Garden salad
Backyard vegetables are a growing trend

By Jennie Miller
C & G Staff Writer

All the fixings for fresh food could be just a few steps away with backyard vegetable garden.

“You can’t beat the satisfaction of being able to walk outside, pluck a vegetable from your garden and put it right in your salad,” said Richard Reeves, a Lathrup Village resident and master gardener.

Organic produce is all the rage right now, and the only way to really have control over how your veggies are grown is to just do it yourself. Many residents are turning sections of their yards into vegetable gardens large and small.

“It’s a great little hobby — it’s relaxing and it gets you outside,” said Kevin Daniels, general manager of Hessell’s Greenhouse in Shelby Township. “When it’s nice outside, you can be out there working in the garden. While nobody likes to pull weeds, the satisfaction of saying, ‘I grew this, and now I’m eating a great salad’ — that makes it worth it. Plus, nine out of 10 people grow way too much of their vegetables, so they end up taking them next door to their neighbors and giving them to friends, and it’s building relationships.”

The first step to starting a vegetable garden is to research the various kinds of vegetables and their growing temperaments, and decide which to incorporate into your garden.

“Look at the types of plants you want and read about how much room they need,” Reeves suggested.

Once you know the vegetables you’ll be using, it’s all about location, location, location.

“Vegetables like to be planted in a full-sun area; a place that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight a day,” Reeves said.

If the chosen area is covered in grass, it’s time to get out the shovel and start digging away. Once the dirt is exposed, it’s important to make sure enough nutrients exist in the soil. While Daniels recommends a compost-manure mixture that you can purchase at local garden centers, as well as an organic fertilizer, Reeves suggests conducting a soil test.

“I would recommend that everybody just starting out a new garden in a new location get a soil test through the (Michigan State University) Extension service,” Reeves said. “What you’re testing for is any nutrients that your soil is lacking. And once you get your soil test back, you can add the appropriate nutrients. I always recommend that if you’re starting from a space that has never been a garden before, add as many nutrients as you can, because that’s going to affect the health of the plants.”

Oakland County residents can use the Michigan State University Extension services by calling the Pontiac office at (248) 858-0880. Macomb County residents can call the Clinton Township office at (586) 469-5180.

Once the soil is ready and tilled, you’re ready to start planting.

“Each individual plant will have its own growing time, its own ripening time,” Reeves explained. “And depending on the vegetable you’re growing, there’s a certain time (of year) you’re supposed to start growing it. You can either go by seed or by plant starting. A lot of farmers markets are really good at getting plant startings with tomatoes or cucumbers or broccoli. Seeds probably should have been started indoors in February and then replanted outside.”

Other than direct sunlight and soil nutrients, watering is essential to a successful vegetable garden.

“You can’t just rely on the rain, but at the same time, you don’t want to just turn the sprinklers on your garden,” Daniels said. “Too much watering can cause the roots to rot out, especially if you don’t have a well-drained soil. … If it gets too wet, you’re going to see some splitting on your vegetable, or mold. You don’t want them to be soaking wet, but if the leaves start to wilt, that’s when they’re going to need some water.”

Vegetable gardeners should commit to spending some time every day or every other day checking out the plants in the garden.

“You can easily check to see if the plants are getting enough water by sticking your finger down into the dirt to see if the ground is hard and dry or if you can feel moisture,” Reeves said. “You want to feel moisture up to your knuckle. It’s the roots that need the moisture. … And on those hotter days in August, they’re definitely going to need more water than usual.”

In the late summer months, Jeannie Davis of the Ferndale Garden Club uses grass clippings from her lawn mower as a mulch.

“It keeps the base of the plants moist,” said Davis, who has grown everything from peas and beans to celery and corn. “That way, your garden is always rich.”

Moisture level is not all you should be checking when spending time in the garden.

“You’re going to have to weed regularly,” Reeves said. “And check for pests. The best way to control the pests is to get out there every day and check the garden to see if you have a problem, and if you do, deal with it immediately. I use a spray bottle of soap and water, and some vegetable oil. You can just pull them off the plant, or douse them with the garden hose. If you get a big infestation, you may need to use an (insecticide). Some are better than others, and some are better for the environment. Check it early and often, and at different times each day.”

Once the vegetables are ripe, it’s time to indulge and enjoy the fruits of your labor. 

“It’s so enjoyable to eat something I grew, something that came out of my soil,” Reeves said. “You know it was grown locally, and you know what went into growing that plant.”

For more information about Hessell’s Greenhouse in Shelby Township, call (586) 286-3655.

You can reach Staff Writer Jennie Miller at jmiller@candgnews.com or at (586) 279-1108.