From Passionate Gardener to Certified Pro: My Gardenery Consultant Journey
My love for gardening blossomed in my childhood, when I eagerly assisted my mother in planting her barrel containers with annual flowers. This joyous experience became a lifelong passion, and even when I moved into my apartment, I continued the tradition of planting my containers every spring, adorning my balcony with their vibrant beauty.
Buying my first house revealed that gardening is a great way to socialize. It helped me connect with neighbors, leading to friendships through shared activities like lawn care, kids' playtime, and gardening. We exchanged gardening tips, asked for opinions, and admired the beauty it brought to our neighborhood.
It wasn't until years later that I decided to start my first vegetable garden. My son claims it all started with a Mother’s Day gift he made for me: a freshly decorated glass jar and a few herb packets of seeds for planting. He is not wrong; those herb seeds did kick things off, so to speak.
I had wanted a kitchen garden for a long time, but did not believe I had the space for it. When I grew up, people put gardens in the ground, so that was the type of garden I envisioned and had ruled it out. My lot is narrow, and I did not think it was possible. But after receiving my seeds, I began researching elevated planters to grow vegetables. That was when I discovered the VegTrug Wall Hugger, perfect for growing a garden on my patio, where I received the most sunlight.
Like many novice kitchen gardeners, I was initially uncertain where to start. I envisioned a garden teeming with vegetables, but without a plan, I simply headed to the nursery and picked out a few items. I savored fresh lettuce, fragrant herbs, and delicious lemon cucumbers that first year. However, as a beginner, I made my fair share of mistakes. My lettuce bolted due to late planting, and my peppers turned out to be miniature and unpalatable. That year, I learned a lot from all my mistakes.
Today, I approach my gardening with a well-thought-out plan. It all begins in November when I receive my seed catalogs. I meticulously plan my garden in phases, aligning with the changing seasons. I adopt an intensive planting strategy to maximize the number of harvests and the variety of produce. Most of my vegetables are grown from seed, with fruiting veggies and herbs started indoors and the rest directly sown. I always enjoy experimenting with new varieties, and I’m excited to grow butterbush butternut squash this year.
My passion for gardening led me to become a Gardenary Certified Consultant. This journey was not without its challenges, but it was gratifying. I underwent rigorous training and gained hands-on experience to become a certified consultant. My mission is to provide direct guidance and hands-on experience to gardeners in their kitchen garden spaces, eliminating the guesswork and frustration often associated with gardening. As a Kitchen Garden Consultant, my primary objective is to demonstrate best practices in maintaining a kitchen garden, ensuring success, and reducing client frustration.
My goal for this blog is to share my gardening knowledge and demonstrate solutions for some of the challenges that come with it. Please visit our website for more information about Garden To Table Consulting and our Kitchen Garden Service.
