Illustration by Kristen Solecki
From houseplants to vegetable gardens, Richmonders have been adding more green to their lives over the past year. With seemingly endless plant varieties and tools, getting your garden started can feel overwhelming. Before sinking your hands into some soil, it’s helpful to acquire the right materials to make your gardening experience easier.
As indoor and outdoor plants have gained popularity, Doug Hensel, assistant manager at The Great Big Greenhouse & Meadows Farms Nursery, says the market has been saturated with new products said to aid in the gardening process. Ultimately, to be a successful gardener, Hensel says, it all boils down to having four basic items: pruners, hoes, shovels and troughs.
“As you get more experience, you can start elaborating more,” Hensel adds, explaining that gardeners may look to upgrade their gear as they get further into the hobby rather than buying a large arsenal off the bat.
After gathering your materials, you’ve made it to the fun part: choosing your plants. Some edible favorites include tomatoes, lettuce and peppers for vegetables; berries, grapes and citrus trees for fruits; and thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary and parsley for herbs. When it comes to landscaping, Hensel proposes opting for native trees and shrubs in order to support our local pollinators.
If you plan on sowing your plants directly into the ground, Hensel advises getting a soil analysis done beforehand to gauge the health of your soil and check for any imbalances with nitrogen or pH levels.
“It’s like us when we go to the doctor and have bloodwork done to make sure all of our different levels are well balanced,” he explains. “You could be struggling and wondering why something has failed, and it may all have to do with soil and is nothing you really did wrong.”
For those looking into raised beds, Hensel recommends investing in organic soil to yield healthier produce. This can be extended to any indoor or patio-grown greenery. “You don’t need a traditional garden or yard to grow these plants,” Hensel says. “You can put them very successfully in containers.”
For beginners, common missteps are generally rooted in a lack of proper watering, incorrect sun exposure or a bad location. Hensel suggests visiting your local garden center to get personalized recommendations on which plants work for you.
“We can narrow down the plant selection with each question that we ask, and then we can finally find one they fall in love with and want to try,” he says. “Once we have that, we’ll talk about the proper care that the plant needs.”
If all else fails, try, try and try again. “Don’t let failure discourage you,” he urges.
