Growing your own food has become an important, national trend, with kitchen gardens popping up in backyards, as well as front porches, apartment balconies and urban fire escapes. So, it seemed only appropriate to focus this episode of Nest in Style on Horticulture Radio on edible gardening.
Don’t miss co-host Teresa O’Connor’s interview with internationally renowned chef and television personality Graham Kerr (aka “The Galloping Gourmet”), who explains why he has finally started a kitchen garden of his own. Then Teresa and co-host Jayme Jenkins review some of their favorite products for getting your own food garden off the ground, even if you’re short of space.
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Not only that, Jayme and Teresa are kicking off another great giveaway for gardeners! But before we announce details on this month’s contest, thanks to everyone who entered the Proven Winners random drawing in April. Congratulations to these six lucky winners:
- Kathy Juracek
- Crystal Knodel
- Patty Hicks
- Andrew Shields
- Joy Myer
- Donna Wright
The winners’ prizes will be shipped shortly, so they can enjoy these Proven Winners plants in their own gardens soon. Thanks again for entering.
Enter to Win May’s Edible Garden Giveaway
Graham Kerr's New Book
- Autographed copy of Graham Kerr’s Growing At The Speed of Light: A Year in the Life of My First Kitchen Garden (100 delicious recipes along with gardening advice about 60 vegetables, fruits and herbs.)
- A Greenland Gardener raised garden kit (A raised bed that assembles in minutes for growing vegetables, herbs and flowers.)
- P. Allen Smith – How-To Garden Cards for Veggies and Herbs (Expert growing advice from one of America’s most famous gardeners. Includes DVD!)
To win, all you have to do is leave a comment below. If you’re a new gardener, tell us which edibles you are eager to grow this year. If you’re an established gardener, tell us 1) which new vegetables, fruits or herbs you want to try this season, and 2) what you can’t wait to grow again this year.
Winners will be randomly selected by the end of May. Good luck, and happy gardening!
More Edible Gardening Resources
 Greenland Gardener Raised Bed |  P. Allen Smith's Garden Cards |
Raised Beds
- Easy Gardener Instant Garden
- Gardener Supply Periwinkle Grow Beds and Raised Bed Liners
- Greenland Gardener – PRIZE PACKAGE
Cold/Frost Protectors
- Frost Protection and Extending the Growing Season by Colorado State University Extension
- Patio Grow House from Gardener’s Supply
- Pop-Up Protection for Grow Beds (Frost, plus bird and insect protection too) – for 3×3 and 3×6 boxes
- Cloches from English Creek Gardens
Plant Supports
DIY Broom Support
- Bean Teepee in Teresa O’Connor’s yard
- How to make your own bean teepee (Alabama Cooperative Extension System)
- Plant supports from H. Potter
- Collapsible Veggie Cages
- DIY supports like ladders, bamboo teepees and salvaged gates
- Support ties – Rapiclip Foam Wire Ties and Velcro Plant Ties
Keeping Track
- Write and Erase Plant Tags
- Old calendars for record keeping
- Territorial Seed Company’s Vegetable Planner
- Crop Rotation Tips from Seasonal Wisdom
Harvesting
- Wooden Trug by Kinsman Company
- Large Trug Tub by Kinsman Company
More Help
P. Allen Smith – How-To Garden Cards for Veggies and Herbs – PRIZE PACKAGE
Tune in next month when Jayme and Teresa review great plants, products and tools for gardening with children. You can always find more gardening information at aHa! Modern Living and Seasonal Wisdom. Now, go grow something!
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Plants that I love to grow every year are arugula, sugarsnaps, Sungold tomato, green onions, basil, thyme, sage, and zucchini. I’m excited to be growing mortage lifter tomatoes, asparagus, artichokes, sorrel and borage for the first time. I hope they’ll be a success!
I have already started squash, pumpkin, green peppers, and cucumbers in my house just waiting for the fear of frost to end here in Maine so I can plant them outside. I would love to try the raised bed kit.
I love to garden and love to share what I grow.
Edibles is my new gardening passion. I grow many different kinds of fruit to include blueberries, blackberries, figs, cherries, and quince. I also grow several types of citrus that produce oranges and lemons for my iced tea. My vegetable garden keeps expanding for some reason. This year I will be growing pineapple tomatillos for the first time. I am anxious to see how they taste.
I have been gardening for 40 years and will be trying a tomato Big Rainbow for the first time and raising Viva Italia which I have been growing for a number of years.
Trying my hand at raised beds this year. I’ve been gardening for about 50 years, but never with raised beds. Hopefully will keep the garden more organized and WEED FREE. Love my tomatoes and cucs!
Fifty years of gardening?! That’s impressive, Linda. Raised beds have lots of advantages, particularly the ones high enough so we don’t need to bend over… LOL. Good luck in the sweepstakes. Teresa
Growing Anna Russian tomato this year. Tasted it last summer at an Heirloom tomato tasting party last summer and it made the best tomato sandwich ever!! It’s an oxheart tomato, smallish, deep red with a little pointy end. Also growing a paste tomato that’s an improvement on San Marzano. Swiss chard, for the first time too. Didn’t know I liked it till a friend prepared some for me this year.
Old standbys, cherry tomato, beans, yellow zucchini & lots of parsley.
Love galloping gourmet, have great memories of watching his show with my mum.
Hi Sarah: I’m also growing ‘Anna Russian’ this year. Glad to hear it’s so delicious. I bought my little transplant from a local farmer, who raises more than 100 heirloom tomato varieties from seed. Best of luck on the giveaway, and I agree with you — the Galloping Gourmet brings back lots of pleasant memories for me as a kid too! ~ Teresa
This year I am really interested in growing my own herbs for a Provence-style seasoning mixture.
Sounds delicious, Sharon. Good luck with your herb garden … and this random drawing. ~ Teresa
We grow a large garden and add a new variety of tomatoe every year. This year was an amish tomato. Love trying new ones!
Debbie: I agree completely. I love my favorite tomatoes, but I still make an effort to try several new types each year. Thanks for stopping by. Good luck in the giveaway! ~ Teresa
I am trying Chocolate Cherry tomato this year for the first time and also Scarlett Runner Beans.
Sheryl: I tried Chocolate Cherry tomatoes last year, straight off the vine of a friend’s plant. I was hooked! So, I’m growing them myself this summer. Best of luck on the giveaway. ~ Teresa
I’m a gardener . In Missouri I had to use cotton bur compost because of the poor clay soil . I’m growing garlic, onions,dill,lemon thyme ,Mortgage Lifter tomato , cukes , zukes , pumpkins , leaf lettuce ,sunflowers , nasturtiums ,cilantro . There’s quite a little bit – I wish I had more room
all from seeds except the tomato & Thyme .
Mary: A farmer once told me, “Feed the soil and the soil will feed you.” It sounds like you’re doing just that with your clay soil in Missouri. Happy gardening, and thanks for entering this random drawing. Good luck! ~ Teresa
Up here in the North, Wisconsin, am just beginning to plant after too long of a winter and then rain. The soil is warm and dry enough now so I put in some red onions today and will get some Yukon Gold’s in asap. We have new blueberry bushes that are being planted also and found a little toad hitchhiker in one of the plants. What a treat! Saw heads of my asparagus popping through and even have one stalk that is about 8″ high. The raspberry bushes are running a marathon to see who can spread the farthest from the original site. I am looking forward to getting the rest of the garden in and trying some new veggies and redesigning “what goes where”.
Hi Emilie: Sounds like a lot is already starting to pop up in your northern garden. Good luck this growing season, and thanks for entering the random drawing. Teresa
I can’t wait to plant my seedlings that I’ve been tending to! I’ve got a few new plants that I’ve never had before, incl: Patisson Panache Jaune Et Vert scallops (patty pan squash), and Rouge Vif D’ Etampes Pumpkin (red cinderella pumpkins for decoration, and eating). I also have the basics… tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, jalapenos, and cucumbers! I’m also hoping to build some raised beds this year (I’ve never had beds… but would love to keep my plants more organized). Happy Gardening Everyone!
Wow Amy: I love some of those heirloom vegetables you’re growing this year. They sound beautiful. Good luck in the garden … and in this random drawing. Thanks for stopping by. Teresa
Being in the South I’ve already started my garden will plenty of vegetables (corn, beans, squash, pumpkin, cucumbers, peppers, collards, tomatoes) and a few herbs. What I’m really looking forward to is extending my growing season with my new greenhouse and trying a few winter crops I’ve never done before. My girls have picked out flowers to grow for themselves. I’ve also planted sunflowers. I did great with them a couple years back.
Kimberly, I’m jealous that you’ve gotten such an early start. You have plenty growing already. How wonderful that your girls are involved in the garden as well. Good luck in the drawing! Teresa
New things I’m trying this year: growing purple corn!will either be some cool tortilla chips or fall decorations lol (along with the usual suspects of silver queen and bi color) Also trying my hand at drying herbs this year – Dill is the first to have a go at drying.
Old standbys I can never get enough of are mint (have 4 varieties) and Basil…ohhh fresh pesto is the best!
Deanna, I love cool varieties of corn. Last year, I grew ‘Blue Jade’ corn, which does well in containers. Speaking of containers, I’m sure you know already to plant that mint in pots. It loves to take over the garden otherwise. Good luck in the giveaway! Teresa
It’s our third year in this garden and I can’t believe how productive its getting! I put in a patch of Fava Beans early this Spring and now have more than we can eat or rehome!
This year I am trying a red savoy cabbage. Have not had much success with cabbages so it will be interesting to see if this one does better.
We are still eating tomato products I canned last year and frozen pole beans and berries. All in all lots of produce from a city lot!
Nice Denece, all from a city lot. Who says you need acres to grow edibles. I’m trying brussel sprouts for the first time. I’m hoping I’ll like them better if I grow them myself. It worked with eggplants, so we’ll see how it works this time.
I like to grow flowers and vegetables of all kinds. This year we have tomatoes, cabbage and greens. Our rose bushes have more blooms this year than ever before. This is a very good year. I would like to win one of your great products.
I’m with you Cynthia, flowers and veggies of all kinds. I find myself gravitating towards Geums more this year. Who knew?
I’m excited to plant my new potager this weekend! I am trying some heirloom tomatoes this year, which is new for me. Thanks for the podcast, I love it!
Teresa, my podcast co-host, has really turned me on to heirloom tomatoes. You’ll have a lot of fun with their different colors and yumminess. Remember…not all are meant for cooking. Many are great for slicing and eating off the vine. Have fun!
I grow at least one new vegetable variety each year. This season, I’ll be growing the heirloom tomato, Cherokee Purple. For me, one of the best things about growing something new each year means that I get to re-design my garden space. You see, I find it difficult to omit any of my tried and true favorites for one of my soon to be new favorite! Happy Gardening!
I love to re-design my garden every year. I just replaced some shrubs and summer perennials with 2 – 4 by 4 foot raised beds a couple of weeks ago. I give away free plants to my neighbors every year. I guess it’s one way to make sure your neighbor’s have pretty flowers in their front yards as well.