From the ground up
A successful garden starts with good soil. Blogger and author Shawna Coronado (shawnacoronado.com) says her formula is one-third your soil, one-third rotted manure and one-third kitchen or leaf compost. The result, she promises, is “fantabulous gardens.”
Easiest indoor garden
The Aerogarden has so much to recommend it. This amazing contraption lets the garden-deprived grow herbs — and lots more (cherry tomatoes, flowers, lettuces) in a small space. Its streamlined operation keeps the process so manageable — the mechanically challenged won’t be intimidated.
What’s more, those living in climes that aren’t conducive to year-round growing will get their gardening fix no matter what is happening outside.
Aerogarden has continued to offer additional options, including a seed starting tray. It’s not cheap (grow lights need to be replaced on occasion, etc.) A variety of sizes and prices are available. Go to aerogarden.com.
Try strawberries
Alpine strawberries are, again, easy to grow — they make a great ground cover in a sunny spot, they’re very pretty, they flower and, if you keep your expectations simple (think topping your cereal, not making jars of jam), they’ll reward you with an amazing-tasting treat. They’re also perfect for kids.
Watch your hands
Sue Markgraf, founder of GreenMark Public Relations, which focuses on green issues, needed a new pair of gloves before tackling a long weekend of gardening. She says it was a bit like looking at the cereal aisle in the grocery store, with myriad styles in the garden centers.
How to choose? Markgraf says, “My takeaway tip: The right glove for the right project is just as important as the right tool. Consider both comfort and safety to protect those precious hands. Many gloves have Velcro closures and are made of breathable fabrics for comfort, while leather palms and fingers cushion against branches, stones and even insects.
“Choose light gloves for simple tasks like planting annuals and containers. Select gloves with leather palms and fingers for pruning, deadheading and working mulch into soil. Heavier-duty gloves like these also are a must for more intense projects, such as light landscaping work, planting trees and dividing perennials. For roses, heavyweight gloves with cuffs protect against thorns.”
Think young
Get kids involved in growing vegetables and fruits as soon
as possible, suggests longtime gardening writer Lynn Petrak. “My two youngest were amazed to see blackberries growing from what we had planted the year before. Between those and the lettuce and pumpkins, they
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