The Bowery
Tales and Lessons about growing all things green on the Coast of Maine
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Why Thinning, Repotting, and Hardening Off are Crucial
I’m going to level with you, even though you aced Seed Sowing, and your seedlings happily growing and green, they’re not exactly ready to go in the ground just yet. Young plants often need to be [...]
10 Vegetable Garden Must-Haves
Everyone’s got their favorites, I’ve got mine, but every vegetable garden must have these 10 vegetables to fully appreciate the rewards a kitchen garden has to offer. It’s incredibly hard to whittle my favorite veggies down [...]
Sow Schedule and Plant Spacing for Your Garden
Plant spacing and sow schedule, these are the nitty-gritty elements of garden planning. It's incredibly tempting to jump into a massive seed sowing extravaganza right now. Trust me, I get it. What you have to remember is, [...]
Seed Starting for Beginners: How to Sow Seeds in 5 Easy Steps
Whether you call it seed starting, sowing seed, or propagating, you’re speaking my language. One of the most thrilling garden activities—in my opinion—is getting your seeds started. And the best part is its easy! I prefer [...]
Seed Viability: How to Test your Seed
I have a serious need for seed! I’m a seed saver. Always have been. Always will be. Some seeds have a great shelf life, while others do not. Which is why it’s so important to do [...]
Step-by-Step Garden Planning
Garden planning, this is it! If you’re one of those luck people who enjoy thrusting your hands into the dirt—it's time to dive into planning what to grow! It can be overwhelming coming into the new [...]

Meet the Blogger
I’m Kelly, a small-scale, organic herb farmer, author and speaker growing in coastal Maine. I believe I was born in the wrong era, am deathly afraid of snakes (ironic, I know) and garden stalking is completely reasonable behavior in my opinion.
An enthusiastic gardener, I want to share with you detailed, cutting-edge growing techniques, tricks and tips so your gardens will be brilliant and your neighbors will be jealous!

The Backyard Gardener
Grow delicious—and gorgeous—vegetables, herb and flowers in your backyard with this comprehensive guide. The Backyard Gardener is every organic gardener’s must have, brimming with mouthwatering photographs, helpful planting suggestions and tried-and-true techniques.
I’m big on sharing. Information hoarders are my pet peeve, so I made sure this book had it all—answers for the newbie-gardener’s burning questions as well as innovative growing techniques for the connoisseur. Dive deep into crop rotation with me! Learn why I think plant stacking is essential, and how sheet mulching changed the way I garden. In this book you’ll get details on the whole enchilada, from the nitty gritty of seed starting, succession sowing and pest control to how-to harvest, store and preserve your vegetables, herbs and flowers. That beautiful, bountiful garden you’ve been fantasizing about is right at your fingertips, and everything you need to be successful right out of the gate is right here!
Available now at
Signed copies
If you’d like to buy a signed copy and support a local Maine business in the process, you can find signed copies of The Backyard Gardener at Sherman’s in Portland, Freeport, Falmouth, Bar Harbor, and more locations. Click below to get more information.