Remember that one time we built a garden planter ladder? It has been almost one month, and the growth of all of the little baby seedlings is extraordinary!

Photo 1: June 7th Photo 2: June 24th Photo 3: July 6th

Top Shelf: citrus basil, russian kale, citrus basil (out of control), genovese basil, and regular mint.
2nd Shelf: chocolate peppermint, two genovese basil plants, thai basil, two genovese basil plants, and chocolate peppermint.
3rd Shelf: sweet red pepper plant, a bean plant, genovese basil, black cherry tomato (I think), genovese basil, oregano, and another pepper plant.
4th Shelf: tomato plant, then thai basil, another tomato plant, citrus basil, and another tomato plant.

The tomato plants are growing like crazy! I'm not sure if they will produce any fruits, but they have flowered, which is a great sign!

One of the most important parts of any types of gardening, is the soil you use. The soil contains nutrients which are absolutely vital for the health of your plants.

I stopped using Miracle Grow, which is probably the most available type of soil to most people. First I stopped using it because of the moisture retention qualities. I didn't like lacking control over moisture retention and felt like it was holding on to too much water, which led to aphids and other yucky bugs. The second major reason I stopped using it was because of the unknown chemicals and lack of proper nutrition.

This year, we have exclusively used Happy Frog potting soil. Happy Frog contains bat guano, earthworm casings (great source of nitrogen!), and a variety of microbes and fungi to nurture plants into their full potential. Their soils are hand crafted, natural, and organic. They are hand crafted and made in small batches which are tested to ensure high quality consistency. Their bag is also recyclable which is AWESOME!

If your soil lacks nutrients, so do your plants. Bad soil = bland and nutrition-less produce. I don't use any pesticides or harsh chemical fertilizers on my plants either. I like to encourage good bugs like ladybugs and honey bees to come and eat pests and pollinate, and I do not want to ingest any chemicals! That is Italian Oregano above on the left, right before it flowered (hooray!!) and on the right is French Thyme, a new addition for this year! (p.s. I was having an awful day, but then saw the first HONEYBEE of the season enjoying the Russian Sage on our patio! Our neighbor has been using weed killer up and down the driveway of our condos, so I volunteered Chris and I to be responsible for weeding for our entire property in place of the chemicals! I'd rather do that than risk the lives of more honeybees as well as our safety and health!)

How is your garden doing this summer??? My only complaint is that my tomatoes and peppers are taking FOREVER to ripen!! Otherwise, most of my plants are thriving happily! What are you growing? Have your tomatoes come in yet? Have you had a lot of honeybees at your house? Leave a comment below or share your pics with me on Instagram! Tag me @corrielanderson and use #itsallofit, so I can see your lovely garden!