Ever find your kale or cabbage full of ragged holes and no idea what's eating it? There's a green caterpillar out there that blends in so well with your leaves, you'll usually notice the damage and droppings left behind before you spot the culprit. And on cabbage, it doesn't stop at the leaves. It can bore right into the head. 𝘠𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘴. I just published a new pest guide all about the Cabbage Worm that walks through: - The full life cycle from egg to adult butterfly - Exactly what to look for so you can catch it early - How to prevent it in the first place - How to treat it once it's there - How to use trap crops & companion planting to control populations and draw in predators ...with photos at every stage! Where to find it? It's part of a growing library of pest guides inside the Academy! And you can grab a 7-day free trial to go read it (and others) right now 🙌 Come hang out with us, join the live session on Friday, and binge-watch past workshops HERE

Not a big harvest, but I am still a proud Mama of my tomatoes. The fact that I could grow them from seed amazed me. This is the girl who has killed a snake plant, an aloe Vera, and even a cactus.

If you want more melons, squash, and cucumbers this year, the secret isn't just soil and sun. It's flowers. 🌻 Here's a good rule of thumb I use in my own garden: for every 3 vegetable plants, plant at least 1 flower. Some veggies rely on pollinators to produce fruit. But veggie blooms alone often aren't enough to catch their attention, especially early in the season before your vegetables even start flowering. Think of flowers as the billboard. Their bright colors and strong scent are basically advertising "food here!" to any pollinator flying by. Once they land in your garden for the flowers, they'll naturally visit your vegetable blooms too. 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 Not all pollinators are drawn to the same things, so a mix of flowers brings a mix of helpers: 🐝 Bees love purple, blue, and yellow flowers like lavender, bee balm, hyssop, and sunflowers 🦋 Butterflies go for clustered or flat, open blooms in red, orange, and pink, like zinnias, lantana, and coneflowers, because they give them a place to land 🐦 Hummingbirds are drawn to tubular, red or orange flowers like salvia, California fuchsia, and trumpet vine 🌙 Moths prefer pale or white flowers that open in the evening, like moonflower or evening primrose, since they're active at night Planting a variety means you're rolling out the welcome mat for more than just bees. 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 Pollinators need water just like we do, and having a source right in your garden makes a huge difference. A bird bath or small fountain works great. If there's no water nearby, pollinators have to leave your garden to find some elsewhere, which means less time pollinating your plants. But if you've got water right there, they can take a quick drink, rest for a second, and get right back to work. However, bees and other small pollinators can actually drown in open water. So, toss a few flat stones, rocks, marbles, or corks into the bird bath or fountain so they have something to land on while they drink. A shallow dish with pebbles works just as well if you don't have a bird bath.