Summer Garden Check-In
By Ella Saddler
An early summer harvest from Emma
We may not be expert gardeners (yet), but practice makes perfect! Our team loves to garden, so we are doing a Summer garden check-in to share a few things we have learned and what we are most excited for next year!
Jaclyn giving her garden a drink
How long have you been gardening? What is your gardening set up?
I really only started gardening during quarantine. I began caring for houseplants in 2017 and that’s what gave me the confidence to get more into gardening. I have an herb garden that sits under the window in my kitchen, two raised beds in the backyard, and various pots.
Gardening successes:
My herb garden is a lot stronger than last year.
Planting old spudded potatoes to grow and harvest multiple new ones is so scientifically fascinating to me.
Adding garden veggies to any meal and making my morning smoothies with kale from my garden is truly so rewarding!
What are you currently growing?
Strawberries, potatoes, beets, butter lettuce, snap peas, carrots, many variations of peppers, garlic, onions, kale, brussel sprouts, broccoli and a herb garden (basil, mint, oregano, parsley)
Learnings:
It was too hot for spinach and snap peas by the time I planted them.
I don’t think I gave my brussels quite enough room to thrive.
What are you excited to do similarly or differently next year?
Last year I was much more scientific about garden planning (assessing the soil’s pH levels and measuring and spacing seedlings perfectly) whereas this year I just went for it, piecing it together with not a lot of research or true scientific measurement! I’m excited to go back to doing my garden by seedlings next year to both eliminate the plastic waste from starter plants and it’s so rewarding to see the seedlings progress day-by-day.
Scenes of Emma’s patio garden
How long have you been gardening?
I’ve been gardening with my husband for about 2 years now, but we’ve had lots of houseplants leading up to it. The progression from houseplants to full-on gardening felt very natural as we wanted to put our plant skills to the test by growing food for ourselves. Being (mostly) plant-based, we hope to grow (almost) all our own food one day to fully sustain our family. We live near downtown Columbus, so we currently have 40 square feet of raised beds, as well as several large pots full of veggies, herbs and fruit plants.
Gardening successes:
Growing veggies and herbs from seeds! It’s a long, patient process — starting the seeds indoors when it’s still chilly outside, hardening them in the Spring outside, and eventually transplanting the little plants to the raised beds when the temps are just right. It’s that much more rewarding when cooking meals with these babes knowing exactly where they came from and how much effort was put into growing them.
What are you currently growing?
7 varieties of peppers, 2 types of radish, romaine and cucumber, cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and a lemon tree, cilantro, mint, dill, basil, thyme, rosemary and parsley, marigolds and lavender
Learnings:
Don’t overcrowd the growing area with too many plants
Don’t overwater
The amount of direct and indirect sunlight throughout the day matters
The time of year you plant certain vegetables also matters (we planted onion too late in the Spring season and they eventually bolted because of the heat)
Be more patient than you want to be
What are you excited to do similarly or differently next year?
I hope to leave enough space for more flowers next year. They are not only beautiful, bringing lots of color to the garden, but they naturally fight off bugs. We were unsuccessful with our brussel sprouts this year because the pot wasn’t large enough. So, if we try again next year to grow a stalking vegetable, we need to have a larger space ready for its exponential growth. There are so many things I will do similarly though! Like rotate out a large variety of vegetables throughout the seasons, and give lots of attention to the fruit plants. They feel so special!
Fresh picks from Ella’s garden
How long have you been gardening? And maybe describe your gardening situation/set up?
I just started gardening this year! I’ve done indoor herbs before and a house plant here and there but this is the first year doing a full veggie garden! We have 2 4’x9’ beds.
Gardening successes:
For my first year I think I did a great job of filling the beds and prepping the soil. Our beds are EXPLODING! I prepped the beds with good soil, yard compost, and tons of worms.
Learning that it’s okay to prune has been another success! At the beginning I was nervous to prune our tomato plants but it has been a saving grace. Taking the time to cut things back has kept the beds from getting overcrowded and overgrown.
What are you currently growing?
3 varieties of tomatoes, 3 varieties of peppers, onions,cucumbers, 2 varieties of eggplant, brussels sprouts, rosemary, chives, cilantro, basil, lemon thyme, parsley, and mint. We are also growing quite a few different flowers - lavender, ranunculus, anemone, hydrangeas, marigolds.
Learnings:
Don’t be afraid to prune
Learn from your plants what they need. I sometimes have to water the beds twice a day because our backyard gets full sun morning until night.
Patience! I am terrible at this one.
Enjoy the process and treat tending to the gardens as a ritual
What are you excited to do similarly or differently next year?
I’m looking forward to doing a little more strategy next year. We began the season with TONS of lettuce which was amazing but we were giving it away because we couldn’t eat it all! So I think planning around growing time and how much we are able to consume will be great.
I am looking forward to prepping our soil again next year similarly to what I did this year. We’ve had such great success that I’ll be pushing for even more success!
Shop what we are using in our garden!
Garden Hand Trowel, $5.90
Hemp Garden Gloves, $17.40
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ella Saddler is a Brand Account Manager and Contributing Writer for SISTAIN and has a background in design, dance, and visual arts. She celebrates her love of nature, beauty, and connection through her passion for living mindfully and sustainably.
