Garden & Gardener Profiles

Each garden shows choices in how to use space, how to support plants, what and when to plant and how to keep out the critters..

You have to have courage to garden---trying new ways of growing different plants with differing conditions. Each of our Garden Club of Teaneck members show such courage.

Patrick Taafe, Leonard Schwartz, Odessa Turner, Marty Steeil, Ho Wan Ching and Fred Dolch have gardens on the Herb Harvest Tour, August 31, 9:15 AM to 12 PM at the Teaneck Greenhouse. The public who enrolled in the Herb Harvest workshop will go through the Garden Club Greenhouse Gardens.This post concentrates on the five gardeners who volunteered to have their gardens inspected.



Look around---there are others with beauty in their plots.Look at the lush Borage plant in Despina Metaxatos' garden, as well as the large white moonflowers in Jane Furman's garden.





Ho Wan Ching's garden has large bamboo and wood tri-pole frames for supporting plants, as well as planters to increase productivity in a small space; in this case, the pathways. She shared her process with us:

" I am Ho Wan Ching; basically this is what I do at my garden.
I got this plot last year as a Greenhouse member. I had to clear all the weeds and dead plants. I turned over the soil with a hoe as soon as the ground was workable.
Then I made trenches. The trenches serve the purpose of drainage so that the plants’ roots will not rot in times of heavy rain. Some I the plants I left on the ground as cover as well as compost.

A couple of weeks later, I started the seeding process: tomatoes, corns, beans, lettuce and peppers. The tomato and corn take longer to bear fruits while lettuce is planted while the weather is cool. Some of the peppers from last year have re-seeded and I got many extra plants this year.I bought some eggplants, squashes, jalapeno pepper and kale plants from our own club sale. I planted my melons from seeds later to avoid the chill which could destroy the seeds. I also planted my cucumbers and long beans.

I rotate the planting location each year to avoid overusing or depleting the soil nutrients. I also ensure those plants that need the sun most will be planted in a sunny spot. During the first year, I did not know what plants do well where, this year I knew more so I planted different plants at different locations.

I tried watering daily in the early morning or late evenings so that the plants will not get scorched by the hot sun. If you need to keep them moist on extreme heat days, try misting them and not watering. Misting will disperse the heat and help the plants stay healthy.I checked on the plants’ progress every now and then. If I see the leaves are chewed on, I sprayed some soap water around the plants but not directly on the leaves; the soap may destroyed the leaves.

This year I have added some granulated cow manure which provided much nutrient to the plants. I put baking soda around my garden to deter the slugs and snails. I also put them around the tomatoes plants’ roots; baking soda helps to de-acidify the soil and makes the plants grow better.I read that planting marigold or geranium around squash and cucumber to deter beetles that destroy these plants.

I also try to weed out whenever I have time while the weeds are small and few. DO NOT wait until they have overgrown to weed them out. By then it is a lot of work. "

Ho Wan Ching, Garden Club and Greenhouse member


Odessa Turner uses a vertical framing support system ("basket weaving" at Johnny's Seeds. ME) for his vegetables. He reclaimed the land from long disuse in one season.


Fred Dolch's garden shows a classic economy of space---he has densely planted his produce for a long time, and usually has an excellent crop. His gardening methods are traditional (straight rows, contained definite areas per vegetable, and well-maintained plot, with few if any weeds). Fred's hoe chases them away. Note the crops planted as companion plants, the closeness of tomatoes, corn, cabbage, basil, flowers and fall vegetables.You will see raised beds, made from aluminum recyclables, in his garden.


Martin Steeil's garden is a one-plant (zucchini) operation, with flowers happily punctuating the vegetables.According to his gardening neighbor Fred, he has given away at least a hundred of the zucchini this summer. The picture was taken earlier this summer, when the zucchini were in flower.One popular outlet for all that succhini is zucchini bread. Try it at this time of year, don't give it all away!



Leonard Schartz exhibits diversity---in this case, stepping out of "flowers and vegetables" to growing bonsai trees. Never a quibbler, Leonard insists that they are "pre-bonsai" trees: and range from well-cared for specimens to rescued bushes (boxwood)that he has hopes to train into good shapes. Pitch Pine, Black Pine, Apple, and Boxwood are some what you will find here. Make sure to ask him what his philosophy of "edibility of the garden" is--- be prepared to be rocked by the answers.
Learn more about the classical art of bonsai.

Patrick Taaffe's garden shows a comfortable, "lived in: look. There are architectural elements to this space, such as the plants supports and the arch, as well as a mulch that changes the coloring of the garden. The yellow straw, when first laid, gives a light carpet on the ground level. His plants include Asiatic Lilies as well as tomatoes and a full array of vegetables. Learn the basics of building bamboo trellises as Patrick and others has done.




Hope you had a chance to meet these gardeners in person. If not, there will be other workshops in which you will get a second chance to exchange garden wisdom.