Plant Something, Heal Something

A hand holding several long green cucumbers among cucumber leaves.
Know your cucumbers: from seed packet to first crunch
Choose slicing, pickling or specialty cucumbers. Learn germination light, covered sowing, pollination, trellising and harvest cues with Aunt E. Read more...
Slender purple Velour bean pods hanging among green leaves
Know your beans: bush, pole, and what goes in the pot
Learn the difference between bush, pole, snap and shelling beans. Choose a variety, sow covered seeds, set up support and harvest at the right stage. Read more...
Whole and halved Easter Egg radishes in red, purple, pink, and white.
Know your radishes: from seed packet to crunch
Choose the right radish for your garden. Learn covered sowing, thinning, steady moisture and harvest timing, from salad radishes to Sakurajima Mammoth. Read more...
Allstar Gourmet lettuce mix with green and burgundy leaves in a planter
Know your lettuce: from seed packet to salad
Grow your first lettuce with Aunt E: compare leaf, butterhead, romaine and mixes, surface sow for germination, care for seedlings, and pick a fresh salad. Read more...
How to Find and Buy From Black Farmers, Seed Sellers, and Nurseries
Find growers, ask useful questions, and turn your next purchase into a stronger food connection. Read more...
Yard by Yard We Grow sticker artwork centered on an ivory background
We Belong in the Garden: Why Representation on a Little Sticker Matters
Black families growing, gathering, and enjoying the harvest. Why seeing ourselves in everyday garden artwork matters—and the stories behind our new Plant & Heal stickers. Read more...
Self-Sustainability Is a Myth
Self-Sustainability Is a Myth
Growing food matters. So do the people, time, and systems that make it possible. An honest conversation about gardening, food independence, and why we still need one another. Read more...
Black gardener arranging collard seeds, pot and watering icons, and a simple weekly growing plan
Know your collards, lesson 7: make a growing plan
Turn the lessons into one workable plan, with a planting decision, supply list, care routine, and room to record your first harvest. Read more...
Black gardener harvesting mature outer collard leaves while leaving the growing center intact
Know your collards, lesson 6: harvest leaves and keep growing
Find the growing center, take a modest harvest of outer leaves, and leave the plant enough growth to recover. Read more...
Black gardener checking collard soil moisture and inspecting the underside of a leaf for caterpillar damage
Know your collards, lesson 5: check water, space, and pests
Check soil and both sides of the leaves, identify the problem, and choose a response before reaching for a spray. Read more...
Black hands sowing collard seeds into a seed-starting tray on a potting bench
Know your collards, lesson 4: start seeds and care for seedlings
A simple sowing routine, what to do after sprouting, and how to troubleshoot an empty pot or stretched seedlings. Read more...
Black gardener choosing between a large container and a raised bed for a collard transplant
Know your collards, lesson 3: set up a pot or garden bed
Choose a sunny place, a container that drains, and room for mature roots before planting your collards. Read more...
Black gardener comparing a seasonal calendar, outdoor temperature, and collard seedlings
Know your collards, lesson 2: find your planting window
Look up your USDA zone, find a local planting calendar, and decide whether to sow, use transplants, or wait for your next planting window. Read more...
Five distinct collard varieties arranged for a gardener choosing which greens to grow
Know your collards, lesson 1: choose greens you want to eat
A cooking-pot classic, a baby-leaf mix, or our own saved Variegated Collard seed: choose a starting point that fits your meals and space. Read more...
Variegated collard leaves with creamy white centers and green ruffled edges.
Know your collards: from seed packet to supper
Seven short, beginner-friendly collard lessons from Plant & Heal: choosing varieties, planting dates, containers, seeds, pests, harvesting, and a Florida heirloom story. Read more...
Hands cupping soil around a small green seedling.
You Don't Have to Grow It All: Build Another Door to Food
Food independence does not require five acres or growing everything yourself. Build another door to food by starting with what you can grow, buying directly from local producers, bartering, and... Read more...
A shopper examining an egg carton beside “Who Controls Our Food? Episode 2: Eggs—When the Price of Breakfast Isn’t Just About the Chickens”.
Eggs: when the price of breakfast isn’t just about the chickens
Egg prices didn’t rise for just one reason. We follow the money through bird flu, billion-dollar egg sales and a 2026 DOJ antitrust case alleging manipulation of an industry price... Read more...
A shopper examining packaged chicken beside “Who Controls Our Food? Episode 1: Big Chicken,” with poultry facilities in the background.
Big chicken: who controls your dinner?
Chicken is one of the most common foods on American tables, but most consumers have no idea who controls the birds, the contracts, the pricing data, or the processing behind... Read more...
Illustration of a grower holding a tablet in an orchard at sunset.
When a Giant Wobbles: What Del Monte’s Bankruptcy Means for Peach Growers
Lost processing contracts leave growers with hard choices. A look at the 2026 peach program, market options, and the limits of crop insurance. Read more...
Illustration of a gardener holding a harvest, with other growers and patchwork fields behind her.
The Black Agrarian Directory: Finding Each Other Again
Find Black growers, seed keepers, food producers, and agricultural businesses—or add your own operation to the free directory. Read more...
Hands planting a small seedling in a raised bed beside a watering can.
Fire Ants in the Garden: Protect the Soil While You Protect Your Food
Most ants support the garden, but invasive red imported fire ants can make food beds unsafe. Learn how to identify the real problem, clear active mounds, rebuild disturbed soil, and... Read more...
A group of people smiling together at an outdoor gathering.
City Folks Got Trash, Farmers Got Dirt: Let’s Build a Bridge Together
Connect food scraps with nearby growers, or start a small compost pile at home—with practical guidance on materials, manure, and safe placement. Read more...
Hands over assorted seeds and beans. Text highlights increasing awareness of Black-owned seed companies, naming Plant and Heal, Urban Garden Plants, and The Hood Garden, and describes seeds as symbols of culture, healing, and hope.
Plant and Heal Featured in Cuisine Noir — Honoring the Work of Black-Owned Seed Companies
Cuisine Noir featured Plant & Heal alongside Urban Garden Plants and The Hood Garden. Read the story and meet the growers. Read more...
Four-panel “Farm Number” illustration showing a person at a laptop, a location pin, paperwork, and an office meeting.
What’s a USDA Farm Number—and Could Your Small or Urban Operation Qualify?
A USDA farm number may help small and urban growers apply for certain programs—but it does not guarantee money or approval. Here is what it means, what to bring, and... Read more...
Palm Center Farmers Market logo in green and white.
Cultivating Hope in Hard Times: Palm Center Market & the Power of Growing Together
When the system stumbles, we don’t panic—we plant.Whether you’re growing collards in a raised bed or herbs on a windowsill, gardening isn’t just about food. It’s about reclaiming power, honoring... Read more...
A woman smiling inside a hoop-house greenhouse.
Cultivating Growth and Community: Yaa Tashel of Mama Isis Farm and Market
Yaa Tashel shares the story behind Mama Isis Farm and Market, where growing food and teaching children go hand in hand. Read more...
Erica Plants portrait with “Planting and Healing—Together.” Plant & Heal describes accessible growing regardless of space, budget, or experience, supporting self-sufficiency, wellness, and community resilience. A QR code invites support.
Growing Together: How Your Support is Cultivating a Greener Future
Your support helps Plant and Heal put seeds, plants, and practical growing knowledge into more hands. Shop, share, or give—and help another family grow with what they got. Read more...
Erica Plants standing behind a raised bed of broad green leaves.
The USDA Farm to School Program: Growing Our Future
Farm to School connects children, local food, nearby growers, and hands-on lessons. Here is what the latest USDA Census says—and how families can help the work grow. Read more...
A woman in a yellow-green jumpsuit standing beside a porch and plants.
Cultivating Growth and Community: Ashley McGhee of 4Js Botanicals
Meet Our First Growfluencer: Ashley McGhee of 4Js Botanicals We're kicking off our Growfluencers series with Ashley McGhee, a farmer revolutionizing the Texas Hill Country with sustainable, community-driven agriculture. At... Read more...
“Cultivating Community: Black Culinary and Agricultural Trailblazers” graphic with portraits of two people above colorful vegetables.
Cultivating Community: Black Culinary and Agricultural Trailblazers
Meet Edna Lewis, Karen Washington, Leah Penniman, and Will Allen through their work in food, farming, and community learning. Read more...
A smiling gardener standing among rows of green crops.
Seeds of Innovation: Black Pioneers in Agricultural Technology
Meet Henry Blair, Frederick McKinley Jones, and Chavonda Jacobs-Young through their contributions to planting, food transport, and agricultural research. Read more...
Plant & Heal Black History Month graphic with George Washington Carver’s portrait. Text credits his soil restoration and crop rotation work with helping Southern farms and empowering Black farmers.
George Washington Carver: The Plant Whisperer Who Revolutionized Agriculture and Empowered Communities
George Washington Carver wasn't just about peanuts; he was about people.  He saw the potential for agriculture to be a tool for liberation, a pathway to economic independence for Black... Read more...
A gardener leaning over raised beds while gathering leafy greens into a clear bag.
Fulvic Acid and Black Resilience: Nurturing Our Roots This Black History Month
Fulvic acid is not magic. This Black History Month reflection looks at soil, roots, balance, and the community systems that help plants—and people—grow strong. Read more...
Erica Plants smiling beside a raised container of leafy greens.
Planting Seeds of Empowerment: My Mission with Gardening Under Influence LLC
In this interview, Erica Plants shares the personal journey behind Plant and Heal, the mission of food sovereignty and community empowerment, and the crops and programs helping growers start where... Read more...
Erica Plants standing among tall leafy garden plants.
From Soil to Soul: MLK's Legacy and the Black American Agrarian Renaissance
Reflecting on Dr. King’s economic-justice work and the everyday choices that help communities grow food and share knowledge. Read more...
Illustration of a multigenerational group smiling together.
Understanding the USDA Heirs’ Property Relending Program
Heirs' property refers to land that has been passed down through generations without a clear legal title. This often happens when land is inherited by multiple family members without a... Read more...
Illustration of a shopper holding a seed packet, payment card, and leafy plant at a checkout.
Using SNAP to Buy Food-Growing Seeds and Plants
SNAP can cover seeds and plants that produce food for your household when bought from an approved retailer. Here is how to get started. Read more...
A close-up of a mosquito on skin.
The Buzz on Mosquitoes: From Pollinators to Genetic Warriors and Our Complex History
Mosquitoes might be a nuisance, but they're also a part of our ecosystem, playing roles we might not even realize. Genetically modified mosquitoes offer a fascinating glimpse into how science... Read more...
Allelopathy diagram with arrows from a central plant toward neighboring plants. Text describes chemical effects on germination, growth, and metabolism, including inhibition and stimulation, and names true and functional allelopathy.
Allelopathy and Companion Planting: What New Gardeners Should Know
Learn what plant chemicals can—and cannot—tell you about choosing garden neighbors. Read more...
Illustration of a gardener at a potting table with shells, bags, pots, and hand tools.
Cultivating Connections: Embracing Sustainable Gardening with Crab Shells and Chitin
Crab shells connect culture, food, and soil. Learn how Erica turns that family story into a careful compost practice without bringing salt, odor, or critters into the garden. Read more...
Illustration of a gardener in gloves working with soil and crab shells.
Crab Boils to Garden Soil: Harnessing the Power of Crustaceans for Sustainable Gardening
Got crab shells after the boil? Clean, rinse, crush, and compost them with care. This simple guide helps you feed the soil without bringing salt, odor, or critters to the... Read more...
A large group posing together outdoors beneath trees.
Running a Small Farm? Give Every Job a Place.
Growing, packing, teaching, keeping records: the jobs add up. Use a simple task list to make one part of your farm business easier to repeat. Read more...
Booker T. Whatley portrait beside his handbook “How to Make $100,000 Farming 25 Acres”.
Sowing Seeds of Prosperity: The Enduring Agricultural Wisdom of Booker T. Whatley
In honoring Booker T. Whatley’s profound impact on how we view and engage with agriculture, we continue to share his philosophy that economic liberation is rooted in the way we... Read more...
Illustration of a fiery phoenix rising over cultivated fields and people tending crops at sunset.
Black Agrarian History: Keep the Knowledge Growing
Family crops, saved seed, and shared lessons keep Black agricultural knowledge moving from one generation to the next. Read more...
Two people standing together on a sunny garden path.
Grow Food. Know Your Neighbors. Build From There.
A visit to Seals Family Farm brought the conversation back to people: who grows our food, what we can share, and how to take one useful step together. Read more...
Three people smiling together outdoors.
Sowing Seeds of Change: Cultivating a Community with Growfluencer Accountability Crew
The discussions within our crew extend beyond plant care, delving into the nuances of obtaining business licenses and navigating the complex world of entrepreneurship. We're making sure we're equipped with... Read more...
A gardener holding two large harvested root vegetables with leafy tops.
Da Backyard Farms: The Seeds Matter. So Does the Work.
Derek and Nina's story brings the garden and the business together: growing skills, clear records, customers, and people who help you keep going. Read more...
Soil-covered hands holding a freshly harvested red-and-white radish.
The Power of Soil: Give Your Garden a Better Start
Before you buy another bag of fertilizer, learn what your soil needs. Start with a soil test, protect your garden beds, and use the right mix in pots. Read more...
A hand holding a leafy green herb cutting above a dense patch of herbs.
Growing Herbs Indoors: A Simple Start for Small Spaces
Choose one herb you cook with, check your window light, and set up a pot you can care for. Start small and grow toward your first kitchen harvest. Read more...
A woman tending a leafy vine beside raised garden beds.
The Importance of Black Women in Horticulture and Self-Sustainability
Why is it important for Black women to be represented in this space? The answer is simple. We bring a unique perspective, rich history, and an innate connection to the... Read more...