Tackling My Weedy Garden (While 33 Weeks Pregnant!)
This blog post was adapted based on my vlog below. If you’d prefer to watch, you can click the video instead.
It’s a beautiful morning, and today we’re tackling something that’s been looming over me for weeks—my very weedy garden. If you're new here, welcome! I’m on a journey to grow more of our own food, raise kids, and manage a small homestead... all while 33 weeks pregnant and flying solo while my husband is deployed. So, yes—it's a little chaotic around here.
Come along and get a real look into what gardening and homesteading actually look like—no filters, just life.
Where We’re Starting: Cabbage Overload & Weeds Galore
First, let’s take a moment to assess the situation. The garden is completely overtaken by weeds, and I have a ton of cabbage that needs to be picked. Honestly, it's gotten to the point where it’s hard to tell what’s a plant and what’s a weed.
That’s life right now—doing the best I can with two toddlers, a baby on the way, and trying to keep everything growing while my partner is away. But today’s the day we make progress.
Harvesting Cabbage & Making Room for Carrots
Some of the cabbage split from the heat, but most still look good. I started pulling them out and clearing the space, which I’ll be converting into a carrot bed. I know some people leave the stumps to regrow, but right now, it’s more important for me to turn that bed over.
I’ve also got a few sad little cabbages that didn’t get enough light— I asked my aunt her thoughts, and she said it’s probably best to just pull them at this point, so that’s what we did!
Basil Dreams & Learning as I Go
While clearing the cabbage, I noticed my basil plants could use a little love—especially some pruning to encourage bushier growth. I’m really hoping to get at least a few jars of pesto in the freezer by the end of summer. This is actually my first year growing anything at scale, and wow, what a learning experience.
Homesteading has been incredibly humbling. Between the weeds and the constant surprises, it teaches you patience, resilience, and the importance of just showing up.
Garden Wins: Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes!
Even with all the wild growth, we’re still getting a really great harvest. Our cherry tomatoes are thriving—we picked handfuls, and honestly, they taste 100x better than store-bought. They’re growing kind of wild because I didn’t have time to properly stake them, but they’re still producing like crazy.
Let this be your encouragement: You don’t need a perfect setup to grow food. Even with a messier-than-ideal garden, you can still feed your family.
Post-Weeding Progress & What’s Growing
After a few hours of hard work, I did a little garden tour to take stock of everything:
Apple trees: Looking amazing—no sprays, very few blemishes.
Raspberries: Nearing the end of the season, but still a few left to pick.
Brussels sprouts & celery: Super happy with how they’re coming along.
Banana peppers & jalapeños: Starting to take off in the heat.
Eggplants: No fruit yet, but still hopeful.
Onions: Mixed sizes, but overall doing pretty well.
I cleared out all the cabbage and broccoli, and I’ll be planting carrots next week once I’m back from a short trip. Timing is key since carrot seeds need consistent moisture, and we’ve got a dry week ahead.
A Real Homestead Life Update
Let’s be honest: doing all of this while 8 months pregnant with two little ones isn’t easy. I’m almost 33 weeks now, and some days, I’m so tired. But we’ve made a ton of progress, and I’m beyond grateful for the help I’ve had along the way.
I also picked some garlic the other day, and it was delicious—used it in a homemade basil pesto that turned out so good.
We’ve got plans to make a boatload of blueberry jam soon (you can find that post and recipe here now), and the potatoes will have to wait for another day. That’s just how it goes sometimes.
Final Thoughts
This season has taught me so much about letting go of perfection and focusing on progress. Even if your garden isn’t Instagram-perfect, it can still be productive, fulfilling, and worth every minute.
Thanks for following along with our garden journey today. If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out my Homesteading Playlist or subscribe for more real-life updates from the homestead.
Until next time,
– Lauren