Seed Starting for Spring

What I Plant, What I Eat, and What Has Worked for Me 

Learn how I plant a 4x4 raised bed using garlic companion planting to grow more food in less space. This real-life garden layout shows how I layer vegetables, herbs, and flowers for natural pest control and dense, productive planting.

Healthy soil isn’t something I rush. It’s built slowly, layer by layer, season by season. Instead of stripping beds bare and starting over every spring, I focus on returning organic matter to the soil and letting time, weather, and microbes do most of the work. 

This is the exact process I use to prepare my raised beds from late fall through early spring. 

Gardening Starts Worth Buying

Starting a garden from seed can be rewarding—but not every plant is worth the wait. Some vegetables and herbs grow faster, stronger, and more reliably when planted as established starts, especially in raised garden beds. 

This guide highlights garden starts worth buying and shows how companion planting helps each bed thrive with less effort and more success. 

The Heartwarming Herb - Rosemary

The Heartwarming Herb Garden - Oregano

As Winter Sets In: Preparing Your Garden for the Quiet Season