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The Simple Garden Life

Simple Garden Life

A program dedicated to keeping the art of gardening simple, fun, and always rewarding. Hosts Jim and Mary Competti have been writing, speaking and sharing their love of gardening for the last decade. Co-owners of the popular blog oldworldgardenfarms.com and co-authors of Growing Simple and Raised Row Gardening, they take an enthusiastic approach to giving solid, straightforward advice on growing everything from vegetables, to perennials, annuals and more!
Each week, Jim and Mary take on a new gardening topic with gusto, taking the listener through the how and why's of gardening, along with advice on how to always keep it fun and enjoyable.

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20 episodes
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S5 · E507
May 12 · 20 min
How To Keep Your Hanging Baskets Blooming Big - All Summer Long!
Want to know the best way to keep your hanging baskets healthy, strong – and most importantly – loaded with blooms all summer long this year? If there is one issue that seems to plague gardeners when it comes to their hanging baskets – it’s how to...
- Transcript
S5 · E506
April 30 · 17 min
How To Fertilize Hostas - Keep Your Hostas Beautiful This Year!
This week Jim & Mary are talking hostas - or more importantly - how and when to fertilize hostas to keep them beautiful all summer long! Unlike most perennials and annuals, hostas are almost always grown for their beautiful foliage. Although they...
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S5 · E505
April 22 · 21 min
How To Supercharge Your Tomato Planting Hole – 4 Must Add Ingredients To Power Plants Early!
Getting your tomato plants off to a great start is one of the biggest keys to growing a big harvest of juicy tomatoes in the summer – and there is no better way to jump start your crop than putting a big dose of power in your tomato planting hole with...
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S5 · E504
April 15 · 20 min
How To Fill Your Raised Beds With The Right Soil Mix!
When it comes to growing healthy, productive vegetables and flowers in raised beds – success all begins with filling your raised beds with the perfect mix of soil! The soil you put into your raised beds matters. To grow great plants it needs to be...
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S5 · E503
April 6 · 18 min
The 3 Biggest Mistakes Gardeners Make Mulching Flowerbeds - And How To Avoid Them
When it comes to maintaining healthy plants and weed-free flowerbeds, mulch is the answer. There is little doubt that it has tremendous benefits for the flowers growing in your flowerbeds – especially when it put down correctly. But let’s face it,...
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S5 · E502
March 23 · 16 min
The Best Way To Use Egg Shells To Power Plants & Recharge Your Soil!
Are you using egg shells correctly in your garden and flowerbeds? Egg shells are one of the most commonly recommended organic ingredients for powering up garden soil and plants. And for good reason! Egg shells are rich in calcium, which happens to be...
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S5 · E501
March 12 · 15 min
The Best Way To Fertilize Daylilies In Early Spring – How To Get Bigger Blooms This Year!
Jim & Mary discuss early spring daylily care - and how to best fertilize them for bigger blooms! The best time to fertilize daylilies is in early spring – and with one simple and easy application, you can set your daylilies up for bigger and...
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S4 · E402
Apr 2, 2024 · 20 min
The Best Way To Support Tomatoes - DIY Tomato Supports!
If you are looking for the best way to support your tomato plants this year without spending a fortune - today's episode covers how to create the perfect DIY solution that can hold the biggest of plants without worry! Tomato cages have been around...
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S4 · E401
Feb 5, 2024 · 20 min
4 Simple Secrets To Grow Cucumbers Like Crazy!
In this season's first episode, Jim and Mary walk listeners through the four simple steps to planting and growing cucumbers. See how with just a few simple tips and tricks, you can grow your best crop of cucumbers ever!
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S3 · E316
Dec 26, 2023 · 19 min
How To Best Feed Birds In Winter - Helping Birds Survive Winter!
There is no harder time for birds than trying to survive in the harsh, bleak and cold conditions winter can bring - and there is no better way to help them through it than by feeding them on a regular basis! Winter is extremely tough on birds that do...
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S3 · E315
Dec 10, 2023 · 18 min
The Secret To Watering Poinsettias - How To Mist Poinsettias!
Did you know that how you water your poinsettias during the holiday season is one of the biggest factors of all in determining just how long your plant will keep it’s gorgeous colorful leaves in place throughout the holiday season – and that misting...
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S3 · E315
Jul 25, 2023 · 21 min
Drought Resistant Perennials - 6 Plants You Won't Have To Water!
Looking for a few low-maintenance, drought resistant perennials to add big interest and color to your landscape – all without the worry of having to constantly water? One of the most difficult and time consuming chores for a gardener to perform is...
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S3 · E314
Jun 20, 2023 · 18 min
How To Fertilize Hanging Baskets - Keep Your Baskets Blooming Big All Summer!
See how to fertilize your hanging baslets like a pro! Jim and Mary walk listeners through how to fertilize their baskets low and slow - and how it can help keep flowering baskets blooming big all summer long! There is little doubt about it - how,...
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S3 · E313
May 23, 2023 · 20 min
How To Stop Carpenter Bees - And The Damage They Cause!
Jim and Mary walk listeners through how to stop carpenter bees from damaging the wood around their home, without having to kill of these important pollinators. When it comes to stopping carpenter bees and the damage they cause to the wood surfaces...
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S3 · E312
May 16, 2023 · 24 min
How To Jump Start Your Tomato Plants - Get Your Tomatoes Growing Fast!
Want to give your young tomato plants a jump start and get them growing fast? Jim and Mary walk listeners through how to power up tomato plants after they have been planted to get them growing strong, healthy and faster than ever! As garden season...
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S3 · E311
May 2, 2023 · 20 min
How To Recharge And Reuse Old Potting Soil
Jim and Mary walk listeners through how to recycle, recharge and reuse old potting soil. Potting soil can be one of the biggest annual expenses of all for those who like to plant flowers and vegetables in pots, containers and hanging baskets. In...
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S3 · E310
Apr 18, 2023 · 19 min
The Best Spring Garden Seed Crops To Plant Early – Get Growing Now!
Listen in as Jim and Mary walk you through getting your garden growing early in the season with seed crops! From sugar snap peas, to spinach, radishes and more, they cover some of the best crops that can handle cooler season temperatures with ease....
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S3 · E309
Apr 4, 2023 · 25 min
How To Divide Perennials In The Spring
Jim and Mary talk about dividing perennials in the spring, and how to transplant them into your flowerbeds to help add more color and stop weeds in the process! One of the easiest, best and least expensive ways to fill your flowerbeds with life and...
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Mar 21, 2023 · 21 min
How To Make The Best Homemade Potting Soil Around - Without Peat Moss!
In today's episode, Jim and Mary walk listeners through the simple steps for how to create their own powerful and amazing potting soil - without the need for peat moss! Using just 5 natural ingredients, they have been making this potting soil on their...
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S3 · E307
Mar 6, 2023 · 23 min
Cutting Back & Dividing Ornamental Grasses In The Spring
Jim & Mary take listeners through the process of ornamental grass care, inlcuding when to cut them back and how to divide and transplant overgrown grasses. There is no better time to cut back and divide ornamental grasses than in late winter and...
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