Garden expert Joseph Tychonievich talks about vegetable gardening, and about his new book,
In a broadcast that originally aired live on The Food Garden Life Radio Show, we chat with author, horticulturist, and plant breeder Joseph Tychonievich.
Tychonievich shares his top tips for new vegetable gardeners.
As an avid food gardener, he grows many different food crops. But every so often he focuses on a particular crop and grows as many varieties as he can. He recently emerged from a cucumber phase…and as a teenager, he went through a pineapple phase.
He gardens in his own yard, a neighbour’s yard, and even inside in a closet.
Tychonievich’s new book is The Comic Book Guide to Growing Food: Step by Step Vegetable Gardening for Everyone.
The Comic Book Guide to Growing Food, by Joseph Tychonievich.
Vegetable Gardening Tips
What to Grow
Tychonievich points out that a common recommendation for new gardeners is to grow radishes, because they are easy to grow. He hasn’t met a lot of people who love radishes, so he takes a different approach: Start with what you like to eat.
Garden Size
Start small. If you can handle it, do more next year; and if you don’t, do less.
Making Garden Beds
He suggests new gardeners start with raised beds because by starting with new, weed-free soil, there are fewer weeds.
Buying Plants
Tychonievich is a fan of independent garden centres with knowledgeable staff who can help new gardeners.
Connect with Joseph Tychonievich
Website: josephgardens.com
Facebook: tychonievich
Instagram: tychonievich
Emma’s Tomato-Talk Segment
In Emma’s Tomato segment, she keeps Joseph Tychonievich on the line because one of his passions is plant breeding. They talk about favourite varieties and about backyard tomato breeding.
Biggs-on-Figs Segment
In the Biggs-on-Figs segment, we explore a common issue at this time of year for fig growers in cold climates: Figs plants that wake up a bit too early.
