Tag: Month January Week 3

10 Steps to Building the Community You Don’t Have (Yet) – Garden Therapy
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Without a doubt, community is invaluable. But in this day and age, you have to build it. Luckily, you have a community just waiting to come together right in your neighbourhood. This actionable 10-step plan will help you build a meaningful community right in your own backyard.

When writing The Wild & Free Garden, I wanted it to be so much more than a book about using found materials to create a thrifty garden. Because in the process of foraging, hunting, and gathering for these materials, something much larger happens.

You become engaged with your community.

You’re shopping local rather than buying online. You’re engaging in your neighbourhood’s sharing economy. You’re reaching out for help trying to source some free plant cuttings or scrap wood to build your raised bed. All of this helps you to meet and connect with people.

So I consider The Wild & Free Garden a gardener’s guide to building community as much as it is a book about repurposing and closing the consumption loop.

Today, I want to share another, very direct approach for how to build community. Graham McBain is the creator of HeyNeighbor, an Instagram account on a mission to transform 10,000 neighbourhoods into communities. He’s created a 10-step framework (which I’ll share with you today) and hosts a free virtual class every Friday.

What I love most about Graham and HeyNeighbor is that it’s one simple message and framework. He’s not trying to sell anything, but just genuinely wants to help others build their own community as he has.

“After turning my neighbourhood into a community, I saw how powerful it was, and how much it changed my life and the lives of everyone in the neighbourhood,” says Graham.

“It became so apparent how much people needed this, because friends started trying to move into our neighbourhood to be part of it. I looked to see if anybody else was teaching this information, and I couldn’t find it. So, I figured, why not me, and started making videos.”

I love the work Graham’s doing to help end this loneliness epidemic that many face. And so, I’m happy to feature his framework and messaging in today’s post.

My front wildflower lawn is a way I contribute to my community.

The HeyNeighbor 10 Step Plan

Every Friday, Graham hosts a free community-building class where he documents a ten-step framework for you to turn your neighbourhood into a community.

“I think a lot of people want to live in neighborhoods where they know everybody, but there’s no framework for how to do it, and so that’s why I created my 10-step plan. I think that’s helped a lot of people,” says Graham. “I know it’s helped a lot of people go from desire to action.”

Below is a general outline of his 10-step framework for you to get inspired. However, I highly recommend that you check out his weekly class to truly get all the tips and tricks for how to foster a community.

Step 1: Define Your Neighbourhood

Start by choosing your neighbourhood size. Set the parameters for how large you want your “neighbourhood” to be. Graham recommends starting with 200 homes or fewer. “Too big feels overwhelming and impersonal. Too small can feel limiting and exclusive,” says Graham.

Your neighbourhood will often have natural boundaries, which make it easier. My current neighbourhood group chat spans just two street blocks, and it has over forty people in it.

Step 2: Be Friendly and Vulnerable

The next is arguably the most intimidating. You’re going to knock on some doors and invite people to a neighbourhood event. It’s single-handedly the best way to reach your neighbours. And no, an event poster on the telephone poll or mailbox won’t cut it!

Be vulnerable, explaining the reason why you’re interested in creating a community. Take it one step further by trying to engage in meaningful conversation, so the conversation feels natural. Drop off a flyer with all the event information.

“The biggest obstacle that most people have to overcome is the fear of being rejected, the fear of looking silly, and the fear of being brave and knocking on a door to ask people to be your friend. It’s a very uncomfortable thing,” says Graham.

You may be lucky in that there are already connections within the community that you can build on. In my first neighbourhood, I met my back alley neighbours during a garage sale. We bought their mismatched vintage dishes (which I still use today), and they bought our cheese grater. From there, I started to get to know the other neighbours and became closer to those who lived on our street.

Step 3: Host Your Event

Host your first event! Make sure to keep the stakes of the event low and on neutral ground. Avoid hosting in houses for your first event so that people feel comfortable. Make the event casual and approachable, like front yard coffee or happy hour.

Choose times that work for most people and avoid elaborate planning. It should be easy to stop by.

Step 4: Make One-on-One Connections

During the event, make an effort to talk to everyone. Chances are, you’ll find at least one person that you genuinely connect with.

“Look for people who linger after others leave, who ask thoughtful questions about future events, or who volunteer to help clean up. These are often the community-minded individuals who will become your co-conspirators in creating something special,” says Graham.

When you’ve identified your one person, ask them to help plan the next event or simply to grab coffee. You’re going to change your community venture into a shared vision rather than a solo mission.

Step 5: Create a Virtual Hub

During your event, try to gather everyone’s contact info to make it simpler to organize your next meeting and maintain these new connections. From this info, you can create a virtual hub that allows everyone to easily communicate. Depending on what your community is like, this can be a WhatsApp group, a Facebook Group, or some other messaging tool.

My community uses a WhatsApp group chat. In it, we organize events but also share musings on what’s happening in the neighbourhood, some items we’re giving away or looking for, share our child’s fundraiser, etc. It makes it super simple to connect.

Step 6: Host Recurring Events

Keep the momentum going! Make events an ongoing practice in your neighbourhood. Choose something that not only do you like planning, but that others in your community would also like to take part in. This can include monthly happy hours, seasonal potlucks, outdoor movie nights, and more.

To this day, I still stop by the annual events in my old neighbourhood. It’s been fifteen years since I lived in my first home, but I still participate in the yearly Christmas wreath-making afternoon. And from my second house, where I no longer live, I just went to the annual cookie exchange.

Bonus tip: Look for community grants. Many communities will have small neighbourhood grant programs to provide funding for small events like block parties, skill-sharing workshops, neighbourhood beautification projects, etc. In their eyes, a connected community will work to keep it beautiful, safe, and more comfortable for residents.

Last-minute events work too! “Last night we got a text that one neighbor set up a projector to watch the playoff games, and a few families were over there hanging out around a fire pit. It was less than 30 minutes from invitation to hang out, which I feel like is pretty impossible in our modern society,” says Graham.

Captured at one of the many wreath-making parties I’ve had over the years.

Step 7: Organize Annual Planning Parties

After a few events, people will really start to feel engaged. Having a planning party will help encourage others to get involved in planning activities and allow everyone to be on the same page.

“When people have input into the calendar and ownership of specific events, engagement increases dramatically,” says Graham. “The planning party itself becomes a cherished tradition that reinforces relationships and shared vision.”

At this point, your community is slowly turning into a well-oiled machine. Here’s how to keep the momentum going:
- Step 8: Give Out Micro-Roles. People may not want to lead events, but they may want to help in other ways. Distribute as much work as you can to help others feel a sense of ownership.
- Step 9: Welcome New Neighbours. One of those roles could be the welcome committee! I was lucky in that my current neighbourhood already had many connections, and someone came and knocked on my door to welcome me to the neighbourhood. It makes things much less intimidating as a newcomer.
- Step 10: Live It Up & Spread the Word. Always remember why it is that you started this in the first place. Enjoy the community you’ve created and share with others how they can do the same in their own neighbourhood.
“The biggest benefit is just how content I am in my social life,” says Graham. “I used to have a lot of low-level anxiety around having friends and having a community for a kid to live in. But now my cup is very full all the time. Different things happen almost every day that remind me how lucky I am.”

Thanks again to Graham for generously sharing his HeyNeighbor framework with us! Be sure to register for his next free class to learn more about how you can do the same in your neighbourhood.

A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
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Stephanie Rose

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January 28, 2026
How to Grow and Keep Your Monstera Plant Happy – Garden Therapy
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Everyone’s talking about monsteras! These houseplants have some of the most impressive-looking leaves, coated in slits and holes to make them especially unique. The star of the room, learn how to care for your prized monstera plant.

The plant world had no idea what was in store for them the second interior designers started posting photos of monstera plants on Instagram. Arguably the most popular houseplant of the decade, everyone and their cousin seems to have a monstera plant somewhere in their home.

And for good reason! These plants sure know how to draw the eye and become the focal point of the room. Their dramatic leaves add a tropical flair that has inspired prints from bedsheets to wallpaper. You know exactly what I’m talking about!

Join in on the monstera craze and learn how to care for these tropical beauties.

This post covers…

Known as leaf fenestration, monstera leaves have natural holes and slits in their leaves.

Meet the Monstera Plant

Native to the rainforests of Central America, monstera plants come from the Araceae family. They’re known for their dramatic leaves with slits in them. Leathery and glossy, they make a statement in whatever room they’re in.

Their signature slits or holes are known as fenestrations. Outdoors, the slits allow rain and sunlight to go through and reach the roots and leaves below. Due to its holes, the monstera has also earned its alternative name of a Swiss cheese plant.

Out in the wild, you might see the monstera plant flowering. Tan or cream in colour, they’re popular with the bees and butterflies and turn into a fruit with rich and delicious taste. However, monstera houseplants won’t flower or fruit!

Monstera can grow fast, up to 1-2 ft a year. They can get 2-3 ft wide and up to 3 ft tall. Natural climbers, they sprout many aerial roots in addition to their leaves.

A small aerial root growing on a monstera.

Types of Monstera Plants

With over 48 species of monstera plants, there’s an incredible variety of monstera types out there. In fact, many are often mislabelled because they change so much in appearance as they grow. Here are some popular varieties that you

Monstera deliciosa is the most popularized type of monstera.
- Monstera deliciosa. The most popular type out there and the one you’re most likely to find at your local garden centre. They have the classic large, glossy green leaves with slits in them.
- Monstera borsigniana. A variation of deliciosa. At first, it’s hard to tell the difference between the two types when young. However, borsigniana are smaller and grow faster. The slits tend to be in rows rather than at random like the deliciosa.
- Monstera variegata. These monsteras are very popular and can be difficult to find and therefore more expensive. They’re known for a distinct colour variation of white and cream that almost looks painted on.
- Monstera adansonii. Smaller than most of the others, the adansonii appears more vine-like. The holes stills take up about 50% of the leaf, with some appearing round and others more narrow.
- Monstera dubia. Also known as the shingle plant, the dubia has smaller leaves with light and dark green veining. This is also a rarer variety; their leaves appear almost variegated.
Monstera adansonii are a smaller type of monstera that vines.

Monstera Plant Care

Monsteras aren’t too finicky, but they can be a little tempermental for beginner houseplant growers. Every plant has its ideal lifestyle, so here are some tips on proper monstera plant care.

Location

Swiss cheese plants add a dramatic flair wherever you place them, be it your living room or office. When placing it, keep in mind that they don’t like cold drafts and heaters. Their optimal temperature is 60-80°F (15-27°C). They don’t like to go below 55°F (12.8°C).

In the wild, they like to climb upwards. To encourage this growth, give them a moss pole. Otherwise, they will grow outwards and take up quite a bit of room.

Most types of monstera need a climbing support of some kind, like a moss pole.

Light

Monster plants will happily sit in a not-so-sunny corner. They’re fairly tolerant of low light which makes them great for the areas of your home that need a little brightening up with some greenery.

If you really want your monstera to thrive, place it in bright, indirect light. Be careful not to place it in direct sunlight as this can burn the leaves.

Water

Monster plants should be watered when the top 2-3 inches of the soil are dry. Use your finger and stick it in the soil to test for dryness. When it’s time to water, water thoroughly until you see water draining through the bottom holes. Toss out any excess water from the saucer.

You want your monstera to dry out completely between waterings. In the summer, you will need to water fairly regularly and only occasionally during the cool season.

Coming from rainforests, monstera plants like a fair amount of humidity. You can mist your plant once a week in the morning for extra humidity. You can make a humidity tray to help.

Monstera plants thrive with humidity.

Soil

Use well-draining soil designed with houseplants in mind. You should keep the soil somewhat moist, but it should be in a pot with drainage holes to avoid any wet feet (which can lead to root rot).

Fill your soil in a deep pot to accommodate the roots. The pot should be a few inches wider and deeper than the pot it came in.

Fertilizer

During the growth season, from spring to summer, fertilize your Swiss cheese plant once a month or every other week. Use a water-soluble fertilizer and always apply it to wet soil.

Stop fertilizing in the fall and winter.

Common Issues

Yellow leaves are a sign of improper watering. Only water your Swiss cheese plant when the top is dry, and water thoroughly in one go. Yellowing leaves may also indicate it’s not getting enough light.

Leaves with brown edges mean the plant needs more humidity. If left unresolved, they will also turn yellow before falling off.

Limp leaves mean the plant is likely not getting enough water. Give it a good soaking in the bathtub and let all the excess water drain out.

The aerial roots can also get unruly. While you can trim them, it’s best to try and tuck them back down into the pot.

Because of their large leaves, they can get dusty. To remove dust, wipe them down with a damp sponge or paper towel.

If the leaves on your monster aren’t splitting, it likely means it’s not getting enough light. Try moving it to another location and also pay attention to your watering schedule.

Propagating Your Monstera Plant

The easiest way to propagate monstera plants is by taking stem cuttings and placing them in water. Here’s how to propagate them:
1. Take your cutting using sanitized pruners. The cutting could be cut below the node (where a leaf has or will emerge), have an aerial root, and at least two leaves.
2. Place your cutting in a vase or glass of water.
3. Change the water every 2-3 days. After a couple of months, the cutting should have roots long enough to plant.
4. Plant your monstera in new potting soil. Add in a moss pole for support and future climbing.
You can also propagate by air layering, but this method is more difficult for beginners.

Once the roots are about 4-6 inches long, you can plant your monstera propagations in soil.

Frequently Asked Questions About Monstera Plants

Are monstera plants toxic?

Monstera plants are mildly toxic for humans and pets. If consumed, it can cause irritation of the mouth and stomach.

Are monstera plants easy to care for?

As far as houseplants go, the monstera is fairly hardy. If you give them the right light and water, they’ll be happy as a clam. Most people struggle with monsters by not giving them any growing support, a lack of humidity, and improper watering.

How do I know if my monstera plant is happy?

A monstera that is happy and thriving will have lots of new growth and split leaves. Unhappy monsteras will have yellow leaves, brown tips, no split leaves, slow growth, and might sprawl to try and reach sunlight.

Do you have any more questions about monstera plants? Leave them in the comments below, and I’ll do my best to answer them!

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A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
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Stephanie Rose

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January 19, 2026
Hydrotherapy at Home: Using a Hot Tub for Chronic Pain – Garden Therapy
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Adding a used hot tub to my backyard design was the best choice I made this year. There are so many hot tub benefits to consider, the biggest of which is pain management. My hot tub gave me my mobility, energy, and, really, my life back. Here’s how you can get some hydrotherapy at home using a hot tub.

Getting a hot tub wasn’t an easy choice for me. As a firm eco-conscious and regenerative gardener, a big energy-sucking, chemical-heavy hot tub wasn’t exactly fitting into my new home plans.

But as I found my pain getting worse and my flareups becoming more frequent, I was desperate for a way to manage my pain without needing to pop painkillers 24/7.

I researched a lot before settling on a used hot tub that was selling for practically pennies on Facebook Marketplace. With a little bit of work and renovations, I turned what would be junk into a more eco-friendly hot tub.

You can read all about that project and how to adjust your own hot tub here.

Buying this hot tub and making room for it in my garden design is one of the best decisions I have ever made for my body. It has become my daily saviour for dealing with my chronic pain. Let me explain!

My hot tub is secondhand but still works beautifully after putting in some work.

My Struggle With Chronic Pain

Since 2006, I’ve been dealing with chronic pain. For years, I’ve dealt with my disability and have found ways to manage it fairly effectively. But as I get older, holy cow, it can take me out, especially in the winter.

Many pain medications do a number on my stomach, and I’m sensitive to most prescribed pain options. Unfortunately, I can’t pop pills every time I feel pain. When I do, I usually have different negative reactions to deal with.

Chronic pain has a substantial impact on my life. While I’m used to it, I do need to break the pain cycle. It won’t go away with rest, like an injury might. It occurs all the time unless I find a way to manage it.

I’m also an active person with chronic pain. I want to get outside, walk with the dog, putter in the garden, ski in the winter, and go camping with kiddo. How can I exercise and do everything I want to do?

Even those who love to chill out, will find how exhausting chronic pain can be on the brain. It affects not only our physical health but our emotional and mental health.

The longer the pain goes on, the harder it is to keep energetic. I don’t have the ability to exercise how I used to, which only increases the chronic pain as I lose muscle tone and carry more weight.

All that being said, I’ve had to begin looking for ways to manage chronic pain that will consistently work for me as I get older. My hot tub benefits have not gone unnoticed, and I find myself wanting to gush about it so others who may struggle with chronic pain can feel some relief, too.

Heat from water can help to relax the body and reduce stiffness.

Using Hydrotherapy at Home

Hydrotherapy is a type of treatment for physical pain and stiffness using water. This can include aquatic exercise, sitz baths, saunas, hot water compresses, and even the bath you have at home after a long day.

Considered an alternative treatment, different cultures have used varying forms of hydrotherapy for thousands of years. What I love about it is how accessible it is and that it’s quite effective for various symptoms.

Years ago, I had an infrared sauna. While I liked it, I never really got into the routine of using it. It didn’t feel as supportive on my body, and I took long hot baths filled with Epsom salts instead.

Everybody will have a different preference and experience with heat for treatment, but I found that a hot bath helped me feel better the next day.

When I moved and was thinking about what to do with my outdoor space, a hot tub seemed like a great option as a daily bath taker. I’ve even had them multiple times a day when I’m experiencing a bad flare-up.

I saw a hot tub as a way to help me stay off painkillers, which have ruined my gut. It would also allow me to save water and get away from bathtubs. While my new house had a beautiful clawfoot tub, I found its shape very hard, and it put a lot of pressure on my body, not to mention that it was hard to get in and out.

All the Hot Tub Benefits!

Pain Management

The reason I sought out a hot tub was pain management, and it has not disappointed me in this regard. I can wake up in the morning with so much pain that I won’t be able to function. Before anything, I will pop in the hot tub and feel my body return to me. I also use it before bed to help break the pain cycle before sleep.

Workout Recovery

As someone who is pretty active, it can also help with my recovery after I go on my daily dog walk or do a little bit of exercise. After a whole day of straining my body and being exhausted, I can use the hot tub to help put me in a state of relaxation.

Mobility

After I have a soak, I notice an immediate release in my body. It greatly improves my mobility because the muscles are less stiff.

Those will also find that aquatic exercise has a very low impact, so doing a little bit of movement within the water can help you get your body moving without putting much stress on your joints.

Relaxation

Reduced pain, relaxed muscles, and less stiffness all mean I can move around much better. For this reason, I get a way better sleep and prevent even more flare-ups from occurring.

Mental Health

The mental health aspect of a hot tub must not go unnoticed as well. Reducing my pain has helped me achieve better mental clarity. I’ve reduced my stress load and found a new component of my self-care ritual.

I developed my hot tub, so it is part of my garden. I can sit in the hot tub looking at the sky, watch the crows fly overhead, and enjoy my garden space.

Reducing Pain Medications

Taking pain medications would allow me pain relief in one area but would cause gut issues and discomfort in other areas. A hot tub could provide me with pain relief without causing another kind of pain elsewhere. This would help my emotional resilience as I know I’m doing something good for myself.

Less Water Waste

I used to use baths as a form of recovery and relaxation, relying on them daily and sometimes twice a day to help me keep my body moving. As you can imagine, that would use up a lot of water.

Now, I can use my hot tub 2-3 times a day and not feel guilty about all that water going down the drain.

I keep my hot tub well-insulted, actually replacing the old insulation with hard foam. The original cover was also recycled and replaced with a new one to maximize insulation and the hot tub’s energy efficiency.

My shower and French drain are next to my hot tub, which filters water into the ground and my garden.

Getting Social

Another aspect that I didn’t initially think about was how fun having a hot tub would be. When I had friends over, we could all sit in the hot tub and visit there instead of going out or having drinks inside. And it’s so, so lovely!

My hot tub is part of my patio area, which is great for entertaining.

Hot and Cold Hot Tub Circuits

The hot and cold circuit is known more professionally as contrast bath therapy, a form of hydrotherapy where you alternate putting your body in hot then cold water. It’s often associated with Scandinavian culture and is a highlight at many spas.

Contrast bath therapy works by rapidly changing your circulatory system and changing your heart rate. First, your blood vessels open up when your body is immersed in hot water. Then, the opposite happens in cold water as your capillaries get smaller. The contrast creates a pumping motion in your blood vessels, which can help with physical symptoms.

Contrast bath therapy is a passive and non-invasive form of therapy, so it’s easy to do for those who are having difficulty doing much besides sitting.

Here’s my personal hot and cold circuit cycle that I use:
1. When I’m feeling bad, I start with a fifteen-minute soak in the hot tub with the jets on, giving me a “massage.”
2. After, I have a quick one-minute icy shower with my outdoor shower. Yes, it’s hard to leave the comfort of the warmth, but it stimulates my nerves.
3. Have a ten-minute rest. I sit outside on my patio, wrapped in a towel or blanket.
4. If I’m feeling better, I’ll get ready for the day. If I’m still not doing well, I’ll repeat it all again. Sometimes, I do up to three cycles.
Caring for Your Skin After Being in a Hot Tub

The one thing I will say about having a hot tub is that it can be tough on your skin. For the record, I have sensitive skin, and I still think the hot tub is well worth it.

To help, I stay hydrated. I always drink water when I’m in the hot tub. Afterward, I make sure to rinse off and use my natural soaps. The cold showers, as part of my hot/cold circuit, also help by closing up the blood vessels that cause skin dryness and rosacea.

It’s also a good idea to moisturize. I also spritz myself with witch hazel and rose water.

I use very few chemicals to keep my hot tub as natural as possible (read more about that here). I use the minimum amount of what’s needed to try and make the water as sensitive and skin-friendly as possible.

I change my hot tub water about every four months, sometimes sooner if there have been many people in it.

All these things help to prevent my skin from feeling dry and scratchy. While my skin bothers me occasionally, I find the pain management well worth this side effect.

FAQ for My At-Home Hot Tub

What costs can you expect for a hot tub?

Since I got a used hot tub, the initial cost wasn’t that bad. There are so many hot tubs out there that I highly recommend you find someone local who refurbishes them and will deliver it to you.

You’ll also need to prepare the space for the hot tub to sit, which should be considered in the initial cost. Moving hot tubs is also expensive and should be done by special movers.

There are chemicals you’ll need for maintenance. I don’t use any chemicals besides bromine and baking soda, as well as an RV water filter.

The ongoing cost of it isn’t too bad if you’re insulting it well. I also found that I’m likely saving money, considering how often I would fill my bathtub beforehand. Not to mention, my hot tub is electric, while my home’s hot water heater is natural gas so it’s a cleaner energy source.

How do you lift the hot tub with reduced mobility?

I installed a bar lifter in my hot tub. It allows me to fold the hot tub cover in half and then use the lifter to move the cover onto the bench I have behind the hot tub. Even when my mobility is restricted, I find lifting quite simple.

More Helpful Tips to Try

A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
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Stephanie Rose

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January 18, 2026
Designing the Vegetable Garden: How to Make a Garden Map

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If you have begun working on how to make a garden, you may feel a bit overwhelmed at the sheer amount of information, options, and how to keep track of it all. That’s where this garden map comes in handy! It’s a simple visual tool that will work for newbie gardeners and master gardeners alike.

The first step in starting a vegetable garden, or any garden really, is to write out a plan. The plan can be anything from a few Post It notes on a seed catalog to a computerized garden map.

I like to create something in between: a hand-drawn map of the garden beds with the planting plan. This garden map is a great tool to help you fully plan out your garden to maximize its space and get the best possible vegetable harvest.

Why Should I Use a Garden Map?

If you have a vegetable garden, a garden map is a must each year. It will help you determine how many seeds and plants you will need and where you should plant each of them. It also will help you keep track of what you will be producing year round and allow you to group similar harvest seasons together.

Typically, the vegetable garden needs to be planned out each year. Vegetables are annuals (for the most part) and when they reach maturity we eat them, so they need to be planted every year. Plus, each year our garden grows and changes and we need to keep up with it!

There are so many factors to where, when, and how you plant the different vegetables, that a map is the best way to keep you on track. When to start seeds, whether or not to start them outdoors, when to transplant seedlings, good plant companions, and crop rotation are all things to think about when designing a garden plan.

This is a good activity to do in late winter when you’ve got spring on the brain. I find it gets me in the gardening spirit while it is still snowy and cold outside. While it is great for vegetables, you can follow similar steps for a brand new garden or a major garden transformation. Here are the steps that I use for my mapping process.

(If you need help building garden beds then start here instead.)

How to Make a Garden Map

Ready to get started? I’ll walk you through each step so you can learn how to make a garden plan with ease!

Map Out Your Garden Space

Measure your vegetable garden and draw a garden map to scale 1″ representing 1′ in the garden. Draw in any obstacles that you will have to contend with like posts, irrigation heads, or other structures you need to work within the garden.

Label north on the map and watch the sun over the course of a few days to get a sense of what the light will be like. Remember that the sun in the summer and fall will be in different positions in the sky. Trees will leaf out and create shade, buildings may create more or less shade as the sun moves.

If this is your first year mapping your garden, make notes in a gardening journal throughout the year as to how the light will fall. Here is my garden helper coloring in the sun and shade while we plan over a coffee date.

Create Your Wish List

Grab some seed catalogs and write down all of the vegetables, fruits, and herbs that you want to grow. Now, look up each of them in a seed catalog written for your area. You may find that some of your top choices are not even for sale in your area. Sadly, this is because not every veggie can grow in every climate. You will need to stick to what you can grow, so cross those off the list.

Look at the number of days until harvest and do the math. Some vegetables need a really long growing season and if cool fall weather comes before the harvest date, you may never even taste the fruits of your labor. Think about requirements like plant size at maturity, spacing needs, and shade/sun requirements to further refine your list.

You may also be able to have multiple crops in one season! There are some speedy spring vegetables to grow for early crops as well as vegetables that can be planted later in the season. Consider grouping these vegetables together to get multiple harvests from a single area in one season.

The other thing I think about when creating my vegetable garden seed list is cost and availability of the vegetables. I choose heirloom seed varieties, rare colors, and expensive-to-buy produce to grow in my home garden.

In the winter, I also like to take an inventory of the previous season’s harvest. I look at which vegetables did well and which ones did I wish I had more of. This way I can be sure my garden is even more successful the following year when I map it out. I also note which vegetables did not perform well and see whether or not I should try and grow them again or move them to a new location.

Add Plants to Your Garden Map

Use pencil so you can easily move plants to new spaces or add more. Our vegetable garden is a small area that has four planters, two on the ground and two in the sky in a vertical planting system. To determine what plants went into the beds I looked at the location and amount of shade. I planned for root vegetables and plants with deep roots in the two beds that are on the ground. Shallow rooted plants when in the upper planters. I also make sure to note vertical vegetables such as tomatoes or peas. They will need additional support and may eventually cause shade to lower growing plants later in the season.

Finally, put pen to paper and mark the final location of your vegetables. This plan may change as the season goes by. Mark those changes, and anything that you noticed throughout the year right on your garden map. It will be a great starting point for next year, and a memento of your garden for years to come.

Make sure you put your map somewhere for safe keeping. Make notes on what worked and what didn’t work so you can plan again better next year. Saving your map for future reference can be an immense help!

Garden Map Tips

When mapping, I like to use square foot gardening. If you have uniquely-shaped garden beds like I do, then square foot planting will be a very helpful tool. Mark each square foot on the garden map, then you can determine how many plants of each type can go in each square. Some vegetables like cabbage and cauliflower require at least a square to themselves, but others like carrots can squeeze 12-16 plants into a square. There is a guide here for square foot planting.

That being said, get creative with your space! As I mentioned earlier, I primarily grow my vegetables in pots and containers and my unique vertical garden. Don’t just think of traditional vegetable beds. Anyone can benefit from a garden map, especially those with small and uniquely shaped gardens.

You may also want to consider crop rotation for your garden. Plants that belong to the same family tend to use the same nutrients in the soil. Planting the same vegetables year after year in the same area can deplete the soil. Similar plant families include alliums, Solanaceae, brassica, cucurbit, and legume families. When doing your planting research, make a note of what family it belongs to. Keeping your map is especially helpful in keeping track of crop rotation year after year.

More Gardening Posts to Read

A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.

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Stephanie Rose

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January 17, 2026
How to Determine the Shelf Life of Beauty Products Made at Home – Garden Therapy

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When making your own beauty products, there isn’t a printed expiry date you can turn to. Knowing when to keep or toss your products can make people feel a little worried about making their own products in the first place, but it really isn’t that complicated or scary (I promise!). Here’s how to find out the shelf life of beauty products you make at home.

One of my favourite activities to do is interact with all the comments on my blog posts. Sometimes, they’re lovely comments about your own garden or musings about nature, while other times, they’re questions about the blog.

And I love it when you ask questions! I’m always ready to help clarify things or let you pick my brain.

One of the questions I get a lot on my DIY beauty or cleaning recipes is how do you know the shelf life of beauty products. So, I wanted to break it down for you, as it depends on what ingredients were used.

Here’s what you need to know about homemade cosmetics’ shelf life.

Shelf Life of Beauty Products Without Water

If a product doesn’t have water in the ingredient list, such as my balms and salves, you can use the soonest expiration date from your ingredients. The final product will last as long as the earliest expiry date from the ingredients you use.

For instance, let’s say you make a lip balm with beeswax, cocoa butter, and grapeseed. Out of those ingredients, the cocoa butter has the earliest expiry date. Even if the beeswax and the grapeseed oil last longer, the lip balm’s expiry date will be the same as the cocoa butter.

Using the earliest expiry date is the general rule of thumb, but also use your common sense. If it has a weird, funky smell or looks off, throw it away. I know when you make products yourself, you become attached to them from all the time and money you put into them. But it’s never worth the risk. Just throw it away!

Shelf Life of Beauty Products With Water

When you start working with water, it’s a whole other ballgame. Anything that has water in it will only last a few days. Water will grow bacteria in it and is only good for a few days unless you add a preservative.

For example, my sugar scrub is good on its own since it’s just sugar and oils. But once you add your wet hands into it while in the tub or shower, the sugar scrub will only last a week.

Meanwhile, my magnesium lotion has water in it, but I’ve added leucidal as a preservative. The lotion then lasts for about six months.

How to Make DIY Beauty Products Last

You can extend the shelf life of water-based items without preservatives by keeping them in the fridge. Just like our food, the cold will help slow down bacteria growth and keep the product good for longer.

Products With Fresh vs Dried Herbs

Many of my recipes harness the healing properties of plants from my garden. And almost all of them use dried herbs. When you dry herbs first, you’re removing the moisture (AKA water) that will cause the degradation of the product and the growth of bacteria that can cause the product to spoil.

Check out my guide for drying herbs for more information on the different ways you can do this.

One big exception is when I use lemon balm. You can only get medicinal properties from fresh lemon balm. I use it fresh in my favourite cleaning spray, lip balm for cold sores, and to make my bar soap.

How Long Does Scent Last?

People also like to ask how long the scent will last in products, especially bar soaps and bath bombs. Over time, the scent and colour will naturally fade. The essential oils will dissipate in the air.

To help keep the fragrance of your products, store them in an airtight container. This will help the essential oils to last longer.

But say you keep a rose scented product with a mint one in the same bin, everything will end up smelling like the more dominant scent mint. Keep scents separate, or the scents will mingle.

FAQ About Skin Care Shelf Life

Do natural skincare products expire?

Yes. Refer to the expiry dates listed on your ingredients list. The earliest expiry date is the skin care shelf life. If your product contains water and doesn’t have a preservative, it will only be good for a few days before bacteria begin to break it down.

What’s the best way to store homemade skin care products?

Always place items in an airtight container with a lid. Your goal is to preserve the scent and make sure the product doesn’t go bad. Keeping moisture and dust away from your product is the best way to extend your DIY cosmetic’s shelf life.

How can you keep homemade cosmetics fresh?

Storing items in the fridge will help prolong your products’ life since it slows the growth of bacteria. This is especially important if your product contains water and doesn’t have any preservatives. Products without water do not need to be refrigerated.

More Need-To-Know DIY Beauty Info

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Stephanie Rose

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January 29, 2024