The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

March 10, 2009 Duration: 0:00
I know it’s hard to believe that Victory Home & Garden exists and grows in only two 4’ by 8’ raised beds. This is where the legend of the seven foot tomato plants live and where a bonanza of vegetables are harvested from a limited space.

Fellow gardeners, I give you my backyard. In search of any appeal I sought out a couple of landscaping quotes including an eye-popping offer from my dream landscape designers. After I regained consciousness I turned to landscaping books. Besides how punk would it be if I had a picture perfect garden installed?

My DIY spirit has gotten me nowhere fast. The backyard is still occupied by dirt and the Victory Home & Garden expansion is stagnant. I not only would love to expand the vegetable garden but I need too. I sow for the masses and I’m quickly outgrowing my current 64 square foot growing space.

So what’s the holdup you say? Well, we still need to outsource some basics like grading and DG installation. I don’t mind digging a ditch or two but not a whole backyard.

I also have to rethink my planting scheme. Rocky likes to roll around in grass and like a good mum I must provide it for him. I refuse to purchase a lawn mower so Blue Grama Grass it’ll be.

So now what’s the hold up? Friends the economy is a son of a b*tch. I guess I’m not helping by waiting on the sidelines. However I do see the light. My goal is to have the front and backyard completed by May. There is a party to be had then so stay tuned.


There's a certain kind of satisfaction that comes from getting your hands dirty, from the quiet rebellion of nurturing something yourself. Victory Home & Garden is rooted in that feeling. This isn't about pristine lawns or perfect decor; it's about the practical, often messy, reality of creating a life that's more self-sufficient and connected to the ground beneath your feet. Each episode digs into what it truly means to cultivate your own space, whether that's turning a patch of earth into a vegetable plot, finding creative ways to repair and reuse what you have, or simply learning to see your home as a place of tangible creation. The guiding idea here is about reclaiming a bit of independence, or as the show puts it, keeping it punk by growing our own. You'll hear straightforward conversations, personal stories from the trenches of DIY projects, and honest advice that skips the glossy magazine perfection. Tune into this podcast for a dose of grounded inspiration that celebrates the small, hard-won victories of building a home and tending a garden on your own terms.
Episodes: 25

Podcast Episodes
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Hi guys! It's true; I've traded this old dig for a swankier pad. Victory Home & Garden has paved the way for Anarchy in the Garden™-an amalgamation of micro urban farming, boot kicking punk rock, with a hard dose of DIY.…
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Lately it’s the simple things that stoke me out and my New West KnifeWorks Chef 8 knife is really doing it for me. Until now, I’ve never owned any fancy cutlery. Instead I own a whole block of knives. The obligatory set…
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Rocky discovered his snack jar:
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Ugh. Good luck guys listening to my shrill voice. I’ve been sitting on this podcast for a while; wanted to spare you. The conspiracy theories are flying. Why do I mention fish injected strawberries? Oh because mom mentio…
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Listen up fellow farmers/music lovahs! HomeGrown.org is gifting two tickets to Bonnaroo! Did I mention I'm a judge? Well I am. Neko Case and Booker T will be performing at Bonnaroo and I'm working on attending the event.…
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Ok, it’s more of a “what’s-the-happs” run down on events around town. Ok ok, it’s what I plan to cram and/or wish I could cram into my weekend.Saturday, May 2nd:Get your tree hug on while the finest Long Beach child labo…
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Recently H and I witnessed very peculiar behavior while standing next to a strawberry jar. A very brash Rocky was sniffing out three lowly ripe strawberries I was babying. He picked off one strawberry at a time and retir…
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I live in one of the many hoods throughout Long Beach. I have my ups and downs with Wrigley but so far the good outweighs the bad. I have cool neighbors that’ll walk my 55 lb grizzly bear while we’re away. We have the Wr…
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Last night’s dinner was courtesy of the garden. The smell of basil is intoxicating; permeable when watered. I don’t think you can ever sow enough basil seeds. I’m considering growing it in my sunny foyer.I harvested a ho…
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While watering the vegs this morning I thinned out a few beets. It is important to thin beets because beets are a dried fruit with 1-5 seeds in each fruit. Thinning is très important. If several seedlings emerge from one…