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Interplanting – Implementing Diversity in the Garden

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Interplanting is an underused practice in the garden. Most seasoned gardeners are aware of the benefits of this practice. For most small space gardeners or beginning gardeners, this is a game changing technique.

Merriam Webster defines interplanting as a way of planting a crop between plants of another kind. Sounds simple but there are a few methods to this value added way of increasing the fruits of one’s labor as we learn to grow in smaller spaces.

The art of making sound use of all available space in the garden is more important now than ever before. I approached my community garden plot with a different mindset this year. Sharing how to be intentional in what I grew was important to me. The words of Michael Twitty popped into my head. At a lecture years ago, He spoke about how in years past, African American communities relied on bartering between families. One person grew tomatoes, and another might grow greens. As food grew in backyards, pots and sometimes front yards, sharing with others in need was a common practice. The community commitment was to ensure no ere committed to ensuring food was available for those who were in need.

When the season started, I grew lettuce. This was an easy crop and great for growing in the cooler temperatures of Spring. From Buttercrunch to Red Sails, my lettuce provided me with fresh greens every week. I also added Rainbow Chard for additional color in the garden and on my plate. What is life without a few blooms? The calendula added that special touch in small vases as well as sprinkled on my salads.

Borage is my herb of choice for many reasons in addition to the beautiful blue blooms. This plant is a pollinator magnet. The bees and butterflies are always having a party in my plot. Each time I approach my plot, I smile, pause and eventually stop. It is as if I am waiting for the performance to stop. It is amazing to see natures little friends perform a summer waltz.

Another benefit of Borage is the plants ability to repel certain pests. The plants in my plot have no holes in the leaves. In addition, Borage roots reach deep and bring much needed nutrients to the surrounding soil. Did you know that Borage makes a great tea that is know for reliving stress? This is a plant with super powers and cute blooms.

Snipping just enough blue blooms to fill an ice tray, I add water. Gently, I place the tray in my freezer. When preserving special memories of summer for later use, I often refer to it as locking away a seasonal smile. I will use these blooms in iced tea or cocktails. It is fun to explore the many varieties of blooms and leaves which are candidates for preserving. It is a great way to remember the gifts of the season.

Interplanting with Intention

Now that the heat is on in the garden, it is time for enhancing my four foot by eight foot plot. While am still harvesting Chard, the other lettuces are beginning to bolt. It is easy to pull the entire plant and add peppers. I choose hot, mild and always a few sweet peppers to insert where there ae gaps. The warmer temps ensure that my garden gaps are no longer vacant.

The foliage of the peppers will provide just enough shade for a second crop of a few heat tolerant lettuces and perhaps some heirloom carrots. Did you know carrots are great groundbreakers? Pepper plant roots enjoy loose soil. Interplanting a root crop like carrots can open up compacted soils. This allows roots to grow deeply. The foliage of the carrots also form a beautiful living mulch. Try mixing the carrot seeds with sand for better distribution and less thinning. It isn’t too late for a few marigolds or onions as a way of maximizing the space and keeping the pepper roots cool.

Basil will fill out the rest of the garden behind the peppers. I can never grow to much basil. Large leaf basil is great for making wraps in lieu of bread. Sweet basil, cinnamon basil, as well as lemon basil is great for enhancing iced teas or even water. . A basil patch is a great way to have enough basil for pesto, salads, and more. Basil infused olive oil is simple and delicious for used for dipping assorted breads. Chop basil leaves and add to soup or stews. Here is a fun tip – add to spreadable butter on warm bread for a flavorful and aromatic treat. Try mixing a variety of basil cultivars for a unique blend.

Diversity in plant material introduced with intentional interplanting, contributes to the beauty of the garden. In the book I co-authored with Kathy Jentz, The Urban Garden – 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the Garden , we explore many different types of gardening concepts, including potagers and raised beds. Did you know you can interplant in a pot? Spring is the perfect time to begin interplanting. If there are gaps in a plot or a pot, add a few seeds or starter plants. Many times these plants will disguise fading blooms or foliage. As the season warms up, crops like Cilantro or Lettuces will begin to bolt. What a great opportunity to save the seed and plant something else.

Sit with your garden and explore any opportunities to interplant. It does not matter if it is for food or beauty, add an unexpected touch to your greenspace. Intentionally introducing diversity into the garden has never been easier than interplanting throughout the season. Interplanting also gives any gardener a head start on second season gardening.

Pausing in my garden with a glass of cucumber basil water. It is quite refreshing on a hot day like today.

Teri, Cottage in the Court

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How to Grow a Garden

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How to Grow a Garden by Ellen Mary ( quercusbooks.co.uk) is a great book to encourage anyone to garden.

It always helps to have a how to manual. For many gardeners, finding a book which offers basic information on how to garden is important. For many new gardeners, how to grow a garden is a daunting proposition. Mary Ellen has carefully written a book that eases the stress of beginning a garden.

Written as a beginners guide to creating a thriving outdoor space, this book is not just for beginners. It encompasses the basics which many gardeners might not remember. This book is a great fresher course, as well as an opportunity to learn something new. Page 37, Why We Garden helps us answer the reason we need this information in an easy to read format.

As the garden community continues to grow, the topic of time and space often enters our minds. How to Grow a Garden touches on these topics like a sprinkling of seasoning- not too intense, but just right. Who knew there are ways to garden if you have ten minutes or an hour? Mary Ellen describes the basics of a container that will continually provide interest throughout the seasons. The thriller, filler, spiller recipe is always a winning combination. Mary provides the reader with a list of basic plants to begin creating an amazing container planting.

Gardening takes time. There are tasks which could take an hour per week and even up to half a day per week. Mary shares examples of timeframes when time is an issue. She even reminds the small space gardener of rule number 1 -Don’t try to squeeze too much in. The information Mary Ellen provides is just enough to keep the gardener thinking about how they want to garden.

In my opinion, the main course of Mary Ellen’s book is Chapter 5 – Keeping Plants Alive. From tips on watering, feeding and weeding, Mary Ellen gently covers the basics of keeping the garden alive. She even touches on pest control – which by summer, is on the minds of many gardeners. Mary addresses the basic questions that will cross many gardeners’ minds.

Mary Ellen serves the reader compost for dessert. How to make it, and use it has been simplified on the pages of this book. It is always great to have a recipe for the proper ingredients to use when beginning composting. She provides a list of the basic items needed for compost to happen organically. The Gardening Year at a Glance provides the gardener something to look for throughout the garden season. It is useful to have a list of what to expect to bloom throughout the season. The author invites the reader to become more knowledgeable about gardening by suggesting additional books and websites.

How to Grow a garden is a great gift for gardeners of all levels. Mary Ellen shares from her experiences and theories, how the reader can have a successful gardening experience. She shares this knowledge and experiences with clarity and enthusiasm.

Thank you Mary Ellen for a book that provides a fulfilling feast for any gardener.

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Gardening In Community – A Greener World

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Gardening has increased in recent years. As we embrace our earth, there are many different perspectives to consider. The Healthy Garden – Simple Steps For A Greener World is a book that many have been waiting for.

Gardening within a community is a common practice nowadays. Community gardening has become quite a loaded phrase. It can mean collaborating with others who garden or physically gardening in the community. Gathering to learn more about gardening is a way to connect with other gardeners.

The Healthy Garden: Simple Steps for a Greener World has touched upon these and other ways to garden in the community. A greener world is something many people, gardeners or non-gardeners desire. Mary-Kate Mackey and Kathleen Norris Brenzel provide diverse perspectives on how we can achieve this goal. As I read this wonderful book, the conversations presented truly gave me hope.

Design, selecting plants, and the wellness benefits of gardening, are discussed in the first few chapters. Offering tips from some well-known horticultural voices, this book gently breaks down the definition of a healthy garden. Embrace your place, frame a view, forever and for now – each of these topics are defined, giving gardeners permission to garden uniquely.

Answering the question of why grow your own food is answered in this book. Knowing where your food is sourced is important. Growing what you consume is a great way to stay engaged with a vegetable plot or pot. It is a fantastic way to explore other cultures and growing methods. Making a small investment for a pack of seeds can provide unimaginable amounts of produce to share. Having a good mix of vegetables, herbs, and flowers to provide for our pollinators is key. From foodscaping to what size pots you will need – this book is quite the resource.

Exercise is all a part of gardening. Stretching underused muscles and constant motion all help keep our bodies in shape. Mental clarity is a bonus benefit. Imagine spending an afternoon gazing at a butterfly or hummingbird. The joy of pausing to discover the simple serenity of the garden is almost like medicine. Making time to pause in the garden is the perfect way to find balance in life. A garden is a useful tool for healing.

This book gives the reader permission to engage with the earth, as they see fit. Permission to enjoy what you have or to borrow from examples in other gardens. Who wouldn’t want to feel good about changing a landscape as you see fit? Utilizing the plant ladder concept in your garden offers a heightened awareness of the beauty found in layers. No matter where you are planting, multi-level plantings encourage the eye to look up and down. The higher plants become the focal point as they utilize groundcovers to create a living much.

Let’s talk about critical, touchy viewpoints – growing native plants. From the benefits to the drawbacks, growing with an emphasis on diversity is key to a greener, healthy garden.  No matter what part of the country, no matter what your climate is (this year), this book has digestible information. These authors interviewed over sixty horticulturists. The information shared provides a buffet of perspectives and immeasurable knowledge.

Every seasoned gardener knows that creating spaces and laces to pause is an essential part of enjoying the garden. A single chair placed near a specific plant is an act of gardening with intention. It allows the gardener to pause and rest. It is a perfect example of how pausing is as essential as weeding. Actually, pausing to appreciate the art of gardening allows us to connect with nature in our familiar greenspaces. Taking time to enjoy and not just work in our green spaces, enables us to enjoy calm, serenity, and peace.

Community gardens are great places to find like-minded neighbors. Green spaces where neighbors can gather provide opportunities to hone great gardening skills. By participating in community gardens, there is magic in what is shared. The obvious successes as produce is shared and enjoyed by all, take precedence over the failures. The conversations enjoyed in these spaces often lead to lifelong relationships as they build strong communities.

In my local community garden, we are growing together. We gather for plot-to-plate events where we share the items we grow. Gathering in community gardens provides fertile ground for sharing recipes or offering up canning advice. Gardening in the community is a way to experiment with unfamiliar foods and flowers. Listening to the elders, experimenting with the youth, and staying abreast of the latest trends, keeps the conversations exciting and engaging – no matter the perspective or experience.

This book is a gift for all types of gardeners. The words ring true as each segment of this book offers digestible bites of perspectives on a healthy garden and greener world. As the heat of the summer sun suggests we linger longer in the shade, this is a perfect book to have on hand.

Did I mention, that you just might find someone you know on page 178? There are a few books that single out one topic. By looking at the topics that matter to most gardeners, these ladies offer a fresh perspective. I am glad these authors knew this book was necessary. Gardeners young and old want useful information. Finding the words to create a plan of action for gardeners everywhere is right on time.

I am working on unique ways to use what I grow in my community garden and sharing it with my plot partners. If you want a book filled with useful ideas, consider adding this book to your library.

Teri, Cottage in the Court

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Kwanzaa In A Community Garden

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Kwanzaa is a celebration of family, culture, and community.

Kwanzaa is a seven-day celebration in the African American community. Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor, and scholar created this to honor our roots. Like a tree, our roots are the foundation of our existence. Growing up in Washington, DC, I rememberlearning about the basic principles that are key to this celebration in school. We drafted reports about it and knew exactly what each day meant. It is a widespread practice to share Kwanzaa celebrations at home in the African American Community.

As Mr. Anthony Brooks and I, co-chair of the Fiesta PlaceCommunity Garden, we noticed these principles are a part of the garden. The founder, Deborah Turner, has grown Fiesta Place Community Garden from an unused street to a place where like-minded gardeners meet, grow, and share. Deborah has chosen to pass the baton on to keep the garden growing. We are excited abut the possibilities as we continue to grow an engaged community.

As we focus on building positive communities it is important for community engagement, corporate involvement, and uplifting of our youth. Utilizing these seven principles in everyday life is very much like gardening. Each principle
is like a seed. Each seed has a specific purpose for building strong communities. If you are not familiar with the seven principles of Kwanzaa, allow me to share.

Day 1 – Umoja (Unity)

This principle has already taken root. A united group of community members have built beds, put together a shed, and maintained the dream of future expansion. Dr. Karenga would be proud that the seed of unity within the community is already taking root.

Day 2 – Kujichagulia (Self-determination)

Over the past ten-plus years, there has been a dedicated effort to encourage growing a gardening community. Working with the Neighborhood Design Center to produce a conceptual plan was important. The determination to explore the right plan, bringing the community together continues to be important to the residents of
District Heights.

Day 3 – Ujima (Collective work and responsibility)

As of 2022, there is a new team in place to sow more seeds and try new things as we collectively work and share the responsibility of the Fiesta Place Community Garden. We want our community residents to connect and share, become
active in the garden, as we grow.

Day 4 – Ujamaa (Cooperative economics)

Efforts to uplift a community create a more cohesive community. Helping grow the next generation of gardeners who might consider agriculture, floriculture, or other green industry jobs is important. Everyone does not want to be a
vegetable farmer and we need to realize that. Sharing ways to re-consider a skill or trade might open a new perspective on growing vegetables and more.

Day 5 – Nia (Purpose)

One might ask, what is the purpose of having a community garden? Simply stated, to bring people together, create an outdoor space for positive activities that embrace all the community. There was a time where people bartered with each other. One household grew tomatoes. A neighbor down the street would grow peppers. Families often traded their harvests. The food we grew was not just for our households. It was crucial to the health of the community. Teaching each other how to cook, preserve, and create, came naturally. The mindset of treating the community like family continues today.

Day 6 – Kuumba (Creativity)

This is one principle of Kwanzaa that I hold close to my heart. Dr. Karenga considered it a call to action. He challenges us to use our creativity. Our goal is to grow a community space we can be proud of. It will be beneficial to our mental health and beautiful as well. By incorporating creative programming, more community outreach, and conversation – Fiesta Place Community Garden will continue to grow.

Day 7 – Imani (Faith)

Our community has had its difficulties. Through it all, the Fiesta Place Community Garden has survived. The Fiesta Place Community Garden is a space for activities, peace, and community healing. The faith of those who have supported
this project has never wavered. It is faith that will help us continue to grow this community legacy of love.

The Fiesta Place Community Garden uses the seven principles of Kwanzaa to build a better community. Celebrating Kwanzaa is like tending a garden. We need to cultivate and fertilize these principles as often as possible. Creating a
place that is good for positive mental stimulation has proven to build communities. The garden should always feed the mind, body, ad soul. The Fiesta Place Garden has a purpose in District Heights. Our purpose will continue to embrace and share with each other, as we grow.

Growing better communities are more important now than ever. It does not have to be a community garden. When creating a garden there are several basic steps. Choosing your community is like selecting the site. Preparing a fertile
environment is the second step. Including input from the community are the soil amendments. Sowing a positive seed and watching it grow is where the fun begins.

It is a process, which is not always easy. As the seed breaks dormancy and growth becomes visible, the community will come. As they become more involved, it is like cultivating the earth. Consistent involvement of an engaged community will help build a solid foundation. Fertilization is offering opportunities for community involvement. Holding space for the talented among us to share will support communal growth.

Establishing a community that creates positive engagements is something that we are all responsible for. As the world continues to change, the conversations are changing as well. Our communities look different. Keeping harmony in the
community involves inclusion, equity, and embracing diversity.

Whether you practice Kwanzaa or not, consider the principles. Imagine sowing them into the soil of your community. Observe the growth that takes place. It starts with one person noticing a need and providing a positive environment for growth. Small steps can make a significant difference. If we do not create livable, thriving communities now, when will we?

Kwanzaa celebrations begin the day after Christmas and continue for seven days. This does not mean we stop
embracing the basic principles. It should mean that we incorporate them as a part of daily living. In doing so, each day presents the opportunity of building a positive community. Like a garden, fertile soil always produces a beautiful harvest. 

Do you celebrate building community as you acknowledge your ancestral roots? Is creating a beautiful community where everyone plays a role important?

The anticipation of continuing to practice the seven principles of Kwanzaa daily brings me joy. I am excited about creating positive change at Fiesta Place Community Gardens and growing a better community.

Looking for my cool season seeds and dreaming of 2022! 

Teri, Cottage In The Court

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A Floral Love Story – All About Flowers

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A floral love story can be demonstrated even from the tip of a pen. Thomas J. Mickey shares a love story about a man, his passion for gardening, and how it changed horticulture along the way.

All About Flowers James Vick’s Nineteenth-Century Seed Company by Thomas J. Mickey should be considered a floral love story. This book shares the story of the man, his passion, and how he sowed seeds to build his community.

Victorian Flowers of all types have played a role in my garden life. My Dad admired them and well…the blossom does not fall too far from the stem. They evoke emotion and are just timelessly beautiful. From tulips, carnations, roses, and more, Victorian flowers have been a part of our lives for quite some time. With beginnings as an aficionado of the written word, James Vick, a writer, used that experience and created a career in horticulture. In today’s world, James Vick would be considered a Master Marketer. Known for his publications, such as Vick’s Floral Guide, you could say he was one of the first Horticultural Influencers. I would say he was a man before his time. This man has a story and the world needs to be made aware that many times, heroes do not wear capes, they embrace horticulture.

In my opinion, this book is a beautiful floral love story. I love finding out about people who are like everyday seeds found in our gardens. When we get to know them, they germinate into specialty seedlings in our living landscapes.  The author, Thomas J. Mickey, literally helps the reader get to know Mr. Vick. The journey takes us to 1856, where Mr. Vick published his own magazine until 1878 – Vick’s Illustrated Monthly and beyond. As most garden writers know, there are always words to express our joy of seeds, buds, flowers, and more. I sincerely wish I had known Mr. Vick to hear about his love story in person.

At one point, Mr. Vick had more than one housand tulip bulbs blooming in his home garden. Can you imagine that display? At the time, his seed company was being operated out of his home. So many people wandered by to observe what was blooming in the garden, it created a local distraction in the best way possible. Mr. Vick had to move the business to a warehouse nearby. He inspired so many people to garden, he disrupted his neighborhood.

This man was such a horticultural hero, one of his customers wrote a poem about twelve of their favorite annuals. Each of these plants was grown from seed purchased from Mr. Vick. Appreciating the love, James Vick made certain to feature the poem in his magazine. That is just one way he connected with the community. The community supported his efforts to beautify the home inside and out with the finest florals from around the world. Mr. Vick was not just writing about flowers, but collecting, sharing, and encouraging others to experience the world of horticulture.

For once, I really cannot say what my favorite part of this book was. In its entirety, All About Flowers has introduced me to a Horticultural Hero I wish I had known. I strongly encourage others to read this book. Getting to know the man, his ideology, and discovering his favorite flowers is like meeting someone very special.

From now on, when I consider which Victorian flower I will choose to grow, I will think of how James Vick influenced the world of gardening.

Thomas J. Mickey has truly shared a floral love story, celebrating the spirit of this Englishman, Mr. James Vick.

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