My desire for an edible garden began with my first taste of just-picked glacial lettuce, a juicy succulent not easily found in markets. With thick leaves that appear to be coated with frosty ice crystals, it tastes even more surprising than it looks: velvety soft on the tongue, with a lemony-salty bite that arouses the taste buds.
It was one of many tasty farm-to-table revelations during a farm tour at Castle Hot Springs with Ian Berger, the resort’s farm manager, and at dinner that evening in Harvest Restaurant Arizona. As we walked around the crops, Ian plucked leaves for me to taste from other plants including borrage, an herb that tastes like cucumber; and fragrant mint plants in varieties that smelled like chocolate, spearmint, strawberry and banana. The intense flavors and fresh aromas of the herbs and vegetables were intoxicating, and I wanted to replicate this farm-to-table Arizona lifestyle at home.
With inspiration from Castle Hot Springs’ farm and advice from Ian Berger, you too can create your own edible garden, whether you have a yard or a few containers on a terrace.
Give your Garden a Mission
Think about what you eat and what will bring the highest value to your cooking.
“There’s nothing like going out to your garden to pick fresh basil to top a pizza or make a pesto for pasta, says Ian.
He also suggests theme gardens, like a salsa garden with tomatoes, onions and peppers; or a salad garden with a variety of greens. Cultivating an intention for why you are planting a garden, along with understanding your environment, will help determine the plants you choose.
Visit Your Local Nursery
The easiest way to begin is to visit your local, family-run nursery and look at their plant selection. Because these nurseries are local, they can be a great resource to beginning gardeners and they carry plants suitable for your region.
Look around your neighborhood for inspiration and see what’s growing in other gardens. What seems to be thriving? Also, look at seed catalogs for ideas. Some things you want to start from seed, like arugula, radishes, root vegetables and carrots. One seed catalog Ian recommends for home gardeners is Baker Creek Heirloom.
“Don’t try to start everything from seed,” he says. In fact, he recommends getting some seedling plants, like tomatoes, from your local nursery.
“It’s very satisfying to get that jump-start in your garden,” says Ian.
Choose plants wisely
After visiting Castle Hot Springs, you may be tempted to transform your entire yard into an epic, edible landscape. Just remember you will need to tend to your garden daily, so begin with a manageable plot, or a few pots if that is your only option. This is where your mission comes in handy as a way to maintain focus and avoid impulse buying every plant you fall in love with at the nursery.
“Think herbs first,” advises Ian. “The smaller the area you have, the more focused your crop should be.”
Herbs are ideal for pots. Focus on basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley and cilantro as these are the herbs that will make a difference when fresh for those farm-to-table recipes. Have a larger space? Now you can add in some greens like arugula, which also grows well in pots.
“I love mizuna as you can harvest it for a long time,” says Ian.
Mizuna, also known as Japanese mustard greens, can be used in salads, stir-frys, soups, tossed with pasta or simply sauteed.
“Kales, like the Toscana or Red Russian varieties, can also be harvested for a long time and are great plants for winter,” says Ian. “You could have a kale salad once a week from your garden.”
He also suggests lettuce heads because you can harvest the leaves multiple times from the same plant using the “cut-and-come-again” method, leaving the crown intact so it continues to grow, much like a palm tree.
“For a plot, focus on herbs, greens and tiny root vegetables like radishes,” says Ian. “A bigger plot could include tomatoes, peppers, cabbages, broccoli and cauliflower. Then you can think about melons, squash and zucchini.”
Don’t forget to make room for edible flowers. Ian suggests nasturtiums, which can be planted on the outer edges of pots so their vines trail over the sides. The flowers and leaves, high in vitamins, have a pleasantly peppery taste. Nasturtium flowers are lovely garnishes for a plate or a cocktail, and the leaves work well in a pesto or chimichurri sauce.
Delicate and pretty, sweet elysium is another edible flower known for attracting beneficial insects. To deter insects, plant lemongrass, lavender and rosemary.
Keep it Organic
Use organic, well-draining soil that has some vermiculite or perlite. For pots, potting soil will have better drainage which is crucial to avoid rotting.
“Understand how much water your plant needs,” advises Ian. “Water requirements vary by region. When planting in containers, be aware of grouping plants with similar water needs. Watercress, for example, likes to be saturated and would not play well in the same container as lavender, which doesn’t like to have wet feet.”
For sunny locales, use a shade cloth with a light diffusion percentage of 20% to 50%. Squirrels and birds are part of the landscape, so you may need to cover the plants with insect netting, but only if the plant does not need to be pollinated.
“Don’t worry about pests too much,” says Ian. “Be observant, as you’ll be looking at your plants every day. You can use Dr Bronner’s soap mixed with water (in a spray bottle) to knock off bugs or caterpillars on plants.
And then there’s the loss factor to consider.
What happens when you go out to your organic garden one morning to pick your perfect beefsteak tomato and it’s gone, or ruined? You’ve been lusting after this tomato ever since you planted it, nurturing it daily and anticipating this moment of harvest. What if a squirrel has beat you to it and is devouring your one perfect tomato?
“It’s devastating,” says Ian, “if you only grow one tomato plant. But if you have a whole row of tomato plants, the squirrel theft is not as serious because you have other tomatoes to enjoy.”
The lesson for container gardeners is this: if you have space for only one tomato plant on a terrace, choose a cherry tomato plant because it’ll produce more fruit. If a bird eats one, plenty of others will be left for you to pick.
“You’ll be surprised how obsessed you become with the plants,” says Ian.
His best advice is just to have fun with your garden.
“Know you’ll have some failures,” he says. “Enjoy the ride and learn from your mistakes. You are part of nature, so embrace what’s around you, have some fun, and add some flair.”