Starting a Garden with Carmen Johnston

The Better Show

Show Notes

• 0:58 — Ian gets hungry for fresh veggies and Darren realizes that he knows someone who can help.
• 4:58 — Darren welcomes Carmen Johnston to the show.
• 7:19 — Darren learns a French term for a “kitchen garden”.
• 7:59 — How gardening has become more popular since the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 9:02 — Carmen gives us all permission to kill plants on the journey of learning how to do it.
• 10:01 — How to get started without the need for a lot of space.
• 12:30 — How to tell whether you are buying good soil.
• 14:50 — Carmen weighs the pros and cons of use seeds versus starters.
• 16:41 — Identifying the easy veggies to start growing.
• 17:33 — Gardening as an exercise for home schooling.
• 19:27 — Why you really want to grow tomatoes at home if you can and tips for growing tomatoes.
• 23:22 — How to keep your herbs from “going to flower”.
• 26:48 — How to know when (and how much) to water your plants.
• 31:30 — How to know which plants will grow in your area.
• 35:26 — The social aspect of gardening and how to leverage your local community to expand your knowledge and share your produce.
• 38:21 — The magic of gardening in motivating kids to try new foods.
• 41:40 — Carmen gives us her email and offers to provide personal advice to The Better Show community.
• 44:29 — Ian, March, and Darren reflect on the tips from Carmen.
• 46:19 — March makes a connection between gardening and venture capital.
• 48:20 — The incredible growing environment of Ireland.
• 52:40 — March reflects on the tips from Carmen that stood out most to him.
• 55:16 — Ian is surprised at how many aspects of life can be improved by gardening.
• 58:08 — Darren is inspired by the community aspect of gardening and how it can help strengthen our social fabric.
• 59:20 — March shares resources for community gardening and community supported agriculture.

Mentions

• 📰 Blog: Four container gardens to plant today
• 📰 Magazine: Southern Living Magazine
• 📰 Website: Carmen Johnston Gardens
• 📷 Social Media: Carmen Johnston on Instagram
• 📦 Product: Grow Box for vegetables
• 📰 Online Tool: Growing Calendar from Burpee.com
• 📦 Product: Kitchen Herb starter kit