Angelia Daugirda Of Organic Plant Magic: 5 Things You Need To Know To Create A Successful Vegetable Garden To Grow Your Own Food

An Interview With Martita Mestey

Grow Too Much: I know that it is exciting to plant everything that sounds yummy and looks pretty but be realistic with how many plants you get in the ground. If you cannot eat it all, what will happen to it? Keep in mind your favorite foods, how many people you intend on feeding, how much space you have and how will you use it or preserve it. While it is fun to fill up your whole back yard with veggies, someone needs to eat it all or it may be a waste of time, energy, and resources.

As we all know, inflation has really increased the price of food. Many people have turned to home gardening to grow their own food. Many have tried this and have been really successful. But others struggle to produce food in their own garden. What do you need to know to create a successful vegetable garden to grow your own food? In this interview series, called “5 Things You Need To Know To Create A Successful Vegetable Garden To Grow Your Own Food” we are talking to experts in vegetable gardening who can share stories and insights from their experiences.

As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Angelia Daugirda.

Angie’s passion for plants and food spans over two decades and has led her from a degree in Sustainable Agriculture to now growing food for a family of five on their small family farm in Southern California. She is also the heart and soul behind a campaign called ‘Ask Angie’, where followers can ask her anything about plants, organic gardening and more. She is about all things gardening, good food, and creating a food sovereign, sustainable space for her family and their critters, along with writing about organic gardening and sustainability for Organic Plant Magic.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”?

I went off to college thinking that pre-med was the perfect fit for me. I came home after 2 years and was pretty sure that there was something more that would fuel my passion of health and wellness. Thanks to a friend, I discovered an amazing local agricultural school, Del Val College, I did a 180 and enrolled in their Sustainable Agriculture and Plant Science program. This was it! I had found what I was looking for! I began working on organic farms over the next few years and apprenticed under some of the most knowledgeable influential organic growers. Fast forward 20 years, add in a few kiddos, a bunch of major life changes, and I found myself living in San Diego and growing as much food as I could in small backyard spaces, not what I had imagined when I graduated, but nonetheless, my love of plants never faded. When I met my man 2 years ago, he mentioned that he had a piece of land that was an open canvas. I was in love. I knew that he was the one! We started healing the soil, planted 40 fruit trees, began cultivating veggies, made a home for 13 chickens, 2 pigs, our 3 teenage kids, and now we grow about 80% of the food we eat. The experience has been filled with celebrations and tears. It isn’t always pretty and organized, some days it is hard, frustrating, and messy, but at the end of the day, we are beyond grateful for the food we grow and the beautiful space that we are creating. There is no looking back!

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

One of my favorite stories is when I worked on a farm that grew beautiful heirloom and organic produce for Martha Stewart, and quite a few other high-end outlets in Manhattan. We grew some of the most amazing things…edible flowers, wild crafted edibles, foraged foods, microgreens and more. We spent our days cultivating and harvesting things that I had only seen in magazines. One day Martha’s team came out to check out the farm for a piece they were working on. I can only imagine the vision of a well-manicured, tidy, perfectly groomed farm that they had had before arriving. Well, they arrived, and it was not that! We were a working farm. We grew a lot of food, had a lot of equipment, crews of people working, and a lot of stuff on the land. They strolled around for less than 20 minutes and off they went. The farm was never featured but our stunning organic produce was! We couldn’t help but wondering what they reported back to Martha!

You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

• Willingness to Speak My Truth: I have never been one to hold back on my thoughts, especially when I believe that I can make a positive change. My dad told me that my ethics might stop me from truly settling on a good career someday. I get it. I was an outspoken teen, who didn’t see the world the same way that others did, and I wanted to see change. When I began at Del Val College back in 1999, I was immersed in a school where the majority of students were studying conventional agriculture and carrying on the legacies of their family farms. I was that student that questioned everything. I wanted to know why we were still using chemicals, and synthetics, and why aren’t we studying more about Biodynamics, Organics and traditional methods of farming. My insight was not always welcomed, but what I did witness was that I was not the only one, just the only one willing to speak up! I may have been a bit ahead of the trend, but I knew that there was a better way of growing our food.
• Always Outside of the Box: I have never been one to follow the herd. I am a seeker, a creator and one to look for unconventional ways to make things come to life. One of my final projects in college was to design my own farm. I took this on with every ounce of my passion and newly acquired knowledge of plants, farming, sustainability, soil health, and more. I turned in my designs and my report and couldn’t wait to hear what my professor thought about my vision. It didn’t go as planned! The response was that my use of goats and other small foraging animals as a means of pest and weed control wasn’t realistic, my organic methods were not sustainable for the long haul, and the size of my land wasn’t big enough, and on and on and on. Ouch! I didn’t feel defeated, but I was bummed about the grade. I am sure that I kept that experience in my back pocket for a long time. Fast forward over 20 years and I now use our animals to help on the farm, and I am pretty sure that I have made that vision come true!
• Passion for Good Food: This began at a young age, when I saw the effects of a poor diet on my family. I knew that there was a correlation between how we grew our food, where it came from, what we ate, and the wellbeing of people. I send my kids to school with colorful homegrown veggies, real food, not processed, sugar laden, artificial junk. They deserve better, all kids do, and I am that mom that feeds every kid that comes to our house the prettiest, tastiest food. I have been called ‘Mama Bird’ for years. I am always amazed when kids say that they have never had certain veggies, or that they don’t like this or that, then I whip something up and they chow down on real food, something that most people are missing in their lives these days. I feel that my gift to the world is real food on all levels!

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

‘There is always a way!’ -My Dad

My dad used to say this repeatedly. He was not one to give up. I have taken this quote to heart and applied to every facet of my life. From being an athlete, to redesigning my career after a long gap to raise my kiddos, to every single day on our farm, ‘There is always a way!’, will always stick with me. Even when the ground squirrels discovered the peach trees loaded with ready to pick peaches, or when one of the chickens is sick, or when we are under attack from pests, I always look for options and I am willing to learn something new from it all. Sometimes the ‘way’ is to accept that we as humans cannot control everything, and other times, it inspires me to explore new territories and find a solution. My dad was right, there is always a way!

Are you working on any interesting or exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

I am also the Copywriter for Organic Plant Magic, an amazing line of products focused on soil health, environmental stewardship, and plants, of course. I am really excited about our new campaign called ‘Ask Angie’, where our followers can ask me anything about plants, organic gardening, composting, pest control, you name it, and I find a way to help! I was a bit surprised to see my face on every package of plant food and potting soil promoting it, but I am beyond honored to be the go-to person about something that I am passionate about. I truly love what I do, and this has taken it to the next level. I have always believed in sharing my gifts and passions with everyone, no matter where you live, what you do, or who you are. ‘Ask Angie’ has brought that to life! If I can help change the way people view food and how we grow it for the better, then I feel fulfilled. It fills my heart to hear other’s stories and what they have learned from me. It takes us all to make good things happen!

Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion about creating a successful garden to grow your own food. Can you help articulate a few reasons why people should be interested in making their own vegetable garden? For example, how is it better for our health? For the environment? For our wallet?

In an era where our food sourcing has become more global rather than local, we have surrendered our grasp on how we feed ourselves. Not only have we become fully reliant on commercial growers and manufacturers to feed us, but we have lost touch with the intimate aspect of food…who grew it, how fresh is it, how was it grown, where did it come from, and what is in it!

The moment you decide to embark on growing your own food, you are taking back the reigns of your food freedom. This comes with many benefits…lower costs, less waste, more diverse varieties, less chemical inputs, decreased negative environmental impact, more nutrient dense food, and food security. The last one is a topic that has gained much attention over the past few years. Without food security, we are at the mercy of someone else, and when they fail to deliver, we fail to eat. Growing even a small portion of your own food ensures that you are the one making the decisions on how, what, when and where your food is grown. This is priceless today! A skill that may become essential in the near future.

Where should someone start if they would like to start a garden? Which resources would you recommend? Which plants should they start with?

I am a fan of create your vision, start slow, do your homework, and continue to educate yourself. There is always something new to learn from someone else. Stay humble!

My favorite publication of all time is ‘Mother Earth News’. I got my first subscription in my early twenties, and I still look forward to every issue. It is an amazing resource on traditional growing for anyone who wants to learn more and start growing amazing things.

While there is a lot of information out there, I would avoid getting too caught up in all the trends that we are seeing on social media. There is almost too much information out there, but growing your own food isn’t something new, it is how humans have made it this far. Stick to traditional methods and you will be amazed by the simplicity and the results. There is truth is tradition!

Books I love…

Rodale’s Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening

The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Pest and Disease Control (by Fern Bradley)

The best plants to start with are the foods that you love. The easiest things to grow are lettuces, arugula, herbs, kale, chard, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, and flowers. I love flowers not only for their beauty but also for the food they provide for the pollinators that I want to visit our garden. I love to mix it up a bit and plant flowers among the veggies. I highly suggest trying a few new things every season and experiment with what works, what doesn’t work and what you love. Shopping at a reputable local garden center, asking questions and starting off slowly will avoid some of the pitfalls, disappointments, and mishaps that new gardeners encounter.

Can you please share your “5 Things You Need To Know To Create A Successful Vegetable Garden To Grow Your Own Food”? If you can, please share a story or example for each.

1 . Only Grow What You Love: This has been my gardening motto forever. So many new gardeners plant things that they will never eat, and they plant too much. Gardening with intention and seeking out plants that offset your grocery and farmer’s market trips, is key to sustainably providing food for yourself. No need to plant things that you don’t like to eat or won’t share! However, do get adventurous and try some new things. You may find a new favorite food!

I must admit that we went overboard with cucumbers last year. We planted about a dozen too many plants and by July we were picking about 50lbs of cucumbers a week. It was a blessing and a curse. We couldn’t give enough away, and our friends were even sick of cucumbers. 50 quarts of pickles later, lots went back into the compost, the chickens and pigs ate their fair share, and we learned our lesson… back off from planting too much, no matter how excited you are!

2. Do Your Homework: Before buying plants or seed shopping, sit down and plan out your space, even if you plan on beginning with containers on your patio. Look at how much space you have, how can you get creative with vertical growing and even hydroponics, what do you envision for your garden, what do you love to eat, and how much space do those plants need to thrive and grow their best. I have seen many gardeners attempt to jam everything into one space and then they are surprised when they end up with pests, diseases and a lack luster harvest. I am all about creating a gardening journal. It is the perfect place to mind map, draw out a space, envision what you want and keep track of progress. Best part is that you will have this to go back to next season and see what worked and what didn’t. Gardening is a journey without a destination!

This is by far one of the main reasons I get a lot of questions at ‘Ask Angie’. People buy plants, especially trees, pot them up or plunk them into their garden, and a few months later the plants are dying or better yet, a few years later and the tree took over the whole back yard. Just because a store sells these plants and trees, doesn’t mean that they are good fit for your region or your back yard. I highly suggest looking at those plant tags, then go home and do some homework before wasting money on something that will not produce or even die. I cannot tell you how many people buy citrus trees in regions where citrus doesn’t thrive, and then they are confused why the tree is struggling. I get it, it is exciting to grow something ‘exotic’ but being realistic and knowing what you need to do to help your plant thrive is key to growing a sustainable space. Proper planning can save you a lot of money, sweat and tears.

3. Pick A Location Close To A Water Source: This sounds simple, but one of the biggest garden fails is toiling with lugging water around and thus not watering your plants as needed. So, look for a space close to a water source or where you can leave a long hose, install irrigation, or collect rainwater to take care of your garden. Water is essential and if you miss a day or go on vacation, it could make or break your garden’s success, so think ahead!

We planted out about 100 square feet of space with a variety of veggies from leafy greens to tomatoes to melons last year. At first, we were watering them by hand with the hose. It didn’t seem like a big deal; everything was looking amazing and there was plenty of room to navigate around everything. As the months went on, and our plants grew to astronomical sizes, and they were producing lots of food, the watering needs and ease of watering became unreasonable and time consuming. We had talked about installing irrigation and due to cost and know-how, we put it off. There is nothing like necessity inspiring you to make some changes. We finally installed irrigation in that area and the time saved offsets the cost and the reality is that we have one less thing to worry about. If you are trying to be frugal at your own expense, you will only last so long until you a) give up and neglect your garden or b) find a better way! Option B is the best!

4. Start By Buying Plants: If you are new to gardening, buying plants can be the most rewarding way to begin. It gives you an opportunity to try a bunch of different varieties, they are past the super delicate stage, hopefully off to a good start, and you will harvest some fresh goodness much sooner than if you started everything from seed. However, do not let this stop you from growing your own from seed. Some things like leafy greens, lettuces, herbs like dill, and even onions and garlic are easy to start from seed and sets.

Every spring I see hundreds of posts about people starting their seeds for the season. They show flats and flats and fresh potting soil and tons of seed packets. Reality check…how many plants do you need, and do you need them all at once? I sometimes think that it is all for show or some people love to keep busy, but the reality is that you don’t need that many plants. I remember my oldest daughter planted hundreds of sunflowers one year. We had so many baby sunflower plants that everyone that came to visit was sent home with their own sunflowers. While this was a sweet gesture from a 6-year-old, it isn’t realistic season after season when you are trying to grow your own food.

5. Begin With Amazing Soil: Soil is life! In fact, healthy soil is teeming with life, and it is responsible for feeding our plants, and us! So, by starting your garden with the healthiest, richest, most alive soil is key to growing amazing plants season after season. Begin by adding organic matter, like a blend of compost, organic lawn clippings, leaves, kelp, and aged manures to your existing soil. If you are container gardening, buy clean, organic potting soil suited for growing veggies and add your organic matter into this too. I am also a huge fan of starting off by enhancing my soil before every planting with a high-quality organic plant food, to give my plants an insanely good start. This ensures that everything planted is well fed for about the first month. After you prep your soil, plant your seeds and transplants, you will need to feed your plants and soil every 2–4 weeks, or use a slow-release food to keep everyone well fed. I cannot stress enough how important healthy soil is essential to growing healthy food. It is logical…nutrient dense soil = nutrient dense food!

This has been the focus of our growing journey. Our land was an old commercial flower farm, unfortunately not an organic flower farm. The land sat fallow for awhile and we knew if we wanted to grow good food that we were going to have to take our time and work hard to rehabilitate the soil, it was exhausted and depleted. The first thing to go in was our 40 fruit trees. The soil was so compacted, rock hard, that it took a pickax to break through. How would a young tree survive with soil like that? We sourced local organic compost and enriched the soil with tons of it. We have continued to add compost into all the planting beds, topping off new trees and maturing trees, and we keep a pile of it on hand all year long. In addition to the compost, we have chosen to not till our soil, as not to disturb the invisible life that is thriving in the topsoil. With minimal disruption, lots of organic matter, including animal manure from our chickens and pigs, building our own compost, and a constant focus on soil health we have seen a tremendous difference in the soil. It has become less compact, richer, holds moisture better and our plants show it. We also use Organic Plant Magic, formulated with humic acid, 55+ minerals, kelp, and beneficial microorganisms, to feed our plants and soil monthly. It helps break down the compacted soil and it feeds the happy microbes that are hard at work beneath the surface. Without these efforts, I am sure that our experience would not be what it has been.

What are the most common mistakes you have seen people make when they start a garden? What specifically can be done to avoid those errors?

• Spend Too Much Money: If starting your garden is going to cost you thousands of dollars, then you must wonder ‘for what?’ If you want to grow your own food, offset your grocery bill, foster a love of plants, and spend time outdoors, it shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg to get started. I am all about getting creative, upcycling, and building out a beautiful space. If you have thousands to start your garden, go for it, but if not, no stress, it doesn’t take that to feed your family. Sustainability should not come at a huge cost; it starts with minimalism and education.
• Gardening Is A Marathon, Not A Sprint: This is a tough one to grasp, and I am victim to getting frustrated when things take longer than anticipated. Growing your own food does not happen overnight; it takes time, maybe even years. You must have patience, or you will never embrace the beauty of the journey. It is a humbling experience. Patience pays!
• Grow Too Much: I know that it is exciting to plant everything that sounds yummy and looks pretty but be realistic with how many plants you get in the ground. If you cannot eat it all, what will happen to it? Keep in mind your favorite foods, how many people you intend on feeding, how much space you have and how will you use it or preserve it. While it is fun to fill up your whole back yard with veggies, someone needs to eat it all or it may be a waste of time, energy, and resources.
• Get In Over Their Heads: Take things one step at a time. A lot of people go all in…dig up the yard, buy a bunch of trees, start raising chickens, throw in a goat or two and maybe even get a beehive, then they realize that what was meant to be fulfilling is exhausting. Not to mention, what are you going to do when you want to go on vacation? I know this one all too well, and thanks to a built in back up system of friends and family, we have help when we need it. Be realistic with what you have time for and slowly build up your dream space, you will enjoy the process, rather than it stressing out, and ultimately losing interest. Growing your own food isn’t easy, but it can be easier!
• Try To Control Everything, Even Nature: this is one of the most overlooked components of gardening. People think that just because they planted something for them to eat that the other critters and pests should not be able to enjoy it. Wrong! You cannot always control nature, but you can learn to work with it. The reality is that squirrels, gophers, birds, bugs, and everything else in between need to eat too, and you cannot negate them from the picture, but you can get creative, honor nature, and still provide in abundance for your own family. And sometimes you may lose, and that is part of the adventure, but there is always something to learn in these experiences. Growing your own food is about respect for ALL!

What are some of the best ways to keep the costs of gardening down?

I am a huge fan of upcycling, reusing, sourcing used goods, along with saving seeds, connecting with other local farmers and gardeners, and always looking for ways to repair things, to keep our costs lower. Growing your own food is not meant to cost you more. Quite the contrary; if it is, then you may want to rethink how you are doing it. The most beautiful spaces that I have seen have grown from necessity and minimalism. I love relying on what we have, what we can find, and what someone else may be open to sharing, to bring our vision to life. At the heart of this is community. When you build a community of like-minded people around you, you broaden your resources, and you can support and be supported by more than just your own efforts. I guarantee you that there is someone else out there that shares your passion, why not work together!

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I would love to see ‘Food Hubs’ become a local community supported effort. Encouraging communities to grow their own food in their backyards, in community gardens, and within the school system to feed, nourish and provide for that community, especially for our elders and children. By building Food Hubs that do not rely on large corporations, like much of our food sources, we will reduce waste, decrease food costs, feed our neighbors, build community, and eat fresher more nutritious foods. I would love to inspire towns and cities to provide funding for these efforts rather than relying on the mainstream system to feed people.

I would love this to be a tv show, where I go around and interview people who are participating and see how each community handles their hub, what has been inspired by this movement, who benefits from it and how has it changed their community. I love meeting new people and learning new things, I am pretty sure that I am not alone when I say that I am driven by inspiration!

Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

Absolutely! Michael Pollan, author, and journalist. I have been a huge fan of his for years, read almost every one of his books and I would love to share a meal with him and pick his brain about sustainability, food, ethics, the future and what drives his passion.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Follow me @i.am.angie on Instagram

and read more @organicplantmagic on Instagram and www.organicplantmagic Blog

Thank you so much for the time you spent on this interview. We wish you only continued success and good health.