Home Gardening Inspiration & Education

Right from old times, that is, centuries ago, people had no other option but to be self-dependent in terms of food, vegetation, medicinal commodities. Around the mid 17th century, the idea of potager gardens was presented. People seemed to be interested in knowing what a potager garden is, how it is different from other patterns of gardening and why it is so widely preferred.

The entire reading is dedicated to every creative nature lover who also likes to mix work with pleasure!

 What is a Potager Garden?

Potager is a formal way of presenting a garden, more like a vegetable plot, and the feature that differentiates it from all other styles and patterns of gardening is that it’s very idea lies at the intersection of cultivation of edibles and aesthetic, ornamental beauty. It conveniently accommodates weed management, waste management, herbs, vegetation, and flowers in its spectrum.

Interestingly, the concept of potagers was dwelled upon so much that there were books...

Beginning gardeners and experienced gardeners alike start off loving the idea of home gardens.  They value being engulfed in the sun, soil, seed, and plants. They love bringing the bounty to neighbors and to their own tables. Nurturing abundance in the garden and homegrown nutrition in their bodies.

Soon the weather gets hot, the bugs infest, and garden becomes like a jungle. The gardener becomes avoidant and soon abandons their work, and their desire to grow fresh produce. 

The 3 main reasons home gardens fail are these:

1) Overwhelm - when we feel confused we don't do anything. Questions like: When to amend soil, when to plant, when to water, and when to harvest, etc can cause many a mind to shut down. Our lives are full and other obligations take priority over our gardening desire. Having a local gardener to assist you is a rare treasure. Find one here!

2) Unmanageability - once the jungle sets in we are less likely inspired to tend to our gardens. Mowing...

Tears filled my eyes as I looked out upon those fields one last time. The memories came flooding back as the familiar wind hit my face.  I had stood before it for many a season, studying its needs and seeing its potential.  I had cared for it in foul weather, injury and illness.  It had me enveloped in its promise, engulfed its beauty.  I was mesmerized with wonder the way a mother stares at her young.  Humbled by how much it gave and fascinated by its ever-changing faces. 

One autumn, I lost my first pregnancy.   I had been riding on a tractor all day trying to beat the winter weather.  There is nothing you can do to cause a miscarriage, but I knew in my heart that I couldn’t do both.  Not for a while.  And that reality changed my entire world.  That was the beginning of a long hiatus from farming, and the season of baby-growing. 

A year passed by and our daughter was born.  She spent the first 2 years of her...

Amy is my neighbor, client, and new to gardening.   This year she tried tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, calendula, peppers, lettuces, green beans, and a few others.  Tomatoes and cucumbers can be difficult plants for a beginner.  They need to be in the soil longer, need more space,  more sun, and more maintenance than others. 

Her garden space is limited to an 8x2.5x2 bed.  We interplanted her bed to grow in underutilized spaces to maximize her harvests.  Her summer plants got huge which got a bit messy.  Next year we will redesign her layout to avoid overcrowding, but overall a great first season!

This is her garden box.  It's built with untreated Eastern Red Cedar, which is prone to lose its pinkish, purple color rapidly the first season.  The sides facing the sun were silver, while the sides facing away from the sun were more orangish pink.  Watch how quickly the pink & purple color returns with a bit of...