Gardening in Sarasota, on Longboat Key, blossoms during pandemic to help mind and body

Gardening can lift stress and creating food for yourself gives a sense of accomplishment.

By Nat Kaemmerer
| 4:00 a.m. August 18, 2021

Health

During a year when everyone was supposed to be inside as much as possible, some brought nature to their own backyards or apartments. Not unlike the victory gardens of World War II, pandemic gardens sprouted up everywhere. A survey from Axiom Marketing found that half who did it picked up the healthy hobby to relieve stress and get some fresh air, and it's becoming more well known that spending time in a green space relieves tension and symptoms of depression.

“I think we’re always going to feel better when we’re more connected to nature,” lifelong gardener and Driftwood Beach Home and Garden owner Heather Rippy said. “I have always gardened. … I think it used to be the thing that everybody did, and I just think it’s a really healthy thing to do.”

Rippy has grown most of the produce section in the past, from strawberries and watermelons to pumpkins, herbs and greens. This year, she focused on her tomatoes, but her two daughters love when the family grows green beans.

“I love that you’ll never know everything, and there’s always something to learn,” Rippy said. "I think it’s an incredible experience watching things grow and caring for things and to just be able to start with a tiny seed and make it into something that feeds your family.”

There are a few rules of thumb that apply to most plants in Florida, Rippy said. For the most part, it's best to plant in planters or pots because the sandy soil can make it tricky for edibles to thrive. Nematodes, or eelworms, are another Floridian problem. They're parasitic and chomp through the root and stem of plants, so keep your plant babies out of the ground. Any pot you put a plant in will need drainage so the roots don't rot, too.

How far your food travels

Rippy also advocates for gardening for the control it gives you over what you eat. You can grow whatever varieties you want, and the environmental impact is significant. Food grown at home has fewer pesticides and fertilizers, and it doesn’t have to travel to get to your plate.

“The food that you grow really does taste so much better,” Rippy said. “Everything we buy at the grocery store, we don’t know kind of what it’s been through. If you’re not going to garden yourself, at least buy at the farmer’s market. … We really don’t need to be importing stuff.”

Here’s how far it takes produce grown by brands found in Publix to get to shelves. For this, we’re heading to the Publix at 2031 Bay St.

A peach grown by Brandt Farms travels about 2,703 miles from Reedley, California.
A Sunset Grown tomato is grown in Ontario and travels about 1,257 miles.
Romaine lettuce grown by Pacific International Marketing is grown in three places. It takes 2,813 miles from Salinas, California, 2,379 from Santa Maria, California, and 2,333 from Yuma, Arizona.

"No gardener knows everything," Rippy said. "You're always learning."

For the newbie:

Herbs

Some herbs basically grow themselves, such as mint. If you buy a young mint plant, keep its soil damp and give it some sun, it will grow like crazy. Herbs do very well in pots about 6 inches wide and can grow all year round. Another easy grower is rosemary, and Rippy said that it actually does plenty well in the sandy Floridian soil. Take care not to overwater this, though — keep it to once a week at most.

Throw to grow

One way to get your home garden producing is to add a little compost. No matter the space, you can compost at home — with a little know-how.

Tracie Troxler from Sunshine Community Compost suggests that newbies get a small, premade bin. It’s difficult for scavengers (such as bugs if it’s indoors or animals if it’s outdoors) to get into and smells to get out of. Sunshine Community Compost also offers kitchen scrap containers where people can store kitchen scraps and bring them in every week to add to the organization’s compost pile.

“Let's say the average (home bin) is a gallon and a half to two gallons,” Troxler said. “You must have a lid to keep fruit flies out of your house. People tend to put their little kitchen scraps under their sink, in their fridge, on their back patio or in a pantry, depending on what your space size is. … There shouldn’t be a smell if you go to your compost bin at least weekly. … We just try to keep coming up with little little tweaks that make it easy and user-friendly.”

To put it simply, most things that were once alive can be composted, including fruit and veggie scraps, grain-based foods, coffee grinds and eggshells. Troxler said eggshells are the only animal product they’ll accept, because flesh, bones and lard will smother the microbes that create compost. It’s important to start with some carbon, such as paper or cardboard, to kick-start the decomposition.

Once you can no longer recognize the original materials, the compost is ready to go, Troxler said. Sunshine Community Compost sifts out the pieces that haven’t broken down already and mixes the compost in with the soil. For new planting, try a 1-to-1 soil-to-compost ratio. If you’ve already planted, you can still massage it into the topsoil around plants. It’s also great for feeding fruit trees.

Radishes

These are perfect for the impatient grower, Rippy said. When you plant a radish seed, you'll have a radish in about a month. Rippy said you should grow all root vegetables, such as carrots, from seeds. Because you'll be eating the root, if you move an already growing plant, it will disturb the growing process. Get these growing in a planter with plenty of drainage, and keep the soil evenly moist but not too wet. Don't water it daily.

Greens

Greens including arugula and Swiss chard are good to plant from seeds in September, Rippy said. They don't like heat once their leaves are growing, but they need heat to sprout. Arugula is easy and sprouts quickly. Plant about 10 seeds in a raised bed with a mix of soil and compost, and water frequently. Once the top inch of soil feels dry, give it a hefty pour. Leafy greens (as opposed to head lettuce) are great because they're "cut and come again" plants, meaning you can snip leaves from a couple plants and leave some for your next salad.

Cucumbers

This vine can be a little tough to get started and fruited, but it's well worth it, Rippy said. It loves water and needs a pot about a foot deep. Put some sticks in the pot to act as a trellis, and gently tie the plants to them as they grow. Harvest your cucumbers early and often.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes can be a little more tricky, but Rippy said that nothing tastes better than a homegrown tomato. She does hers every year and starts them from seeds. With a little patience, they're doable. Plant the seeds in a pot, and give them about six hours of full sun a day. They need about 1-2 inches of water per week; just check if the soil is dry about an inch deep, and give them a drink if it is.

For the determined grower:

Cauliflower

Rippy often doesn't bother with cauliflower because it can be frustrating. However, if you want to give it a try, first arm yourself with lots of patience and the knowledge that it's OK to fail in the garden. Start from seeds as soon as possible because they need heat to sprout. Space your seeds about a foot to 18 inches apart and in moist soil. Once they've sprouted, give them a good soak once a week. Harvest before the flower buds open.