80 FEBRUARY 2021
Sow the Seeds
Gasbarra likes to start some plants from seed and source others from nurs-
eries. Check your climate zone at plants.usda.gov/hardiness.html to deter-
mine what varieties will do well in your area.Through her company, Verdura Design, Sara Gasbarra provides chefs with
unique and delicious varieties of vegetables and herbs—the kinds of things
you can rarely source from farmers markets. Here, she shares her tips for
planning a new garden.- Select a site: Choose
a sunny, flat area—like a
lawn or patio—or one that
can be terraced. - Size it up: Determine
the size of garden you
want to tend. Consider
how much space and
time you can devote, how
many people you want
to feed, and what kinds
of vegetables you’d like
to grow. - Build it out: Raised
beds and planters allow
for good drainage and
minimal weeds. Beds
can be constructed from
untreated wood, galva-
nized steel, or stacked
stone. Halved whiskey
barrels, terra-cotta pots,
and elevated wooden
planters are also great
options, depending on
the size and location of
the garden.
4. Reach for the sun:
Permanent wooden trel-
lises can be built right
into the frame of raised
beds. For more flexibility,
use individual bean poles
and stackable Texas
Tomato Cages to suit
seasonal needs. ($145 for
4, tomatocage.com)
5. Create super soil:
Sourcing great soil is the
most important factor
of any garden. Gasbarra
advises getting a blend
formulated specifically
for vegetable production
from a local nursery; it
will have the right pH
and nutrient balance
for a culinary garden.
For smaller pots and
planters, buy bags of
best-quality compost and
potting soil, which will
allow for good drainage,
from a garden center.
6. Let it rain: Consider
how you’ll water the
garden: For potted
plants, try a watering can
with a long, narrow spout,
like one from Blomus
($54, food52.com/shop)
to prevent soil splash. For
raised beds, DripWorks
makes easy-to-assemble
irrigation kits for any size
garden, and a Bluetooth-
enabled timer gives you
control from a smart-
phone (from $70,
dripworks.com). - Direct sow: Some
vegetables and herbs
thrive when sown directly
in sun-warmed garden
beds. Radishes, carrots,
beans, peas, cilantro, and
leafy greens like arugula
and loose-leaf lettuce do
best when directly sown
outdoors in early spring. - Transplant: For plants
with longer growing sea-
sons, like hardy herbs,
tomatoes, and peppers,
transplant garden-ready
vegetable seedlings
from local nurseries or
farmers markets, or
start your own seeds.
When purchasing young
plants, look for vibrant,
sturdy stems and healthy
leaves free of wilt or dis-
coloration. Start plants
from seed indoors near
a sunny window or under
grow lights up to 8 weeks
before the last frost. For
effortless seed starting,
use a self-watering tray
with a wicking system,which only needs to be
refilled once or twice
a week. For low-light
areas, use a grow light
to help seeds sprout.
Gasbarra uses the Gar-
dener’s Supply stackable
Bamboo LED Grow Light
Garden, which gives her
peace of mind that the
plants will be healthy and
strong (fro m $159,
gardeners.com).C ULI NA RY
GA R D E N I N G 1 0 1
Prep the Plot
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