Longtime gardener gives tips for those new to the club

By Karyn Spory, Mt. Pleasant News

Editor?s note: Jean Thomson?s column, Garden Talk, is featured in The News every other Thursday.

The warm weather ushered in with spring often leads to thoughts of gardening. For those who are contemplating starting their first garden, Jean Thomson has a few words of advice.

The first thing first time gardeners have to decide is what kind of garden they want to create.

?I think people who are eager to start gardening need to think about obviously their goals and what they like,? said Thomson. ?Some people will just want desperately to be able to have some really fresh food with wonderful flavor. Other people might be thinking more in terms of landscaping plans and things to set off their house and make it look great.?

Others, Thomson notes, actually garden to support wildlife by creating habitat and food sources.

And some just garden because they love the beauty of flowers, she adds.

Once a gardener had decided what kind of garden they?d like to have, Thomson says it?s important to take an internal look and see just how much time or physical ability a person can devote to gardening.

?A lot of people plunge in big and then kind of burn out,? said Thomson. ?I think it?s just wise to be as realistic as possible. We all want to think optimistically, but be realistic about how much time you have, what physical condition you?re in and what kind of space you have.?

There is a huge difference between an apartment with a tiny balcony and a home on an acre or two of land. ?People do need to think about what scale they can manage,? she adds.

From there, Thomson says it?s important to look at the kind of soil gardeners will be working with.

?Think about what kind of soil is available to you,? she says. ?You?re not stuck with that because you can improve it or you can use raised beds with purchased soil or pots, but you do need to think about what kind of soil is available.?

And it?s not just soil gardeners should take into consideration, exposure to light is also important.

?Just to use myself as an example, I don?t even try to grow vegetables any more,? said Thomson. ?I live on the edge of the woods and we have so much shade in so many spots that I only have a tiny little space that would get the full six to eight hours of sunlight a day.?

Personal schedule and budget are also things to consider before starting a garden.

?There are some ways to garden with very little expense and then there are lots of ways to spend a great deal of money,? she explains. ?Again, people need to be realistic. Maybe start out a little bit smaller with a little lower investment rather than plunging in and making the gardening into a source of stress, because it shouldn?t be that. It really should be a positive experience.?

For those who may need a few more pointers, Thomson says there are many resources available.

Thomson says the Henry County Extension Office is always a great resource. She also looks to land grant universities for information. ?Now that most people are online, they can access these tremendous resources no matter what kind of gardening they?re thinking about,? she said.

Gardening centers also have staff that can be of help and give some good gardening advice. And Thomson always suggests reaching out to a neighbor or friend that has a green thumb. ?I don?t think there would be one person out of a hundred that has a really appealing garden who wouldn?t welcome somebody at the doorbell or on the phone,? she said.

Of course, there is always the farmer?s market and Henry County Master Gardeners.

?Once the farmers market starts in May, not only are the vendors willing to talk to people who would like to grow things, but the Henry County Master Gardeners will have a help table and it is usually staffed with at least two master gardeners.?

Besides being able to grow fruits and veggies, gardening also has health benefits.

?There has been a lot of research in recent years about the benefits of gardening,? said Thomson. ?Of course, they?re not just physical. Physical exercise is good for most people, but gardening has psychological benefits, emotional benefits and even spiritual benefits.?