19/01/2026
🌿 Garden Tips from My Recent Growing Journey (PR-Friendly!)
Lately I’ve been learning a lot through hands-on gardening, and I wanted to share a few tips that might help others growing herbs and veggies in Puerto Rico or similar climates:
🪴 Starting Herbs from Seed
• Basil (especially sweet & Genovese) does great in warm weather with good drainage and plenty of sun.
• Cilantro and parsley can be grown indoors, but they prefer bright light and cooler temps.
• Peppermint is tough and easy — best grown in its own pot since it spreads fast.
💧 Watering Smarter
• Bottom watering (placing pots in water so roots drink from below) helps avoid fungus gnats.
• Let the top inch of soil dry before watering again — gnats LOVE constantly wet soil.
🦟 Dealing with Fungus Gnats (Naturally)
• Reduce overwatering first — this is key.
• Cinnamon, sand/perlite top layers, and sticky traps help break their life cycle.
• Neem oil can help if used correctly and lightly (safe for edible plants when used as directed).
• Dish soap water can kill larvae, but it’s risky for roots — use with caution.
🌱 Seedlings Care
• Once seedlings sprout, they need strong light early to avoid getting leggy.
• Thin crowded seedlings so the strongest ones thrive.
• Gentle airflow helps strengthen stems.
🥥 Using Natural Ingredients
• Fresh coconut can be used for milk, food, skincare, and garden compost.
• Coconut oil + fresh aloe can be blended into a simple natural gel/cream.
• Kitchen scraps like coconut husk and annatto seeds can be composted or reused creatively.
🌼 Saving Seeds
• Marigold seeds from dried flowers are easy to save and replant — great for pest control and pollinators.
Gardening really is about experimenting, learning, and sharing.
If you’re growing in PR or just getting started, you’re not alone — let’s grow together 🌿🇵🇷