Get the Kids—and Picky Adults—to Eat Their Veggies on June 17, National Eat Your Veggie Day

There’s one in almost every family: the kid (or adult) that boycotts veggies. What’s a gardener to do?

For kids, get them involved with growing food. Let them help pick out starter plants or seeds at your local Master Nursery® Garden Center and give them ownership of growing the plant. (With help as needed, of course.) Choose veggie and fruit varieties known for their sweet, mild flavor. Some varieties to try include:

  • Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
  • Sugar Snap Sweet Peas
  • Orange Sweet Bell Peppers
  • Strawberries
  • Cucamelons
  • Sweet Corn
  • Watermelon

Along with mild flavors, many kids get a kick out of veggies with interesting colors, shapes, or names. Try Dragon Tongue Beans, Chocolate Beauty Bell Peppers, Golden Sweet Peas, Green Zebra Tomatoes, Thumbelina Carrots, or “Magic Beans”—Royal Burgundy Bush Beans that turn from purple to green when cooked. (Picky grown-ups might also enjoy these fun veggies, too!)

And, if all else fails, try these recipes that add veggies into meals on the sly.

Whether you grow palate-pleasing plants in a raised bed, container, or in-ground garden, make sure to plant with a Bumper Crop® soil and feed throughout the growing season with Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Tomato and Vegetable Food to keep the plants growing and productive all season long.

Need more gardening inspiration? Click here.


Related Products

Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Tomato and Vegetable Food
Western Region
Eastern & Midwestern Regions

We Can’t Do It Without Pollinators

Are you a monarch lover? Adore hummingbirds? Do you want to #savethebees? There’s a good reason we celebrate pollinators with National Pollinator Month in June: without them, we’d be sunk. Of the 1,400 crop plants grown around the world, almost 80 percent require pollinators.

While monarchs seem to get the most PR (plant milkweed!), all pollinators appreciate help from gardeners. Why not add some pollinator favorites to your landscape this month? Even apartment dwellers or small space gardeners can benefit pollinators by planting a container garden filled with plants that pollinators love.

Native plants make excellent choices for a pollinator garden. But don’t worry if you don’t know which plants are native in your area—there are plenty of flowering plants that pollinators adore. When planting for pollinators, give these a try:

  • Aster
  • Sedum
  • Coneflowers
  • Sunflowers
  • Lavender
  • Yarrow
  • Salvia
  • Goldenrod
  • Bee Balm
  • Penstemon
  • Joe Pye Weed
  • Milkweed
  • Anise Hyssop

Along with adding pollinator-friendly plants to your garden, consider including a water source—a shallow dish filled with water. Add pebbles or marbles to give bees a place to land for a drink. Bug hotels also make a great garden addition, whether you make your own or find one to buy at your local Master Nursery® Garden Center.

But the most important way to benefit our pollinator pals is to avoid pesticides. Encourage beneficial insects to feast on aphids. Learn to recognize ladybug larva and other beneficial insects, and let nature go to work for a healthy, productive garden.

Take a trip to your favorite Master Nursery® Garden Center to find perfect pollinator plants for your garden. If you have questions about which plants attract pollinators, you’ll find great help from the experts there. (Some newer cultivars, like pollenless sunflowers intended for the floral industry, might not offer the best benefits for pollinators.) Make sure to pick up Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Soil Builder [Eastern & Midwestern Regions | Western Region] and Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Starter Food to give your plants a great start.

Need more gardening inspiration? Click here.


Related Products

Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Organic Soil Builder
Eastern & Midwestern Regions
Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Soil Builder
Western Region
Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Starter Food
Western Region
Eastern & Midwestern Regions

King for a Day: It’s Time to Celebrate Dad

What a guy! From reading stories to you about woodland fairies to practicing pitching before baseball tryouts to packing up your (many, many) boxes to drive you to college 14 hours away, Dad’s always had your back. Whether he learned to braid your hair, spent endless hours at the dining room table muddling through his memories of pre-calc to help with homework, or built the best treehouse in the neighborhood, dads—or uncles, grandpas, and other role models—deserve a day to know how much they mean to you. Show Dad your appreciation for all he’s done with a fabulous Father’s Day celebration.

Is your dad a tree hugger? There’s nothing like a tree to show how your love for Dad grows throughout the years. Visit your local Master Nursery® Garden Center to select the perfect specimen for your dad. Does he love apple pie? Make sure to get two different apple tree varieties for cross pollination so he’ll have plenty of fruit. Is he a fan of spring cherry blossoms? A pretty weeping cherry makes a spectacular specimen plant in the landscape. Or maybe he’d like a tree that will grow into a giant, sturdy garden feature, big enough to sit under with his future grandchildren, reading them stories and nurturing tree love for future generations. Whatever you choose, add Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Organic Soil Builder [Eastern & Midwestern Regions | Western Region] and Bumper Crop® Natural & Organic Starter Food to your gift tree to give it a great start in the garden.

Or maybe your dad loves beautiful blooms. June is National Rose Month, so a gift of gorgeous roses makes a perfect addition to the landscape—and vase. From low-maintenance Knockout® roses to exquisitely fragrant heirloom varieties, you’ll find a terrific selection at your local Master Nursery® Garden Center. Don’t forget to give Dad some Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Organic Soil Builder [Eastern & Midwestern Regions | Western Region] and Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Rose and Flower Food to keep your pretty gift blooming all season long.

Does your dad crave summer’s favorite flavors? Does he long for the first, homegrown tomato for a BLT? Why not give him the gift of a raised bed to grow his favorite veggies and fruits? Check out the selection of raised bed kits at your local Master Nursery® Garden Center or build one from scratch—it’s easy! Pick up starter plants for his favorite treats—tomatoes, peppers, melons, whatever he loves to eat. Many homegrown ingredients—like cherry tomatoes, strawberries, celery, cucumbers, and herbs—make great additions to the cocktail hour, too. If you’re in the Eastern & Midwestern Regions, don’t forget to add Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Organic Soil Builder to fill Dad’s new raised beds.

Is your dad the Grill Master? If he loves showing off his culinary skills over charcoal or gas, give him the gift of a container herb garden to keep near the grill. And, if you have little ones celebrating Dad or Grandpa, have them personalize the container with cute painted butterflies made from their footprints. Pick up a large terra cotta pot at your local Master Nursery® Garden Center and get ready for some messy fun!

Or maybe your dad is the King of Salsa (the snack, not the dance). If he loves salsa—the hotter, the better—make him a container salsa garden. It’s easy, and we’re sure you’ll get to benefit from his homemade salsa, too.

What You Need:

  • Large (18 to 24-inch diameter) container with drainage holes.
  • Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Organic Potting Soil [Eastern & Midwestern Regions | Western Region]
  • (1) Compact tomato plant. Look for a tomato variety with “Determinate,” “Dwarf,” or “Compact” on its label.
  • Tomato cage or support (depending on mature size of plant)
  • (1) Sweet pepper variety
  • (1) Hot pepper variety. Check the label for heat index. Some, like Ghost peppers, are dangerously hot. Jalapenos provide mild heat, while fiery habaneros are for dads that enjoy culinary challenges
  • (3) Cilantro plants

How to:

  1. Fill the container halfway with Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Potting Soil [Eastern & Midwestern Regions | Western Region].
  2. Place the tomato plant near the back of the container. (The “thriller”)
  3. Position the peppers in front of the tomato plant, one on the left, the other on the right. (The “fillers”)
  4. Add the cilantro plants along the front and side edges of the pot, angled slightly so that they “spill” over the edge.
  5. Once the plants are in position, add more potting soil around the plants and firm them into place.
  6. Water well.
  7. Remind Dad to feed his new salsa garden. Add Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Tomato and Vegetable Food to your salsa garden gift.
  8. Invite yourself over for homemade salsa when it’s harvest time—just bring the chips! Dad will love spending time with you as a bonus to his Father’s Day present.

Need more gardening inspiration? Click here.


Related Products

Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Organic Soil Builder
Eastern & Midwestern Regions
Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Soil Builder
Western Region
Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Rose and Flower Food
Western Region
Eastern & Midwestern Regions

Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Potting Soil
Western Region
Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Organic Potting Soil
Eastern & Midwestern Regions
Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Tomato and Vegetable Food
Western Region
Eastern & Midwestern Regions

Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Starter Food
Western Region
Eastern & Midwestern Regions