About this journal
Darryl Coleman
I garden in Palmdale, in the Antelope Valley high desert — a house with a backyard, growing outdoors since 2015 and indoors since 2021. I love being out in the sun, and there's always something going either in the yard or under a grow light.
How I got started
Outdoor growing started in 2015, with vegetables from the beginning — tomatoes (many varieties over the years), collards, and peppers of every kind I could find room for. Indoor growing came later, in 2021, during COVID lockdown. Being home full-time turned into a real Victory Garden moment: the same instinct that had people planting backyard gardens during past national emergencies — grow something at home so your family has food no matter what's happening outside your door. What started as a practical response to uncertainty turned into houseplant shelves, grow lights, and an aquarium setup that are all still going strong today.
This is a running journal of everything I grow — houseplants tucked into sunny windows indoors, and fruits, vegetables, herbs, and ornamentals out in the garden. Some of it thrives, some of it doesn't, and I'm writing it all down so I remember what worked (and what didn't) next season.
What you'll find here
- Indoor plants — care notes, light and watering routines, and easy starter houseplants.
- Edibles — vegetables, fruit, and herbs, both in raised beds outdoors and pots on the windowsill.
- Ornamentals — flowering plants grown for color, texture, and pollinators.
A peek at the collection
Why "Rooted & Growing"
Every plant here started as a seed, a cutting, or a small nursery pot — and every post is really just notes-to-self on how to help the next one do a little better.
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