NaturallyHicks on LTK

Bare root strawberries can look completely lifeless when they arrive… but give them a few weeks and they take off. 🍓 A few things that make a huge difference: • Soak roots before planting • Keep the crown at soil level • Plant in full sun • Mulch to hold moisture + keep berries clean • Pinch first-year blooms for stronger plants later Strawberries are one of my favorite long-term garden crops because once they’re established, they just keep giving. ❤️ I LOVE growing strawberries vertically because: • saves garden space • improves airflow • easier harvesting • cleaner berries • looks so pretty filled in Also — GreenStalk grow towers are on sale right now for Memorial Day over at Epic Gardening 👏 🔗 in bio gardening zone4gardening epicgardening epicgardeningspringsale sponsored

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POV: The annuals finally make it into the garden 🌸👏

Now we wait for the summer color explosion ✨
Featuring some favorites from @provenwinners 💛

🌺 Supertunia vista cool jazz
🌺 Supertunia vista bubblegum
🌺 Stratosphere white
🌺 Rockin deep purple salvia

#ProvenWinners #GardenReel #AnnualFlowers #Zone4Gardening #GardeningLife

At 65°F soil temp your garden is officially in the “go time” window for a lot of warm-season planting 🌱

You can safely direct sow:

* Beans (bush + pole)
* Sweet corn
* Cucumbers
* Summer squash & zucchini
* Pumpkins
* Melons (if you want to try)
* Sunflowers
* Nasturtiums
* Basil
* Dill
* More carrots/beets for succession planting
* Swiss chard

You can transplant out (if hardened off):

* Tomatoes (cover if nights dip below ~45)
* Peppers (better if nights stay 50+ — they sulk in cold soil)
* Marigolds
* Cosmos
* Zinnias
* Snapdragons
* Alyssum
* Brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels, kale)
* Onions/leeks

Happy planting!

If your seedlings keep stalling after transplanting… check the weather before you blame yourself.

In Zone 4, we don’t just plant when we’re ready—we plant when the weather cooperates.

🌱 Ideal transplanting conditions:
• Overcast skies (your best friend)
• Temps in the 50s–60s
• Calm winds
• Light rain = bonus watering + less shock

I’ll always choose a cloudy 55° day over a sunny 70° day for transplanting. Every time.

Save this so you don’t waste your hard work on the wrong day 👇

#zone4gardening #seedstarting #gardeningtips #homesteadgarden #springplanting

I planted peas & carrots last month as a “let’s just see what happens” experiment with my little…
Snow on the ground. More snow in the forecast. Zero patience on my end 😆

And somehow… they came up.

Reminder: not everything in the garden needs perfect timing.
Some crops actually prefer the chaos of early spring.

If you’re like me and have no chill when it comes to planting—
lean into it… just pick the right crops 😉

#zone4garden #earlyspringplanting #gardeningwithkids #homesteadmama #growyourownfood

This space didn’t happen overnight.
It took years of hard work and a lot of trail and error (A LOT🫣).

Funny enough, I didn’t even want a garden at first.
This was supposed to be my husband’s project…
but when he stopped watering, I couldn’t just watch everything struggle—so I took over.

If you’re in a season where your garden feels frustrating,
or you’re wishing your space looked different… keep going.

The in-between isn’t wasted.
It’s where everything is quietly growing—
including you 🌱

Happy gardening friends!

If you’re gardening in Zone 4, this is your window 👇

Cool-season crops LOVE this weather and actually grow better before summer hits. I’m direct sowing all my greens, root crops, and herbs right now while the soil is still cool.

Don’t rush the warm-season stuff yet—those go in later this month once the soil warms up.

Save this so you don’t miss your planting window 🌱

#zone4gardening #minnesotagardening #directsow #springgarden #kitchengarden

Biggest seedlings mistake I’ve made?

Ignoring the wind.

Don’t let wind undo weeks of work.

In Zone 4, we’re so focused on frost dates that we forget one of the biggest threats to young plants: wind.

Seedlings grown indoors or in a greenhouse aren’t used to:
• Constant airflow
• Rapid moisture loss
• Sudden temperature swings

So when you plant them straight out into an exposed bed… they struggle fast.

What to do instead:
– Harden off gradually (not just sun—wind too)
– Avoid planting on super windy days
– Use row cover, crates, or plant near a windbreak
– Give them a few days of protection after transplant

A little protection now = stronger plants all season.

Save this before your next planting day 🌱

If you’re gardening in Zone 4… this is your sign to start hardening off 👇

Right now, your cold-hardy crops are ready for the transition outside:
• Brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts)
• Greens (lettuce, spinach)
• Onions + herbs like dill and cilantro
• Cold-tolerant flowers like snapdragons + alyssum

But don’t rush your warm crops—tomatoes, peppers, and squash still need warmer nights.

This early window is what gives you a head start (and bigger harvests later on).

Save this so you don’t miss your timing 🌱
What have you already moved outside?

I talk a lot about vegetables but don’t forget about flowers in your raised beds this season!

I will ALWAYS plant trailing flowers around the edges of my raised beds 🌸They soften the structure, attract pollinators, and make the whole garden feel fuller.

Bonus: it’s a great way to maximize space in smaller gardens. Plant alyssum (my favorite!) nasturtiums, marigolds, cosmos, and another favorite dwarf zinnias.

#RaisedBedGarden #CutFlowerGarden #PollinatorGarden #Zone4Garden #NaturallyHicks GardenDesign CottageGarden

Just a slow pan of something I grew from tiny seeds 🌱

This doesn’t happen by accident 🌱
Healthy plants, full beds, and a thriving garden? It’s built—one small step at a time.

✨ Starting seeds at the right time
✨ Giving them space to grow (yes, even when it hurts 😅)
✨ Soil that actually supports them
✨ Consistency over perfection

It’s not luck… it’s intention.

And you can absolutely do it too 🤍

#gardeningtips #zone4garden #growyourownfood #raisedbedgarden #seedstartingseason

April = go time in a Zone 4 garden 🌱🙌

If you’re wondering what to start right now—here’s your list 👇

🌱 Start indoors:
• Tomatoes (if you haven’t yet)
• Peppers (if you haven’t yet)
• Basil
• Broccoli / cabbage / cauliflower (it’s not too late)
• Zinnias
• Marigolds
• Pumpkins
• Winter Squash
• Zucchini
• Cucumbers *prefers direct sow - I like to start some anyways
• Melons

🌿 Direct sow outside (yes, already! I recommend checking soil temps daily for consistent temps of 45+)
• Peas
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Radishes
• Carrots
• Arugula

❄️ Can handle the chill—don’t wait too long or you’ll miss the window!

Save this so you don’t forget what to plant next 🌿

#zone4gardening #seedstarting #growyourownfood #springgarden gardenplanning

If your seedlings are looking ✨fine-ish✨ but not thriving… this might be your sign to up-pot 🌱

Here’s why it matters:
Your seedlings outgrow those tiny starter cells FAST. When they do, roots get cramped, nutrients run low, and growth stalls out.

Up-potting = giving them room to actually thrive 🙌

🌱 Signs it’s time:
• Roots coming out the bottom
• Soil drying out super fast
• Growth seems stunted
• They just look… sad 😅

🌿 Seedlings that LOVE to be up-potted:
• Tomatoes (they’ll grow roots all along the stem 🙌)
• Peppers
• Broccoli / cabbage / cauliflower
• Herbs like basil

What I do:
Start in small cells with @espomaorganic seed starting mix → up-pot into larger containers with epsom garden mix → plant out strong.

Trust me… this step makes a BIG difference in how your plants perform later 🌿

#seedstarting #gardeningtips #homesteadinglife #growyourownfood #gardenbeginners

🌱 Your seedlings fighting for their life?? Yeah… same 😅

If they sprout and then immediately ✨struggle✨… it’s probably not you (ok… maybe a little 😆)

It’s your soil.

Enter: vermiculite —

✨ Keeps your soil from drying out in 0.2 seconds
✨ Stops that weird crunchy crust on top
✨ Gives baby roots a fighting chance
✨ Helps prevent the dreaded seedling flop

What I do:
Plant seeds → sprinkle vermiculite on top → water

And somehow… it works every time 🌿

Also — Epic Gardening seedling trays are still on sale and honestly… they make this whole process way easier 🙌

Save this so your next batch doesn’t humble you 🤍

#seedstarting #gardeningtips #zone4garden #epicgardeningspringsale #epcigardening

Give me all the sun, soil, and garden and I’ll be happy ☀️

#midwestgarden #gardening #raisedbedgardening #provenwinners

Checking soil temps before planting has been a game changer

#LTKdayinmylife

Proof that it’s worth the wait.

Every tomato, cucumber, pumpkin, and handful of beans started as a tiny seed in my kitchen.

If you’re staring at seed trays right now wondering if it’s worth it… this is your sign.

Zone 4 gardeners — summer always comes.

#zone4garden #midwestgarden #growyourownfood #homesteadlife #gardeningseason

It’s March… time to get serious about starting seeds🌱

If you garden in Minnesota (Zone 4), this is the window.

Right now I’m starting:
• Onions
• Leeks
• Celery
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Early herbs

Because our growing season is short — and if you wait until April, you’ll be behind.

Summer harvest doesn’t start in June.
It starts under grow lights in March.

Save this so you don’t forget what to start.
Are you team “already planted” or team “still thinking about it”? 👀

#zone4garden #minnesotagardening #seedstarting #midwestgarden #growyourown

It’s not planting season yet in Minnesota… but it is prep season 🌱

Here’s what I’m doing to get my raised beds ready for spring:

• Cleaning out old debris
• Cutting back anything I left for winter habitat
• Lightly raking the surface
• Adding a fresh layer of compost

I don’t till my beds — I focus on feeding the soil instead 🤎

Slow work now = better harvest later.

Are you team “wait until May” or already outside every sunny day like me?

#zone4garden #midwestgarden #raisedbedgardening #gardenprep #homesteadlife

If you’re struggling with weeds, poor soil, or drainage… this is your sign to try raised beds.

They make gardening:
🌱 simpler
🌱 more manageable
🌱 way less overwhelming

And honestly? I’ll never go back.

I use beds from @vego_garden and @epicgardening and they’ve been amazing through Minnesota winters.

#gardeningforbeginners #raisedbeds #midwestgardener #gardeninspo #backyardgarden

🌱 1. Don’t Overwater

Most seedlings die from too much love.
• Soil should feel like a wrung-out sponge
• Bottom water when possible
• Let the top slightly dry between watering

💡 In Minnesota’s late winter, dry indoor air can trick you into overwatering.

⸻

💡 2. Light Is EVERYTHING

A sunny window isn’t enough this time of year.
• Keep grow lights 1–2 inches above seedlings
• 14–16 hours per day
• Raise lights as plants grow

Leggy seedlings = not enough light.

⸻

🌡 3. Warm Soil = Better Germination

Especially for peppers & tomatoes.
• Use a heat mat
• Ideal soil temp: 70–80°F for warm crops
• Remove heat once seeds sprout

Cold soil = slow or uneven germination (very common in Zone 4 homes).

Seed starting doesn’t have to be hard 🌱

Follow along for my tried-and-true tips & tricks so you can have a successful year in the garden.

Happy garden planning!

#seedstarting #seeds #midwestgarden #mngarden #zone4garden