Interview with Marta Teegan of Homegrown LA

I recently got a chance to interview Marta Teegan of Homegrown LA. She's a chef and a certified Master Gardener and specializes in growing edibles. She is an inspiration and a treasure trove of information. Here are some of my favorite tips:

On easy to grow edibles:
"there are some veggies and herbs that are especially hardy, including mint (which should always be planted in its own pot so that it doesn't take over your garden), oregano, thyme, chard, and kale. All do very well in pots. If you have the space for cucumbers to grow up on a trellis or railing, they are natural climbers, grow very quickly, and produce a large quantity of fruit - you will definitely be impressed with how many cucumbers a single plant can make!"

On exotic edibles to try growing:
"I find many people shy away from artichokes, so I always recommend growing them. They are such beautiful plants, they are prolific producers, and they are delicious to eat! I also always recommend that people with container gardens grow potatoes. Yes, potatoes can be grown in a pot! Nothing compares to the flavor of potatoes, prepared simply with butter and salt, eaten an hour after being harvested.

Some other great edibles to try would include cornichon cucumbers for pickling; the small, red pequillo peppers for frying with eggs; and Catalogna dandelions for a bitter green salad with shallots and bacon."

See my whole interview with her over on Apartment Therapy.

And here are some updates from my own garden. The 'cukes and squash are coming in and the tomatoes are looking promising. I accidentally (I'm lazy) let the lettuce bolt, so no more salad for a little while, but the swiss chard is still going strong!





Happy Weekend everyone. What are your plans? How are your gardens growing? Have you eaten outside yet?