Grow what you eat. Eat what you grow.
Grandma Mabel's
A practical guide to growing your own food

A little know-how.
A better garden.

Good gardens begin with good information. From choosing your first garden spot to caring for the harvest, Grandma Mabel shares clear, thoughtful guidance for growing food at home.

Add to Cart — $19.99Take a Look Inside
393-page digital guide   ·   40 chapters   ·   Downloadable PDF
Grandma Mabel's Gardening Tips & Tricks cover
A garden reference to keep close
A note from Grandma Mabel

Hello, I'm Mabel.

I've spent more than thirty years growing food in the South, and there's one thing I've learned: a successful garden isn't about doing everything perfectly. It's about paying attention, asking questions, and getting a little better each season.

I put this guide together for the person planting their first tomato and the gardener who's been at it for years. We'll talk about what really matters—sun, soil, water, timing—and the small decisions that make a big difference.

Pull up a chair. There's plenty to learn, and there's always another growing season ahead.

— Grandma Mabel
Practical advice for every season

The garden starts long before the first seed.

Learn the fundamentals, understand the numbers behind common advice, and build habits you can use year after year.

01 / PLAN

Know your ground

Find the right spot by understanding sunlight, frost dates, drainage, and your yard's microclimates.

02 / GROW

Work with your soil

Make sense of garden beds, soil tests, compost, seed starting, watering, and planting schedules.

03 / HARVEST

Make the most of it

Care for favorite crops, manage common problems, and learn when to pick, store, and save seeds.

“Go slow, start small, and keep going.”

Grandma Mabel

Inside the guide

Everything from first bed to full harvest.

Forty chapters organized into seven practical parts, plus planning tools you can return to throughout the year.

PART ONE

Reading Your Ground

Sun, shade, frost dates, slope, drainage, and microclimates.

PART TWO

Building Garden Spots

Raised beds, no-dig beds, containers, paths, trellises, and irrigation.

PART THREE

Soil Science You Can Use

Soil testing, pH, fertilizers, compost, and organic matter.

PART FOUR

Seeds and Starting Plants

Germination, seed starting, transplanting, and succession planting.

PART FIVE

Planting by the Numbers

Calendars, spacing, crop rotation, watering, and season extension.

PART SIX

The Crops

Vegetables, herbs, and perennial food crops.

PART SEVEN

Protecting, Harvesting & Keeping

Pests, plant diseases, weeds, harvesting, storage, and seed saving.

EXTRA RESOURCES

Tools to Keep You Organized

Quick reference, 12-month garden tracker, worksheets, and crop cards.

Gardening Tips & Tricks digital book cover
The complete digital guide

Your garden reference, ready when you are.

Grandma Mabel's Gardening Tips & Tricks includes 393 pages of practical guidance, planting information, and useful planning resources.

$19.99
Add to Cart — $19.99

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Frequently asked questions

A few things you may be wondering.

Is this guide suitable for beginners?

Yes. It begins with choosing a site and preparing your first beds, then introduces more advanced methods and calculations.

What format will I receive?

A downloadable PDF. This is a digital guide, not a printed book.

Does it cover different growing climates?

Yes. It explains zones, frost dates, and local conditions, and encourages readers to consult their local Cooperative Extension office.

Are planning worksheets included?

Yes. The guide includes a twelve-month tracker, planning worksheets, crop cards, and quick-reference material.