Bricks 'n Blooms Weekly 263

Add me to see the latest gardening from me.

Hi there!

I hope you had an amazing week!

(Posts on stacyling.com may contain affiliate links. Click HERE for full disclosure.)

Random Things Happening Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms

Just Launched: Two Garden Guides for This Season

New Today: Two Garden Guides I Created for You 🌸

I’m officially launching two garden ebook bundles today — something I’ve been quietly working on and wanted to share here first.

One is all about three easy ways to start a cut flower garden, and the other helps you mix and match your way to a cottage garden you’ll love. Both are simple, approachable, and designed to help you garden with more confidence and less overwhelm.

You can grab each guide for $10, or get both together for $15

👉 Explore the garden ebook bundles here

If you’ve been thinking about starting (or refining) a flower garden this year, these are a great place to begin.

Two digital download book covers about gardening: one highlights cut flower gardening, the other showcases cottage garden ebooks. Both are set against a green background with text promoting a digital download bundle.

In the Garden

We had a bit of a warm spell this week so I started sifting through old containers and started washing them out in preparation for winter sowing. Right now, I’m in the cleaning and organizing phase, but hope to get started sowing before the end of the month. While I reuse rotisserie chicken containers and things like that, I have some old seed starting trays with domes that I reuse as well. At this point, all I really need to get is potting soil and I’m ready to start planting seeds.

I am also changing things up this year with my indoor seed starting. Instead of shifting my life around in the sunroom, I’ve decided to move the whole operation into my basement. It’s near a sink that will make watering seedlings much easier and I will permanently keep the set-up instead of breaking it down every year.

As I was planning my seed starting schedule, I learned my last frost date is a few weeks later this year! So be sure to recheck your own before you start planning out your seeds.

A cozy living room with a wooden coffee table holding potted plants, books, and a decorative ceramic jar. Behind the table are brown leather sofas with patterned pillows and green plants near sunlit windows.

A Night at the Meadowlands

Chris and I enjoyed a night out on Friday to celebrate a good friend’s 50th birthday party. We aren’t much of a gambling couple but we did leave up by .40$ so I guess you can say we won! LOL!

A smiling man and woman pose together indoors in front of a brown horse statue. The man wears glasses and a leather jacket; the woman has long brown hair and a dark fur coat. People and bright lights are visible in the background.

New Babies to Love

We had a great first week with our new fur-babies, Mae Mae and Dimitra (who is usually called Tiny cause she’s so small and was the runt of the litter). They were strays found two years ago and were in foster care. Mae Mae is the momma and Tiny is her baby. Both are super sweet.

Mae Mae is super social and loves attention. It took about a day for Tiny to come out of her shell with us but she’s become pretty social and very playful.

Right now, we are caring for them in a spare bedroom until they get comfortable and used to us before they meet our dogs. I want to do a slow-transition so we have long-term success with their dynamic. I’ve introduced kittens with my dogs before, but not older cats so I want to take it real slow. If you’ve got any suggestions, I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!

Two black cats are lounging on different levels of a cat tree by a window. One cat is on the top perch while the other is on the middle level. Bare trees and a house are visible outside the window.

Garden Club Talk

This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with the Ridgewood Garden Club about starting a cut flower garden in 2026. It’s one of my favorite chats and was well received by all who attended.

A woman (Stacy Ling) stands on a stage giving a presentation about the best flowers to grow in a cutting garden. A slide shows a list of flowers, and gardening items are displayed on the stage. An American flag is in the background.

What I’m Shopping For This Week

Things I’m Shopping For This Week!

It’s seed starting season and I am stocking up on the essentials, plus some other odds and ends. Here’s what I’m shopping for this week.

Potting soil for winter sowing seeds outdoors.
Seed starting soil for indoor seed starting. I need several bags because I always wind up needing more.
This purse for spring that will never go out of style.
These shoes that are on serious markdown
I just love this sweater.
These jeans – I already have them in a lighter wash and LOVE them.
This is seriously my favorite sweater so I bought it in a few more colors. It is super soft. Fits true to size, but runs a little big so don’t size up.

A green houseplant in a textured copper pot sits on a coffee table. Behind it, a fireplace glows with a warm fire, and a mantel is decorated with plants. The room looks cozy and inviting.

The Houseplant Tools I Actually Use (Especially in Winter)

As a fellow plant lover, I know how much joy houseplants bring into a home. But let’s be honest, keeping them happy (especially in winter) can feel a little tricky.

After years of growing houseplants and learning what actually makes a difference, I’ve narrowed down a collection of indoor plant care products I truly use and trust. These are the tools I rely on to keep my plants healthy, growing, and looking good all year long — even when light is low and the heat is running.

Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been caring for houseplants for years, this list includes simple essentials and a few game-changing upgrades that can make plant care easier and more consistent.

🪴 Ready to give your plants the TLC they deserve?
👉 See my favorite houseplant care products here

Here are a few highlights I reach for again and again:

An organic fertilizer I use year-round so plants stay green and healthy without complicated feeding schedules
A time-saving watering solution that cuts down on trips to the sink
My go-to soil mix additions for better drainage and healthier roots
Moisture control tools and planters that help prevent overwatering (I’m slowly switching all my plants over to these)
Organic pest prevention I trust indoors
Simple ways to add light and humidity, especially during the winter months