Starting a garden shouldn’t be that hard, right? Just add some soil, sunshine, seeds and ta-da, a lovely veggie or flower garden. But wait, are you planting annuals or perennials? Or how about deciding between mulch, soil or fertilizer? How much spacing is needed for tomatoes and your cabbage? And what about your garden zone, and first and last frost? Oh, and how about those pests?
So…you think you can garden now?
Gardening 101
Gardening involves more than sticking a seed in the ground and watching it grow. Successful plant, fruit and vegetable growth in Colorado comes with its own set of unique challenges; but it’s not impossible.
Starting a garden should be a rewarding experience, not an infuriating one. Vegetable gardening isn’t age specific. Like all new things it takes patience, knowledge and hard work, which often means that before getting down and dirty, prospective gardeners should take a deep breath and open their refrigerators.
Generally, in the United States, people aren’t eating healthy. We consume too much sugar, sodium and saturated fat, increasing the population’s risk of chronic diseases, according to the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“When you open your fridge does it look like a beautiful garden or does it look like a morgue?” asks Dr. Ietef “DJ Cavem” Vita.
Vita, 37, holds a doctoral degree in urban ecology. The OG (Original Gardener) is an activist, educator and vegan chef that raps about climate change, food justice and plant-based food.
He suggests researching the anticipated gardening environment to see what grows naturally, then determining what should be planted based on what will be eaten. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is severely lacking, according to the self-proclaimed eco-hip hop artist. Already worrisome eating habits are worsening, and the SAD diet fails to meet CDC guidelines for minimal fruit and vegetable intake, with some states doing worse than others.
Vita released the Koncrete Garden album as a digital download printed on a packet of cherry tomato seeds. BIOMiMICZ was released in the same manner on packages of kale, arugula and beetroot seeds.
Planting the Seeds
Colorado’s low humidity, drying winds and alkaline clay soils can restrict plant growth more than low temperatures. Occasionally, the state experiences freezing weather in mid-spring called frosts, which can shorten the already short growing season for high-elevation areas and mountain communities. Along with knowing each area’s average growing season, knowing its elevation is an important aspect of gardening. The Colorado State University Extension website outlines average growing seasons by area, explaining that the city of Denver sees an average of 155 frost-free days per year, while Fraser gets only nine.
April in Denver can bring wild swings in weather; but, it also means that springtime is near and its prime time to begin gathering seeds.
Some local libraries and organizations such as Denver Urban Gardens (DUG) offer free plant kits and seeds with limited supplies available to those who sign up quickly. Another excellent resource is to attend “Seed Swaps” at places like Colorado Native Plant Society and the annual plant sale in May at Denver Botanic Gardens. The May event is free but reservations are required by April 15.
Seeds can also be purchased directly from a number of Black-owned seed companies, including Seed Mail Seed Co., Backyard Garden Seeds, Ivy Leaf Farms Seed Co., Melanated Organic Seeds, and SoulGardener74 on Etsy.com.
Getting Rooted
Once gardening space has been identified and seeds have been procured, it’s time to mind the soil.
Colorado has an alkaline clay soil, which requires a good deal of compost to make it loose and lower the pH. Plants need good, soft, nutrient dense compost in order to thrive. It’s best to use fertilizer after two weeks to make sure vegetables are getting all the nutrients needed.
When planting seeds, ensuring adequate space is important. Planting seeds too close together breeds competition for the nutrients and water, which can hinder growth.
In addition to space, watering is a crucial component to gardening success. “Watering is a big mistake first-timers make,” says Vita. “People think they need to water once a day, but really it can be two to three times a day for the seeds to fully germinate.”
Dena Townsend agrees. The local gardener has run Gardens in Bloom Landscaping for the past 22 years, offering garden design, landscaping packages and additional support for new flower gardens. “The second biggest mistake for the new gardener is not getting decent mulch,” she says, suggesting the purchase of two 30-gallon bags of mulch from landscaping supply stores to get started.
She encourages novice flower gardeners to start with a one-gallon container of perennials. “For shady areas, get some astilbe, hostas and beating hearts. For the sunny areas, daylilies or salva,” she says. “Those babies are hard to kill.” For some Colorado pride, she urges residents to try their hands at planting Columbine, the official state flower.
Timing Is Everything
Keeping up with the calendar is key when gardening. The DUG website provides Denver planting dates, including the last spring frost around May 15th, and the first frost of fall around October 5th.
In late March, cool season crops such as spinach, leaf lettuces, collard and mustard greens and onion seeds can be planted. These crops will be safe in the event of an unexpected late frost. By mid-to-late April budding broccoli and cabbage seeds can be transferred outdoors. During the first week in May, cucumbers and melons can be planted, and budding tomato plants can be transferred outdoors the following week. Just before the month ends, hot peppers and eggplants can join the garden. Later in the growing season, spinach and leaf lettuces can be replanted.
Seed packets contain crop-specific information that are helpful for gardeners. Online gardening forums like “Black Girls with Gardens,” Facebook groups, gardening gurus called “plantfluencers,” and local groups at community gardens are readily available to give support, encouragement and advice.
Beverly Grant’s Mo’ Betta Greens (MBG) Marketplace is a helpful resource that has been in operation for over a decade. Grant founded MBG Marketplace in 2010 as a walk-up and drive-up pop-up marketplace that allows her to serve various communities with fresh produce. The Seeds of Power Farms was founded in 2014 as a 5,000 square-foot urban farm located on a residential lot in the Cole neighborhood. Today, there are additional farm sites across central Denver in the Uptown and Northeast Park Hill neighborhoods.
By opening the doors to food access and encouraging conversations around active living and food literacy, Grant facilitates the process of “growing what you eat and eating what you grow,” making healthy food more affordable and accessible to all
Reaping the Rewards
Harvest time comes after months of a gardener’s hard work. That’s when the magic happens.
Harvesting at the right time is key because it will ensure the tastiest and largest crop. It’s especially rewarding to make a dish with food grown by hand, and surveying the flourishing flower garden is a beautiful experience.
The traditional act of horticulture establishes a connection with the soil. Growing a small sprout into a mature, fruit-producing plant is both purposeful and meaningful, in addition to being a way to create and sustain an independent sacred space.
So, be patient, persistent and persevere in your new gardening knowledge and in the words of Vita, “You can sprout that life.”
Beginner Tips:
- Picking up gardening is a labor of love. Here are a few tips on how to start
- Location, location, location, isn’t just for real estate, it’s highly important in gardening. You have to figure out how much shade or sun your plants, flowers or veggies will need.
- Size does matter. For planting in the ground, a 10’ x 10’ garden (100 square feet) is a manageable size. And if planting in a raised bed, a 4’ x 4’ or 4’ x 8’ is a good beginner size.
- Not all plants are equal. Make sure you choose when to plant because not all plants are planted at the same time.
- Most veggies are annuals (planted each year). If you’re planning on growing “perennial” crops such as asparagus, rhubarb, and some herbs, provide permanent locations or beds.
- Spacing and synergy is key. For example, corn and tomatoes shouldn’t be together. They both are heavy feeders and will compete for the vital nutrients in the soil.
- Patience is paramount. A full garden will take some time. Although you can start the process indoors before transplanting outside.
- Pro Tip: Mix in flowers such as colorful marigolds which attract pollinators and discourage pests. Or reverse it, and add sunflowers. They provide shade for pumpkins and climbing beans can use them to grow upwards.
- Be gentle with yourself. Gardening is full of trial and error. Not all of us were born with a green thumb but it’s never too late to learn.
