Hey, new friend. I’m Linda Ly, the creator of Garden Betty. That’s my big ol’ mug you see up top. (And no, I don’t usually do my hair to go out in the garden. Nor do my clothes stay that clean.)
This site is for you if:
- You don’t mind getting a little dirt under your nails.
- You think it’s a shame to let good food go to waste.
- You’re obsessed with the free (and cute, and hilarious) entertainment that are backyard chickens. Or…
- Nature is your happy place and you love to explore and find out what’s around the next bend.
So, welcome. I think we have lots in common. 🤗
Here’s what you’ll find here.
Garden Betty is full of incredible ideas, tools, and resources—from someone who has actually tried them all—to help you reach the next level in your gardening, cooking, or adventuring.
You’re not going to find generic photos or the same ol’ encyclopedic info that’s been regurgitated from other sources. (It’s shocking how many garden writers online are just that—writers, or worse, AI programs—and really don’t do much gardening at all.)
You’re going to find real tips based on real experiences, and that includes lessons learned from my own mistakes—so you don’t have to make them yourself.
Let your curiosity guide you around this site and not only will you start dreaming about all the amazing things you’ll grow and eat, you’ll start taking action and seeing the magic happen.
Think of me as your friend and guide to a life well-lived outdoors.
So who am I to help you with all this?
I’m a plant lover, passionate road-tripper, and cookbook author whose highly approachable, firsthand advice and bestselling books have been featured in TIME, Outside, and Food & Wine.
I’ve been called a Creative Genius by DIY Network, the go-to gardening expert by HGTV, and the Best Gardening Blog by Country Living.
But you can just call me Linda.
My joy is in learning and sharing what I know with people just like us. People who love to be a part of everything in nature, who value old-timey skills like tending to their vegetable gardens and stocking their pantries with home-canned goods.
These are essential life skills that everyone should learn, and there’s a certain thrill to being just a little more self-sufficient and discovering this wild world we live in.
As I like to say… There are no black thumbs, only green thumbs in training.
If you stumbled on my blog through a random link, here’s a quick lay of the land to help you find what you’re looking for.
You can keep exploring by clicking on the “hamburger” menu in the top left corner of your screen. The search bar in the top right corner is also a good way to dig a little deeper into my content archive.
Not finding what you need? I’m always open to suggestions on new topics I can research and share.
Some of my most valuable nuggets are sent directly to my 18,197 (and counting!) newsletter subscribers. Want to join them? Just sign up below for insightful weekly emails aimed at helping you grow more food in your garden and experience the beauty of the outdoors.
Meanwhile, these are my most popular posts that I think you’ll enjoy as a jumping off point.
Garden of Eatin’
- How to Grow Tomatoes in Pots—Even Without a Garden
- The Trick of Knowing When to Harvest Garlic
- How Much to Plant in a Vegetable Garden to Feed a Family
Recipes
- Easy Peasy Homemade Tomato Sauce (No Peeling Required)
- Quick and Easy Kimchi (Even If You Don’t Live Near an Asian Market)
- Easy Homemade Pasta From Scratch—No Machine Needed
Backyard Chickens
- Garden Betty’s Homemade Whole Grain Chicken Feed
- How to Get Dark Orange Yolks From Your Backyard Chickens
- A Tour of My New Chicken Coop
House & Home
- And Just Like That, We Are Officially Landowners
- How We Found Land to Build On—and How You Can, Too
- I Stayed in an Earthship: Eco Living in the High Desert
Outdoor Adventures
- The Heaven That Is Havasupai Falls
- Epic Yosemite: Climbing the Half Dome Cables
- Backpacking Through Little Lakes Valley
Parenthood
- Adventures in Pregnancy (Or, How I Balance an Active Life With a Growing Bump)
- I Planted My Placenta
- Adventures in Parenthood: Camping With a Newborn Baby
My Work
- Behind the Scenes of The Backyard Fire Cookbook
- The Surprise That Was The New Camp Cookbook Cover
- The Value of a Self Imposed Writing Retreat
Other Points of Interest
- Browse my Shop for all the things I love and recommend
- See what I’m currently growing in my garden
- Find out more about me
And if you have any questions or stories to share, I’m just an email away.
Thank you for being here.
I know there are thousands of other sites you could be visiting, and I’m so glad you picked this one.