A backyard veggie garden can bring gardeners joy during both growing and harvesting. Some gardeners like to know where their food comes from, others want to reduce chemicals used in traditional farming and find relief from high grocery prices.
The farm-to-table movement has created renewed interest in how commercial growers produce the food we enjoy daily. Many view a backyard vegetable garden as a sound investment in the health of the earth and their families.
Lisa Helm, founder of the Dayton Urban Grown (DUG) Cooperative, and Leeoria Willis, an agriculture and natural resources educator and master gardener volunteer coordinator with the Ohio State University (OSU) Montgomery County Extension Office, share their insights and advice for backyard gardening beginners.
Start with Soil
“Healthy, living soil is the most important thing to grow vegetables,” Lisa tells us. “Good quality living compost that is crumbly, black and sweet smelling, without too much wood that is not broken down, is what you are looking for to top your beds.” If you have living soil, the microbes can also adjust the pH around the root zones of the plants to make it easier to absorb the nutrients the plant needs.
Make a Plan
Leeoria advises that new growers should create a plan before they begin building their gardens. Plants can have unique soil, water, sun and planting guidelines to consider. “Do you want to grow flowers, vegetables or fruit? That is important to know before you start planting,” she notes.
Keep it Healthy
Lisa recommends only using organic fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides that can be found on the Organic Materials Review Institute website, as non-organic products can affect microbes in the soil and even gut health. She emphasizes that diversity is also important for healthy plants. “Mother nature does not plant monocultures [one type of plant]. Learn about companion planting to help get you started with a garden plan,” she explains.
Continue Education
Leeoria recommends attending classes to learn more about gardening and find new like-minded friends. “Many of the local libraries in Montgomery County have classes taught by master gardeners to help residents better prepare for the gardening season, as well as to promote gardening education throughout the season,” she says. “There is always more to learn, and residents can also call their local extension office with questions.”
Local Gardening Resources
Lisa explains that DUG’s original goal was to build an incubator farm where new farmers could learn and practice their trade before spending their own money to buy a farm. Today, the group focuses on educating farmers about growing healthy food through regenerative methods, which means more healthy food is available in the community.
Leeoria emphasizes the connection between gardening, personal health and community relationships, noting that many people in Montgomery County who grow their own produce donate excess to other people and organizations.
“I believe everyone benefits from being out in the dirt,” she says. “Research has shown that gardening really helps mental health!”
Lisa agrees that getting involved and supporting gardening and farming in your community is key. “If you want access to high-quality produce that regenerates the ecosystem and restores health, you need to learn more about sustainable growing and support the farmers who are committed to it.”
The OSU Extension Office offers community services through 4-H youth programs and a helpline for questions as well as serving walk-in visitors and supporting educational needs.
“Each program area strives to help families in different ways. Family and Consumer Sciences helps connect families with money planning, parenting and healthy eating resources,” she says. “Agricultural and Natural Resources helps families with farm planning, consumer horticulture and gardening classes.”
For more information about gardening, education and volunteer opportunities, visit Grow.OEFFA.org or Montgomery.OSU.edu or e-mail Lisa at DaytonUrbanGrown@gmail.com or Leeoria at willis.615@osu.edu.