My Gardening Journey
How I started:
Gardening was never a hobby I intended on becoming obsessed with nor was I ever exposed to it growing up. If anything, I thought all of my family members had black thumbs. We never kept plants in the house. Our dining room table either had faux flowers - often from the dollar store - or artificial fruit in the cornucopia.
It wasn’t until my grandfather passed away that I realized I needed something to keep my hands busy. In times of grief or struggle, I find that stepping away from screens is one of the most helpful things I can do. It keeps me grounded, engaged, and—if I’m being honest—distracted. There’s something incredibly healing about feeling the earth between your fingers, something that connects you to nature in a way that soothes the soul.
I knew I wanted to nurture something. For weeks, I begged Nick to let me keep chickens in the backyard or to get our dog a companion. But after many conversations with friends and family, I came to understand that I didn’t need to raise life to find meaning in the end of one. The words of a worship song kept echoing in my mind: “He turns graves into gardens.” And it was then, in the rawness of my grief, that I found myself diving headfirst into the rabbit hole of garden research.
Deep in the throes of sorrow, I planned my first raised garden bed. I’d always known my way around power tools and the aisles of Home Depot, so building it myself felt like a natural step. I sketched and mapped out the design, and on January 31, 2023, I built my raised bed. A few days later, once Amazon delivered my plant light and seed trays, I sowed my first indoor seeds.
I had no idea what I was doing, but I couldn’t help but fall in love with the idea of being a "garden girlie." There were so many cute accessories to consider—first, gloves, then outfits, hats, and pretty tools. I became consumed with the image of myself as a gardener, even though, in truth, gardening was the last thing I ever thought I’d get into. But in those moments when I let the idea occupy my thoughts, it eased the weight of the sadness that lingered from losing my best friend.
By March, I was able to transplant my seedlings and a few starters from my local nursery, Kerby’s. By the grace of God - and my sheer determination - my first planting season was by far my most successful yet.
As I entered my gardening era, I spent hours watching YouTube videos and Instagram reels to prepare for my raised garden bed. While I’m not an expert, I’ve learned a lot by trial and error and have found success with the basics.
Living in Tampa (zone 9b), I’m fortunate to have nearly year-round gardening. My backyard faces east, giving my plants optimal sun exposure during the Spring and Fall, though I let my garden (and myself) rest in the intense summer heat due to travel.
Here are three key gardening tips I’ve learned:
Choose the Right Location: Your plants need the proper sun. My east-facing garden bed gets excellent morning and early afternoon sun, but avoids the harsh midday heat.
Water Properly: Water is essential, especially when transplanting or sowing seeds. During Spring and Fall, I water every three days or more often if plants wilt. Water deeply to nourish roots, but avoid over-watering to prevent mold and drowning. Consistency is key—too little water can stunt growth.
Invest in Quality Soil: As a beginner, you don’t need fancy tools—focus on good soil and compost. Visit a local nursery to buy soil suited for your plants, along with organic fertilizers and pest control. Growing organic produce is the whole point of gardening!
Starting simple with these essentials will set you up for a garden that is bountiful.
Seed starting trays these have lasted me two years
Fiskars basic garden tools (lifetime warranty!)
Botanical Interests Organic seeds (I get them from my local nursery or WholeFoods)
Garden Tone (once I transplant my seeds, these is the food I feed to get a big harvest)
Future Plans:
The time I dedicate to gardening is often a reflection of my mood, and lately, it’s been harder to find that peace in the soil. In January, I unexpectedly lost my six-year-old Shih Tzu, a loss that left a heavy void in my heart. Now, that I’m no longer crying myself to sleep, I feel ready to start anew—ready to plant seeds once again.
My first raised bed is filled, and I need space for my tomatoes to breathe. So, I’ve built another raised bed, this one a bit smaller, utilizing my pile of leftover scrap wood in the garage (untreated, so no worries). I’m starting later than I’d like, so most of the plants will be directly sown into the ground.
Of course, I’ll continue caring for my tomatoes, basil, rosemary, and lavender. In the new bed, I’m planting cucumbers, a variety of hot peppers, and cut flowers. I know those who follow companion planting might be cringing right now, but as always, I’ll plant it all and nurture what sticks.
Veggies:
Aji Chinchi Amarillo (for Peruvian aji)
Habanero peppers
Sweet Bell Peppers (California Wonder 300 TMR)
Jalapeños
Pickle bush Cucumbers
Flowers:
Bachelor Button (mixed colors)
Larkspur (mixed colors)
Zinnia (Giant Double Flowered)
Annual Cut Flower Mix (for the bees)
Mexican Sunflower (hail Mary, I directly sowed the last 8 seeds that I had)
As I wait for these flowers and vegetables to grow, I’ll hold onto the memory of my loved ones, whose presence I miss deeply. Gardening has become a way for me to honor them, to keep their spirit alive in the plants I tend to.
