Domestica
Mar 19, 2013

How To Grow a Vegetable Garden: 4 Tips

By Gina Bazer

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Photography: (Gasbarra) Jeff Maimon; (thumbnail) courtesy of verdura

Sara Gasbarra Founder, Verdura

As the owner of Verdura, a company that creates custom vegetable and herb gardens for homeowners and restaurants (Floriole Cafe & Bakery, The Savoy), Sara Gasbarra knows how to mind her peas and cucumbers. Plus, she’s generous about sharing tips:

What is the key to an abundant harvest? “Whether your garden is in a large suburban backyard or an Earthbox on a city rooftop, the area should get six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day; water access should be very close; and soil health is key. For a raised bed, use an organic soil/compost mix (Lake Street Landscape Supply has fantastic options); for a smaller container, use a lightweight organic soil mix, such as Fox Farm’s Happy Frog.”

What are the easiest vegetables to plant from seed? “Greens. My favorites include Sylvetta arugula, Lacinato kale, and broccoli rabe.”

Which are the most challenging? “Zucchini summer squash and some varieties of winter squash. Both are susceptible to disease.”

What are your favorite gardening tools? “My Felco #7 pruners and my copy of The Essential Urban Farmer, by Novella Carpenter.”

Posted March 19, 2013, | Back to all posts

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ABOUT THIS BLOG

Gina Bazer and Alice Oglethorpe

Domestica is an online extension of the inspiration, advice, and scoop that the Chicago Home + Garden minimag provides four times a year inside Chicago magazine. Here, Chicago magazine style and Home + Garden editor Gina Bazer (left) and contributing blogger Alice Oglethorpe (right), along with guest bloggers, dish on home design trends, discuss design obsessions and dilemmas, share spaces they love, and bring you the latest local design news, from sales to events.

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Have a local fave, scoop or dilemma of your own? Email Gina at bazergina@gmail.com and Alice at aeoglethorpe@gmail.com

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Photograph: (Bazer) Anna Knott

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