In The Garden with Gail by “Gail Hermenau”
Vegetable Gardens – 2nd Place (tie)
Garden description: My small but intensive vegetable garden includes a variety of seasonal vegetables from spring through fall. I grow everything using organic methods and compost all of the plant material generated in my yard. Nothing leaves the property! I enjoy growing many varieties of vegetables and using them in my kitchen.
Who are the gardeners: Gail Hermenau- I have been gardening since I was a young girl. I love growing vegetables and herbs to use in my kitchen to provide nutritious, delicious, recipes for my family. There’s nothing better than going out to the garden to harvest fresh vegetables and herbs to prepare a meal. You can’t get anything fresher than that!
Why do you garden: Besides the fact that I love to grow food, I love to cook food, I love to eat food!, I find it very rewarding. Even after all my years of gardening I still find it miraculous what can be produced from the tiniest of seeds.
How has gardening impacted you during this time: I always find working in my garden very therapeutic but especially this year. My garden has been a solace this year, every day I would be thankful I had my garden to work in during isolation.
What do you have in your garden? Cabbage, potatoes, leeks, shallots, lettuce, peas, kale, Swiss chard, carrots, sweet corn, tomatoes, artichokes, squash, cucumbers, watermelon, bush beans, arugula, radishes, peppers, basil, parsley, thyme, sage, marjoram, oregano, lovage, lavender, zinnias, cosmos, monarda, echinacea, and sunflowers.
Do you have any problems with disease or pests? If so, how are you dealing with this problem? Sometimes, I practice crop rotation, good garden hygiene, good watering practices, scout early for pests, and early intervention if pest or disease are present.
