

🍂 September in the garden feels like a mix of harvest + hustle. The beds are still full, the air is crisp, and I’m soaking up these last golden days before frost. 🥕🍅🌿

What’s still growing strong in your garden this month?

#fallgarden #backyardgarden #gardener

#ad From the very first planting to now, these raised beds from @eartheasy have completed this space of the garden. ✨ I couldn’t imagine this space without them 🌿

Raised beds don’t just look beautiful — they make gardening easier 🌱
✔️ Better drainage
✔️ Warmer soil in spring
✔️ Fewer weeds

Plus aesthetically pleasing ✨

Happy gardening!

#GardenTransformation #RaisedBedGarden #HomegrownHarvest #midwestgarden #raisedbedgardening

These tomatoes needed pruning. Sometimes I don’t even know where to start - getting these tomatoes pruned and tied up was a task and definitely needed to happen. Looks so much better!

Pruning can be intimidating especially with so many STRONG opinions. I like to do a mix of both pruning and letting the plant do its thing.

Check out my tomato highlight for more info on how I prune my plants 🍅

Full video on my YouTube 📺 & TikTok

#pruning #backyardgardening #gardenchores

🍅✨ Did you know the best time to pick tomatoes isn’t when they’re fully red? It’s when they hit the blush stage — just starting to turn color!

Here’s why I always pick early:
✅ They ripen perfectly indoors
✅ Less chance of splitting from rain
✅ Fewer pest & critter problems
✅ Longer harvest window

So next time you see that little bit of color… don’t wait! Pick it, let it finish ripening on the counter, and enjoy at peak flavor. 🌿

Do you harvest at blush or wait until they’re bright red on the vine? 👇

#TomatoTips #Gardening101 #HomesteadHarvest #TomatoSeason #GardenToTable #growyourownfood

Spent the quiet morning harvesting the last of my carrots. If you haven’t grown purple carrots you definitely need to this fall. They are hands down my favorite! 🥕

Happy harvesting!

#harvesting #harvest #gardenharvest

My mini me and I harvested majority of the carrots in the garden 🪏

🥕 To keep carrots crisp and fresh:
1️⃣ Snip off the greens (they steal moisture!)
2️⃣ Don’t wash until you’re ready to use
3️⃣ Store in a breathable bag in the fridge or layer in damp sand for long-term storage.

Nothing better than garden carrots in the middle of winter! ❄️ Who else is harvesting right now?

#gardentips #carrotharvest #homesteadinglife #kidsinthegarden

In my cut flower era 💐

Flowers in the garden make such an impact — not just for pollinators and the overall health of the garden, but for me. Snipping a few stems to bring indoors or share with a friend turns an ordinary day into something a little more magical. 🌸✨

If you’re not growing flowers yet, let this be your sign.

#CutFlowerGarden #Zone4Gardening #NaturallyHicks #GardenJoy #GrowYourOwnBeauty

Digging for garden gold 🥔✨ Harvested our potatoes today despite the weather and the payoff is SO satisfying.

Watch the full harvest on YouTube!

#gardening #zone4gardening #midwestgarden #containergardening #harvesting #harvestingtime #potato #gorillacart

Harvesting some onions with the kiddos. They are massive!

Don’t rush to harvest onions too early—when the tops flop and necks soften, it’s go-time. Now comes the curing phase: warm, dry, and breezy for about 2 weeks! I love to hang mine in my greenhouse. So aesthetically pleasing 🧅

Happy harvesting!

#harvest #gardenharvest #onions #growingonions #growingonionsfromseed

August? How can it be August already?! 😅 Summer is flying by, but there’s still so much we can plant. Here’s what I’m direct sowing this month to keep the garden going strong 🌱👇

🫛 peas
🥕 carrots
🥬 lettuce
🌾 cover crops - more on this to come - I’ve learned a lot about this step and your not going to want to miss.

What are you growing in August?

Happy planting!

#gardening #zone4gardening #midwestgarden #raisedbedgarden #planting

Calendula = the hardest working flower in the garden 💛🌸. Harvested these beauties today and they’re off to dry so I can use them in salves + teas all winter long. Who else loves growing flowers you can actually use? 🙌

🌸harvest in the early morning
🌸place face down on a drying rack - lots of airflow
🌸dry for 7-10 days - until they are completely crispy and papery
🌸store in a glass jar out of sunlight

#calendula #harvesting

Calendula is the hardest-working flower in the garden 🌼💛! Harvest when the blooms are at their peak and dry them until completely crisp (7–10 days). This simple step preserves their color, flavor, and healing power for months.

How do you like to use calendula—salve, tea, or infused oil? 🌸👇”

#calendula #gardentohome #herbalism #dryingflowers #naturallyhicks

Did you know you can grow zucchini up instead of out? Growing vertically saves space, improves airflow (less chance of powdery mildew!), makes harvesting so much easier, and keeps your garden looking tidy. Plus, the plants love it! Have you tried it yet?

#gardentips #zucchini #verticalgardening #smallspacegardening #gardeningzone4

The sound of harvesting ✂️ 🥦🫛

Happy harvesting!

#harvesting #gardenharvest #garden

#gardening #garden #happyplace

When should I fertilize my plants? It’s a question I get a lot and there are many different schedules and ways to do it.

I like simple so here is what my fertilizer schedule looks like - when I see flowers starting to bud/bloom I fertilize and once more sometime at the end of July (midsummer for us in MN).

I’ve used @true_organic_ fertilizer for several years now and have been impressed🌱

🛒 all my favorite fertilizers I have linked in my bio

Happy planting!

#gardening #midwestgarden #raisedbedgarden #fertilizers #gardenfertilizer