Dec. 21--It's the time for fresh starts, and nothing is fresher than green, growing things. So make 2016 the year you become a gardener.
You don't need a lot of space or expertise to begin. From a houseplant to a vegetable patch, there's some kind of gardening within anyone's reach.
Getting started is mostly a matter of confidence, according to LaManda Joy, executive director of the Peterson Garden Project in Chicago, which has helped hundreds of people become gardeners in community gardens. Many people don't start, she says, "because they're afraid they'll fail."
The best way to get over that is to plunge in. "You learn so much your first year," Joy says. "I love to watch the second-year gardeners. They're so much more sure of themselves."
After even one season's experience with plants, gardeners learn that vegetables don't have to look perfect to be scrumptious. They learn that they can't control everything, but they can handle anything. They learn that most mistakes will grow back.
So just start! To help, here are some good first steps toward becoming a gardener in 2016.
Get a houseplant. Caring for a plant, even in the middle of winter, will build your confidence for the growing season to come. In a sunny window, try an easy species like snake plant, philodendron, pothos or spider plant. The big tip: Plants need water, but their roots don't want to live in it. Be sure the pot has a drainage hole (and a saucer underneath to catch the water that drains away). Every few days, touch the soil to see if it's moist. When the soil feels dry, water. Then empty the saucer.
Take a class. In addition to introducing you to the basics, a late winter or spring class is also a great way to meet other gardeners -- both beginners and old hands. In the city, check out classes at the Peterson Garden Project on the North Side; the Lurie Garden downtown; Windy City Harvest in Little Village; the Garfield Park Conservatory on the West Side. In the suburbs, you may find classes at park districts, garden centers and botanical gardens, such as the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, the Oak Park Conservatory in Oak Park and Cantigny in Wheaton. Also worth noting: Community colleges' continuing education programs and garden clubs may also offer classes and workshops.
Get a book. You don't need an encyclopedia your first year, but a good book with simple explanations and tips for what you need to do through the growing season can be invaluable. The Peterson Garden Project has an 80-page handbook called "Fearless Food Gardening in Chicagoland: A Month-by-Month Growing Guide for Beginners." Other good bets: "Rodale's Basic Organic Gardening: A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Healthy Garden" by Deborah L. Martin (Rodale) and "Beginner's Illustrated Guide to Gardening: Techniques to Help You Get Started" by Katie Elzer-Peters (Cool Springs Press). Visit your library or local bookstore to see which books appeal to you.
Volunteer. Community gardens, school gardens and botanical gardens depend on volunteers. "Working alongside experienced gardeners is a great way to learn," Joy says.
Join a community garden. Many organizations such as the Peterson Garden Project, some churches and even some park districts (including the Chicago Park District) rent small plots or raised beds by the season. Joining a community garden gets you more than a place for your plants; it also puts you in touch with other gardeners who can be a source of knowledge, guidance, community and confidence. Garden spaces fill up fast, so start looking for yours soon. Search social media for a site near your home or job, so you can easily tend your garden as often as it will need you.
Go to a garden show. Garden shows offer a wonderful opportunity to be dazzled while you learn. The Chicago Flower Garden Show, March 12-20 at Navy Pier, has indoor gardens with live plants, talks, demonstrations and other events. It's full of ideas and inspiration.
Plant a salad. The easiest and earliest way to grow something you can eat is a container salad garden. You can do it on a balcony or the back steps -- any place that is in sun for at least half the day. In late March or early April, get a good-size wide bowl or planter (it doesn't need to be more than a few inches deep for baby greens). Make sure it has a drainage hole. Fill it with good-quality potting mix from a garden center and water it to moisten. Buy a packet of seeds for leaf lettuce or mesclun (mixed salad greens). Sow the seeds, following the directions on the package. Keep the soil moist, but not wet. In a few weeks you will have a bowl of leaves about 2 to 4 inches long. Use scissors to harvest individual leaves for salads, and the plants will keep growing new ones for several weeks.
Try a temporary grow-bag bed. Got a small plot of land in the sun? Want to try vegetable gardening without a big commitment? Use a grow bag raised bed -- a wide bag made of a feltlike fabric that can hold soil and plants (the Smart Pots Big Bag Bed, $39.95). Fill the grow bag with a combination of potting mix and compost, and you can avoid the complexities of trying to improve the soil in the ground. Another option: several large pots (at least as big as 5-gallon paint buckets).
Learn about your light. To be a successful gardener, you need to figure out what your space is like from a plant's point of view. Since plants live on light, the biggest question for them is how long the sun shines in your space, or in different parts of it. Most plants, especially vegetables, need full sun, defined as at least six to eight hours of unobstructed, direct sunlight a day. But trees, buildings, roofs and other obstructions can cast shadows and create shade. As the days begin to grow longer in the new year, pay attention to the space where you plan to garden. Watch how the sun and shadows move and try to imagine which places have the most hours of sun in July. This will be crucial information when it's time to buy plants, and there's nothing like planning for a garden to warm you up in the winter.
Beth Botts is a freelance reporter.
