Growing Hacks - Open Gates Farm

Growing Hacks That Help Backyard Gardeners Keep Mixed-Height Beds Productive Without Letting Taller Crops Slow Down the Rest

Useful growing hacks can help backyard gardeners keep mixed-height beds productive without letting tall crops overwhelm the shorter ones around them. Many home gardens naturally become layered over time. Tomatoes climb, beans rise, corn stretches upward, and taller herbs or flowers…

Open Gates Farm May 31, 2026

Growing Hacks

Growing Hacks That Help Backyard Gardeners Keep Edge Rows More Productive Without Letting Them Dry Out Faster

Useful growing hacks can help backyard gardeners keep edge rows productive without letting those exposed spaces become the weakest part of the bed. Outer rows often face slightly different conditions than the center. They may dry more quickly, receive more foot…

McClendon’s Select May 26, 2026

Growing Hacks

Growing Hacks That Help Backyard Gardeners Use Vertical Space Better Without Making Beds Harder to Manage

Useful growing hacks can help backyard gardeners use vertical space better without making a small bed feel crowded, shaded, or awkward to work in. Many home gardens run short on ground space long before they run short on upward space. Leaves…

Open Gates Farm May 22, 2026

Mixed garden bed with fast and slow growing crops

Growing Hacks

Growing Hacks That Help Backyard Garden Beds Produce More by Pairing Fast and Slow Crops Together

Useful growing hacks can help backyard gardeners get more from the same bed by pairing fast and slow crops together instead of planting each area for only one harvest speed. Many garden beds look partly empty during the early weeks of…

Open Gates Farm May 18, 2026

Growing Hacks

Growing Hacks That Help Backyard Beds Keep Producing After the First Big Harvest

Useful growing hacks can help a backyard bed stay productive even after the first major harvest has already come and gone. Many gardeners enjoy the first wave of produce, then let the bed slow down because it looks tired, partly empty,…

Open Gates Farm April 30, 2026

Growing Hacks

Growing Hacks That Help Backyard Beds Keep Producing After the First Big Harvest

Open Gates Farm April 29, 2026

Growing Hacks

Growing Hacks That Help Backyard Crops Recover Faster After Weather Stress

Useful growing hacks can help backyard crops recover more steadily after wind, heavy rain, sudden heat, or a sharp drop in temperature. Weather stress is common in home gardens, and even strong plants can look weak for a short time after…

McClendon’s Select April 17, 2026

Growing Hacks

Growing Hacks That Help Small Backyard Gardens Use Space Better

Practical growing hacks can make a small backyard garden feel more spacious, easier to manage, and surprisingly productive throughout the season. While limited space might seem like a constraint, factors like layout, timing, and simple support systems often matter far more…

McClendon’s Select April 15, 2026

Growing Hacks

Growing Hacks That Help Backyard Gardens Produce More With Less Work

To keep your backyard garden in good shape, looking neat, and being easy to handle, you can use some helpful growing tricks, and these won't be expensive or complicated. A lot of gardeners think you’ll get a better garden only by…

McClendon’s Select April 13, 2026