More and more people are starting vegetable gardens, even in the city and on small plots of land. It’s not only good for the environment, but it’s healthy and is a valuable skill to have. Maybe you’ve gardened before, or really want to start your first garden, but your schedule is too demanding? Not to worry we caught up with pro-skier, and green thumb goddess Caroline Gleich for some gardening tips. Caroline was in the midst of what she called a “backyard couloir mission” in the Wasatch mountains surrounding her Salt Lake City home-base. And if she can squeeze maintaining a successful garden into her sporadic schedule, then perhaps so can you.
WGG: How/when did you get into gardening?
CG: When I was 15, I spent a summer working at a plant nursery, so I suppose that was my start, but in terms of having my own vegetable garden, it’s been about four years now. I don’t consider myself an expert my any means, it’s always a process of trial and error. In some ways, it’s like hiking a couloir. You have to know what time of the day certain aspects will get sun. Gardening is similar, you want to be sure to maximize the sunlight. Plant horizontally to the south. It’s also important what time of year to plant certain crops. It’s very difficult to grow a cold loving plant like spinach in the heat of summer. It takes a little bit of planning, but once it’s all setup, it’s so easy!
WGG: Have you started your seedlings yet?
CG: Yes, I planted a ton of seeds two week ago. I planted kale, chard, spinach, cilantro, parsley lettuces, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, carrots and beets. Come mid-May, it will be too warm for these plants so I will harvest them and plant summer vegetables: tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, corn, pumpkins, sunflowers, watermelon, cantaloupe, basil and peppers.
WGG: What do you love/hate most about gardening?
CG: My favorite thing (besides snacking on cherry tomatoes) is sharing the food with friends and family. I usually have so much extra – my friends will stop by to pick up a bag and I have tasty meals to make for my family.
I hate when it gets too hot to work in the garden during the day. The plants love it, but I have to get up extra early to get my chores done, otherwise I sweat and get dehydrated. Gardening is actually quite a workout!
WGG: Why should more people garden?
CG: People should garden to become more connected to their food sources. It’s so easy these days to buy cheap junk food, many people no longer know what fruits and vegetables are seasonal or local. In the grocery store, it seems everything is always in season. When you grow your own food, you begin to understand why those winter tomatoes don’t have the same flavor as the summer ones. Also, when you pick the food from your backyard, it saves a ton of fuel. Flying planes full of grapes from Chile or driving trucks from California takes a lot of fossil fuels, then you still have to drive to the grocery store. It’s so nice to be able to go outside and harvest a meal.
It’s therapeutic. Working in the dirt, digging in the soil, you gain a connection to the earth. It’s good for your body and your mind! That’s the biggest reason, to gain the personal satisfaction.
WGG: Describe the difficulties gardening in the city/or a small lot? Any gardening tips?
CG: Sometimes it’s hard to figure out the best way to configure a garden – this is probably the most important thing, making sure your plants will get 6-8 hours of sunlight a day. South and east facing aspects are best. People always want their gardens tucked away in a backyard nook, but they’d do best front and center to maximize sunlight. I’d like to see more people’s lawns turned into gardens.
Also, don’t think you need to spend a lot of money on gardening supplies. Get creative, and find ways to make things cheaper. You’d be amazed what you can find on craigslist for free.
WGG: Any particular plants/vegetables that stand up to dry Utah/Rocky Mountain climate?
CG: In Utah, my tomatoes thrive! Maybe it’s the salt from lake effect snow (comes off the Great Salt Lake), but they are so tasty. Corn did really well for me last year too.
WGG: What is your favorite plant vegetable that you’ve grown and why?
CG: My favorite is probably the sun gold cherry tomatoes. They are the little orange ones. They are so sweet and tasty, I can eat them all day. They are delicious raw, or they make an insane salsa or tomato sauce.
Caroline’s Favorite Garden Fresh Recipes:
Eggplant with mango and soba noodles.
Kale Chips
STATS
Home mountain: Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, Brighton
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