A successful garden requires light, water, nutrients and time — something that many people have had over the past year.
The nation-wide lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has not only given us ample time to delve into new hobbies, it has shown people why it’s important to be at least somewhat self-sustaining.
The beginning of the lockdown gave us limited access to important resources like toilet paper and food, from fresh and crisp to canned or frozen.
Skills such as canning, preserving and gardening became increasingly popular as citizens started realizing that outside resources we rely on can easily become unavailable in emergency situations.
While some people have been gardening for a long time, the pandemic has certainly inspired more people to start growing fruits and vegetables.
Julie Morehouse, the owner of Stockton’s In Season Market and Nursery, said that there are tons of new home gardeners, especially young families with kids out of school who are looking for something to do and something to help themselves be more self-sustaining.
“The shutdown last year scared the hell out of a lot of people and they are looking for ways to contribute to their security. And gardening is a great way,” Morehouse said.
Aspiring Stockton homesteader Maile Bruns said that it’s important to her to be self-sustaining because it gives you the freedom to make sure you can care for yourself and your family.
“You never know what may happen from day-to-day as we have seen in the last year,” Bruns said.
Morehouse said that since the pandemic started, sales have been very good.
As gardening has gained popularity, sales for both seeds and live plants have increased.
So, once you have the seeds or the plants, how do you grow a successful garden?
Raised garden beds are popularly used by people who don’t have designated planting space.
A lot of fruits and vegetables can be grown in pots on a patio or balcony if space is really limited.
Tomato plants can be successfully grown in containers, as can strawberries and peppers.
Whichever growing medium you choose, the most important thing is that you plant your garden where there is plenty of light.
While growing a plant from seed can be rewarding, Delta plant science professor Travis Cardoso said that it is always easier to grow from transplant than from seed.
“If you want the challenge from seed, please make sure you read the packet. After you see the germination take place, you can thin to the proper spacing indicated on the back of the packet,” Cardoso said.
When starting from seed, place your pots or seed starting kit next to a window where the seedlings can get 10 to 12 hours of light a day.
Grow lights and heat mats can be used in place of natural sunlight if preferred or you lack space.
If direct sowing your plants or transplanting live plants, place them in an area that gives them as much sunlight as is preferred by the plant. Google is helpful with determining how much light individual plants require.
Aside from light, water is essential to a productive garden.
Underwatering can kill plants, as can overwatering.
Cardoso said that the number one mistake new gardeners make is overwatering.
“Remember just as much is happening under the ground as is happening above. Actually go out and see if the soil is saturated before you water again. The plant needs to ‘breathe,’ overwatering does not allow for proper ‘breathing,’” Cardoso said.
The general rule of thumb is to water in the morning and around one inch of water per week.
Some plants thrive on more or less water, though, so be sure to do some research to really know what’s best for your plants.
Lastly, soil type and nutrients can determine how much fruit your plants will yield.
Of course you can purchase fertilizers and amendments from a nursery or hardware store, Cardoso said he recommends using a fertilizer that is high in Nitrogen, but there are a lot of natural ways to add nutrients to your soil.
Scraps from your kitchen can be added to soil mixtures to create compost.
Coffee grounds, vegetable scraps and egg shells can all be used to create a nutrient-rich compost.
The list of ways to grow a successful garden is endless, but the three major components — light, water and nutrients — are the simplest ways to ensure a garden that keeps on giving.
“Start where you are. Work with what you have. Ask questions everywhere you go, gardeners love to talk about their gardens and their experiences. Even if all you have is a small patio, you can grow vegetables in a container. Big message is just pay attention. Check your plants every day, because they change often. Look for water issues [and] pest issues before they get out of hand. And ask for advice, if one person doesn’t have the answer, someone later on surely will,” Morehouse said.
