Connect with Your Food and Nature Through Gardening

Wendy Cibula's home garden and greenhouse

Home gardening has been on the rise for several years, and Art King, co-owner of Harvest Valley Farms in Bakerstown, is quick to point out many reasons. “Gardening has multiple rewards—the health benefits of gardening are numerous. It’s low-impact exercise. Everyone should spend at least 20 minutes a day outdoors to absorb vitamin D. The fresh air and seeing your plants grow will boost your mood,” he said. “Gardening can help you unwind and relieve stress. And growing a vegetable garden can improve your health because you will want to eat what you grow.”

Wendy Cibula is one of the many who has jumped onto the trend to grow her own veggies and herbs. “I started my current gardening situation a couple of years ago, but looking back, my grandmother had a tomato garden in her little city backyard. My mom always grew fresh herbs and flowers, so I always felt that gardening was part of life,” the Franklin Park resident said. “I always had a desire, but as I got older, I had deer to fight, kids, and a career, so I didn’t get very much beyond a few flowers and some herbs.” In 2020, Cibula started growing microgreens indoors. “I had read they were super healthy and since they were inside, I didn’t have to fight the bunnies and other creatures. They grew really well and, in the summers, I grew herbs outside.”

Cibula, co-owner of Franklin Inn Restaurant, also started tending the gardens outside of the restaurant when their gardener retired in 2023. “I started planting flowers there and was having success. I planted a little mint patch to make mojitos and some oregano and a few other herbs that we could use. I learned a few things from that and decided I would start trying to grow edible plants at home again,” she explained. “I started with some herbs. My pineapple sage went wild one summer, and I was very excited—it gave me the confidence to grow some other things.”

An advantage that Cibula has is that she has two places to try out different plants—her home and the Inn. “They have very different environments. One is more shady and one is super sunny, so if one plant doesn’t work at my house, I’ll move it to the Inn to get more sun and vice versa,” she said. “For example, there was a hanging tomato plant that wasn’t doing very well at the Inn. I brought it home and it did much better. There are many other things that I buy that aren’t doing very well in my yard, so I take them to the Inn where they get more sun, and they go crazy.”

Starting with a small garden and trying different plants and locations like Cibula did is a smart idea, according to King. “A 10-by-15-foot garden is good,” he said. “I would start with plants (as opposed to seeds). We sell a wide variety of vegetable plants from green beans to tomatoes. You definitely do not want to buy vegetable plants at a big-box store. The plants we sell are the same ones we grow in our fields. They are proven to perform well in our area.” Tomatoes, lettuce and green beans are good plants for starter gardens, King said. And having someone with expertise can help prevent failed plants and losses. “Come out and talk to us. We can walk you through everything you need to know,” he said.

Greg Brenckle, co-owner and grower at Brenckle’s Greenhouses, agreed. For those starting out, Brenckle said it is worth a trip to visit the experts. “We can help you and share our experiences,” he said. While home gardeners can start with seeds, selecting plants ready to put into the ground can make it easier. “We get them started in our greenhouses and at the right place for you to transplant.”

Find the right soil for your garden at Brenckle's

Brenckle said the first step to a successful garden is knowing your soil. “Go out and dig in to see what you have. You want nice, soft soil. And then once you know what you are working with, you can amend it,” he said. Removing rocks and purchasing the type of growing material for what you have, and what you want to accomplish, is your next step, Brenckle said. “Get a bag of soil for vegetables if that is what you want or for a raised bed if that is what you have. You will work on it every year—gardening is a process,” he said.

Basil is one of the many herbs beloved by home gardeners

Brenckle suggested growing what you like to eat. “I know my family likes a lot of salads, so we grow lettuce. And my kids like cherry tomatoes, so I grow those. It will be easy to grow what you love to eat,” he said.

Gardening isn’t a quick process, Brenckle stressed, but it is a worthwhile endeavor. “It isn’t instant gratification, but it is very satisfying,” he said.

Ashley Brenckle, Greg’s sister, suggested that home gardeners will want to purchase some essential hand tools, including hand trowels for planting and weeding, garden forks for loosening the soil, a pruner or scissors to trim plants and harvest tomatoes and other plants, and garden gloves to protect hands and avoid blisters. Larger gardening tools worth investing in include a spade or shovel to turn soil, a hoe for weeding and shaping beds, and watering tools such as a watering wand for controlled water pressure.

One of the many flower gardens at Churchview Farm

Tara Rockacy, farmer and owner of Churchview Farm, also suggested starting out slowly. “The smaller the better is a good rule. Overshooting can lead to frustration, feeling overwhelmed and giving up. Once established, gardens can be relatively easy to expand,” she said. “That’s how we started here at Churchview, and how we continue to pace our growth in the fields and flower gardens. And don’t underestimate the variety of veggies and herbs you can grow in containers.”

When selecting items to grow, Rockacy agreed with Brenckle—grow what you want to eat. “What are the first things you tend to grab in the produce aisle, or use in recipes? Are they easy to grow in this climate? I always recommend starting with or at least including a small herb garden—even if it’s just a few plants in pots. Fresh herbs add flavor, depth and aromatics to almost any dish. They’re simple and beautiful to incorporate into both recipes and ornamental bouquets,” she said.

Purchasing plants locally is always a good idea, Rockacy advised. “Stick to local nurseries, though my best recommendation is Grow Pittsburgh. They offer a fabulous seedling sale every spring, and their knowledgeable staff are an excellent resource for info and tips,” she said.

And don’t be afraid to ask for help. “Lean into fellow gardeners in your community. Whether they’re friends, family or neighbors, gardeners are always happy to share advice,” Rockacy said.

For more information:

Harvest Valley Farms: https://www.harvestvalleyfarms.com/

Brenckle’s Greenhouses: https://brenckles.com/

Churchview Farm: https://churchviewfarmpgh.com/