Pat Glover is an accomplished vegetable gardener in Blue Springs. She's a University of Missouri Extension Master Gardener of Greater Kansas City.
Pat's lived in this area about three years, coming here after serving churches for 20 years. She lives at Blue Spring Terrace, an independent living community for United Church of Christ and The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) pastors.
Here's a quick look at Pat and her garden:
How did you begin gardening?
I grew up on a small family farm in Hinckley, Ohio. Our family grew vegetables and raised cows, pigs and goats, chickens, geese and turkey for our family table. At that time we had a huge garden of straight rows of vegetables which we children weeded.
A raised bed with wire over the top to hold burlap and keep sun off the broccoli It was a tough job, but somehow the values of the earth and gardening were instilled in me. My parents were early supporters of Rachel Carson. She wrote a book called “The Silent Spring.” I was an active 4-H member and raised pumpkins for show. We fed them with milk so they got huge!
Tell us about your garden.
It is a raised bed and container garden, filled with organic soil. The volunteers of Blue Springs Terrace built me two raised beds, 4ft x10ft x 29 inches. I raised strawberries, broccoli, lettuces, kale, onions, cabbage, peppers, beans, onions, carrots, beets and various herbs using the Square Foot Gardening concept.
Sweet potatoes growing in plastic sacks in boxes This year I experimented with zucchini, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes and watermelon in containers. The watermelon is growing in a self-watering container. Next year I plan to have all self-watering containers.
How does Square Foot Gardening work?
It’s no-till, no-dig, no-weed gardening. The amount of soil that a plant needs is 6 inches for most crops and 12 inches for root crops. You build a box out of wood or cement block as I did, fill with a rich soil mix, lay a 4x4 grid over the soil and plant intensively. This method of gardening produces 5 times the vegetables of convential gardening. Broccoli needs 1 sq foot, 12 bean plants fit in one sq. ft, zucchini needs 3 sq ft and tomatoes need 4.
What are your special interests?
I really want to be a part of a movement that encourages folks to grow as many of their own vegetables as possible because it is so much healthier and better for the earth. I also have a great concern for the disappearance of bees, and I’d like to do as much as I can to help them survive. If the bees don’t survive, we won’t survive.
Onions, beets and carrots in a cinderblock garden
Coolest plants in your garden?
The coolest plants in my garden are the strawberries and watermelon. It was like old times to have strawberry shortcake that tasted just like it did when I was a child.
Biggest gardening mistake you ever made?
Last year I tried to grow potatoes above the ground in straw. The squirrels got them all. This year I grew them in plastic bags and it was too hot for them. Next year I am going to try growing them in self-watering containers. Keep your fingers crossed.
Best tip you can give a beginning gardener?
My best advice for beginning gardeners is to grow naturally, and to roll with the weather punches … there are so many who can give good advice, including Master Gardeners of Kansas City, the Kansas City Community Garden, Food Not Lawns, and, if all else fails, the Internet.
Patio roma tomatoes growing in buckets With Square Foot Gardening, raised beds and containers, anyone can garden no matter their ability or space. Raising something, tending it and harvesting are the most amazing experiences. The process makes us feel connected to the earth. When we are connected to the earth, we open ourselves up to each other. And when we open ourselves to each other … can peace be far behind?