The Zen Hen and The Honey Bee Farm

The Zen Hen and The Honey Bee Farm I do not personally respond to DMs.

Biochemist Teaching Science Based Homesteading
- Gardening - Good Food - Homemade Beauty and Home Product Formulations - Healthy Food

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08/18/2026

Starting Cauliflower, Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts today.
Starting your own seeds saves money and allows you to grow way more interesting varieties than are available thru nurseries.

08/16/2026

Zen Hen Seed Starting Soil Recipe

1 Small (1.4 lb) block coconut coir plus 2 gallons of water
1 1/2 Gallon Fine Compost or Worm Castings
4 Cups Perlite
4 Cups Vermiculite

Due to the increased cost of supplies for my seed starting fertilizer mix, I have been using a different fertilizer for my seedlings. More on that soon!

For my raised beds I use:
I use 4 Parts Compost plus 1 Part Perlite, Sand OR finely crushed lava rock for drainage

For plants that need really well draining soil increase the ratio of drainage material

08/14/2026

Seed Starting Tips: Part One

1. I highly encourage soil blocking. The only size I use is the 2”. If you live in a cold climate and need time to pot up your seedlings each season, there is a larger block that the 2” can easily be moved into.
2. Soil mix matters. Either buy a good one from your local nursery or make my recipe.
3. The number one killer of new seedlings is improper watering. They should be kept continuously moist until sprouting and then allowed to very briefly dry out between waterings. If your seeds dry out too long in the process of sprouting, they will die.
4. Vermiculite is very helpful to top seeds as it keeps seeds moist longer without being too wet
5. Humidity domes are great to help keep seedling from drying out too fast and protects them from insects and critters
More tips to come! Happy Gardening 👩🏻‍🌾

08/13/2026

I have a lot of information to cover on the topic of seed starting so please let me know in the comments here what you are struggling with the most so I can post that info earlier in the series.

08/10/2026

Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk

4 cups dehydrated coconut OR 6 cups fresh shredded coconut
8 cups HOT water
2 Cups Sugar or Honey

Sometimes I add a pinch of salt and a splash of vanilla but this is optional

*if you don't want to make your own coconut milk
1 can of full fat coconut milk
1/4 cup Sugar or Honey

08/08/2026

August and September Planting List for the Tampa area, Central and North Florida

In Central Florida in early August we essentially have 5 months until our first real chance of frost (January 1) and depending where you are in North Florida yours is usually early to mid December. That’s long enough to harvest from most plants in either area if started by the end of September.

There are more plants that can be started than just this list. These are the ones I personally grow regularly here. Feel free to comment and ask about specific plants and I’ll give you my best recommendation on when I’d start them from seed here.

August thru September Planting List

Amaranth
Beans
Beets
Brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, mustard, Bok Choi, etc.)
Carrots
Cassava (for South Florida and frost free Winter areas)
Celery
Chamomile
Chickpeas
Cilantro-I start mine in September
Corn
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Fennel
Flowers (Borage, Nasturtiums, Marigolds, etc)
Garden Huckleberry
Garlic (buy softnecks now, place them in your fridge and plant in November)
Gingers and Tumeric (starting now, they will establish and go dormant for winter)
Herbs (Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, Parsley, etc)
Lettuces- I start a few large patches in September as cut and come again.
Okra
Onions both bunching and regular
Peas
Peppers
Potatoes (Yukon gold red pontiac are my favorites for Florida)
Pumpkins
Radishes
Saffron
Spinach
Squashes Winter and Summer
Sugar Cane
Sweet Potatoes but cover overnight with a blanket during potential short frosts this Winter
Swiss chard
Tomatoes
Turnips
Watermelons and other Melons
Winged Beans (day neutral)
*Transplant Fruit trees into the ground

For my North Florida friends, I would still recommend this list, but if you want to plant very frost sensitive plants like Tomatoes or peppers either plant them in pots or be prepared to cover them during any early short term frosts if you’d like to extend their season or just start with already started plants.

08/07/2026

Watermelon Coconut Ice Cream

✨Dairy Free Vegan✨
You won’t miss the dairy in this at all

1 Small Watermelon about 4 Cups
8 ounces Sweetened Condensed Coconut milk
16 ounces Coconut Milk with the Cream
Pinch of salt

Add ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth

Add to your ice cream maker or ninja creamy

08/06/2026

Having premade beans ready to go is super convenient and makes getting more fiber and protein easier.

Pressure Canning Beans

Follow the instructions for your exact canner

Soak your beans overnight in the refrigerator (12 hours)
Not too much more or less +/- a couple hours is fine

Drain the beans, cover with fresh water, bring to a boil and then boil for 15 minutes

When filling your jars with beans leave 2 inches for pints 3 inches for quarts from the top to leave room for them to expand more

Top the jars to 1 inch of headspace with hot water

1/2 teaspoon of canning salt for Pint Jars
1 teaspoon of canning salt for Quart Jars

At sea level
75 minutes for pint jars
90 minutes for quart jars

✨if you live at elevation you might need to adjust your pressure depending on you machine

Once jars are cool, remove the rings and check to make sure they sealed properly and have depressed lids.

08/04/2026

Listen, I absolutely understand the desire to make a certain flavor of comment on these videos and freewill exists. I get it, my personal sense of humor is often far too dark and inappropriate to put on social media and some of you are hilarious. My absolute favorite part of social media has always been the comment section. But while some of you are hilarious, some of you (virtually always a man) are just gross and don’t come across as funny as you’d like to. So maybe look around and use some discernment.
My social media is my hobby not my career. One of the only ways I justify the time I spend on this page teaching is to offer plants a couple times per year so I’d appreciate if these very occasional posts stay up. Too many really inappropriate comments and these posts get taken down. Thanks for being here ✌🏼🫶🏼

07/30/2026

Gentlemen, if you see me in the wilds of Tampa...no I do not have an Only Plants page, I'm glad you enjoyed the video, no need to tell me about it in person and if you make it awkward I promise I will make it relentlessly more awkward for my own entertainment ✌🏼

Shampoo Ginger Instructions

For USDA Growing Zones 8b+
Hardy outdoors all year round and may be planted in the ground directly. They will remain dormant until they receive both regular watering AND temperatures are CONSISTENTLY in the mid 70's or above. If your soil is very sandy, it would be helpful to work some compost into the area at the time of planting. Prefers shade.

For All Other Cooler Zones:
It's advisable that you plant your Rhizomes in pots that can be taken outside during warm weather. Growing outdoors in the ground may be an option if you dig up the rhizomes each season before the first frost to bring indoors. They will remain dormant until they receive both weekly watering and temperatures are consistently in the mid 70's or above for several weeks. Once planted, they will do best in a warm, bright area of your home near a window or under a grow light. When your outside temperatures start to warm up into the mid 70's, bring your plant outdoors. Bring indoors on cold nights. They can also be grown indoors all year. They grow fastest with a grow light or near a bright South or East facing window.

How to plant:
It’s best to plant them upon arrival. They prefer well draining compost rich soil. A regular potting mix with perlite or a mix of 3 parts compost/1 part perlite or 1 part sand works well. A 10-12 inch pot is large enough for each plant/rhizome their first season. If you are unsure which side is the roots, plant the rhizome on its side 1/2 to 1 inch below the surface. If your rhizome has roots feel free to plant it root side down instead of on its side. For best initial sprouting, water 1-2 times weekly and keep in an area that is 75+ degrees consistently. A seedling heat mat works really well if your home is cooler than this.

Plant Care:
Shampoo ginger will grow well in a wide range of soil pH 5.7-8. They will grow in Sun or Shade. They grow best in Shade. If grown in Full Sun it's important to offer adequate water. Once to twice weekly watering is ideal for most areas. Dry, sandy climates should work lots of compost into their sand and water 2-3 times per week. They will tolerate any well draining soil but will do best if offered a soil rich in organic matter/compost.

Thank you for Supporting Small Farmers and Happy Gardening! The Zen Hen

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