Emma Loker Of DIY Garden: 5 Things You Need To Know To Create A Successful Vegetable Garden To Grow Your Own Food
An Interview With Martita Mestey
Many people underestimate the benefit of companion plants. You might think — “how much protection can companion plants really give my veg from pests?” The answer is loads! Certain plants can help each other grow by repelling pests or attracting beneficial insects. For example, planting marigolds alongside your veg can help deter pests like aphids and whiteflies.
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 Emma Loker.
Emma Loker is an expert gardener at DIY Garden who has a deep affection for all things related to nature. Emma’s love for the outdoors dates back to her childhood when she used to explore local fields and work with her father, a professional gardener. She has a fondness for hands-on projects in the garden and is especially enthusiastic about trees and climbing plants.
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 grew up in a rural area surrounded by nature, where I developed a love for the outdoors from a young age. I have fond memories of digging up potatoes, sowing carrots, and picking green beans from the garden when I was really young. As I grew older, I started working with my dad as a gardener, and he taught me valuable skills and techniques that I still use today.
One of my favorite childhood activities was exploring the local woods with my dad. He helped me identify different plants from their leaves and flowers and birds from their songs, which sparked a lifelong interest in nature and the environment. These experiences have shaped who I am today and instilled a deep appreciation for the natural world.
Now, I am an expert gardener at DIY Garden, and a professional landscaping writer, having written over 70 articles on various gardening-related topics.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I always learn new things gardening — it’s like an outdoor library; there’s always more to know! But one of my real loves of gardening is sharing my knowledge with my close friends and family.
One story that comes to mind is when I helped a friend transform their neglected backyard into a thriving vegetable garden. My friend had always been interested in gardening but had never taken the time to learn how to properly care for their plants. When they approached me for advice, I was excited to share my knowledge and help them get started.
We began by assessing the soil quality and making the necessary changes to boost its nutrient content and ensure the drainage was just right. Then, we planned out the garden layout and selected a variety of fruits and vegetables that would thrive in their space, considering the sun exposure and soil quality.
Over several weeks, we worked together to clear the overgrown weeds and debris, build raised beds, and plant seedlings. We also installed a drip irrigation system to ensure that the plants received the right amount of water without wasting any.
As the summer went on, the garden began to flourish, with tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and herbs growing in abundance. My friend was thrilled with the transformation — seeing the look of pride on their face was amazing. But the real highlight came at the end of the summer when they hosted a backyard barbecue for friends and family. They could showcase the fruits of their labor, serving fresh, homegrown vegetables to their guests and receiving numerous compliments on their beautiful garden.
It was a truly satisfying experience for both my friend and myself and one that I will never forget as a testament to the transformative and connecting power of gardening.
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?
I believe the three key characteristics you need to be a successful gardener are resilience, determination, and passion.
Gardening can be challenging, with unpredictable weather and pests that can damage your veg. Resilience is vital to overcoming setbacks and persevering through difficult times. For example, one year, a hailstorm destroyed all my veg plants. But instead of giving up, I replanted and managed to salvage the rest of the season.
Success in gardening also requires persistence and a willingness to put in the work. Determination is essential to achieving your goals and overcoming obstacles. For instance, when I decided to grow pumpkins for the first time, I faced numerous challenges, including poor soil quality and pests. However, through determination and hard work, I grew some incredible pumpkins — it was the best Halloween ever!
Passion is what drives me to continue gardening and strive for excellence. It’s a love for the process of growing and caring for plants that keeps me motivated. For example, I have a particular passion for heirloom tomatoes and have spent years perfecting my techniques for growing and harvesting them. This passion has led to a bountiful harvest of delicious, unique tomatoes that I am proud to share with others.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
One of my favorite “life lesson quotes” relating to gardening is by the renowned gardener and writer Gertrude Jekyll:
“The lesson I have thoroughly learnt, and wish to pass on to others, is to know the enduring happiness that the love of a garden gives.”
This quote speaks to the joy and fulfillment of cultivating a garden and connecting with nature. It reminds us that gardening is not just about the practical benefits of growing food or creating a beautiful outdoor space but about the deep sense of happiness and contentment that it can bring to our lives.
Are you working on any interesting or exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
Right now, the team at DIY Garden is working on some exciting new projects. Firstly, we’re working hard to grow our range of detailed fruit and veg plant growing guides. Let’s face it, growing fruit and veg isn’t always easy, but we plan to make it simpler for anyone who chooses to grow healthy organic produce at home.
We also plan to physically test another 100+ products this year, which I’m super excited about. We get to try some of the best gardening tools out there to identify which are worth purchasing and why. I love getting involved in this, as I get to test the products and help other gardeners with product recommendations based on actual real-world experience.
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?
Growing your own food has so many benefits; it’s difficult to pin them down to just a few. However, I’ll give it a go!
I’ll start with the factor that’s playing on most of our minds right now — money. Growing your own vegetables can save you money in the long run by reducing your grocery bills and the cost of eating out. With a little bit of planning and effort, you can produce an amazing harvest of fresh produce that won’t just taste better than shop-bought grub but it’ll also cost you a fraction of the price.
Then, there are numerous health benefits. Growing your own vegetables allows you to have access to fresh, nutritious produce free from harmful chemicals and pesticides. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables has been linked to numerous health benefits, including a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
And let’s not forget the mental health benefits. Gardening has been shown to have positive effects on mental health, reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. It can provide a sense of purpose and accomplishment, as well as a connection to nature and the outdoors. With the increase in technology use and fewer people spending time outdoors than ever, this benefit isn’t to be sniffed at!
Where should someone start if they would like to start a garden? Which resources would you recommend? Which plants should they start with?
The first thing to consider when starting a garden is your garden! This may sound strange, but many factors determine whether a garden will be successful, such as the amount of light it gets, the soil quality, and the local climate. To create a successful garden, you really need to get down to the nitty-gritty of your garden — what direction is your garden facing? What does that mean in terms of sun exposure? What are your soil’s pH and nutrient levels? Does it have good drainage? These factors will help you identify which plants you can grow and when.
Books are always my go-to resource to increase my knowledge. If you’re a bookworm like me, I recommend reading books like “The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible” by Edward C. Smith and “The Vegetable Gardener’s Answer Book” by Barbara W. Ellis. They’ll have all the information you need!
I recommend starting with easy-to-grow vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, and beans. If you want to try your hand at the fruit, too, give strawberries and raspberries a go! I suggest getting to grips with how these plants work — what conditions they thrive in, how to deter pests and diseases, and so on, before trying your hand at the harder ones.
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.
- Start With Healthy Soil.
I know I’ve been going on and on about soil in this interview, but I can’t stress enough how key it is to a successful garden. I know the benefits of healthy soil first-hand. I remember when I was a novice gardener myself — the first year I tried to grow veg, I ended up with some sad-looking carrots that weren’t edible for rabbits, let alone me and my family. The following year, I read up on what to do and created a nutrient-rich compost heap. I tested my soil and added my compost where necessary. Guess what? That year I had a great harvest, and it’s only improved since.
2. Get Smart With Shade.
Shade is the bane of an amateur veg gardener’s existence, but it doesn’t have to be — you just have to make sure you get smart with your shade. If you have a south- or east-facing garden, this isn’t so much of an issue for you, but if your garden faces north, you’ll have a lot of shade to contend with. While most fruit and veg prefer nice bursts of sunlight, a garden with little sunlight can still be successful, but you’ve got to know what to plant!
Many vegetables, such as beetroot, salad leaves, and radish, will still grow well in the shade. Herbs like cilantro also love a bit of shade. In terms of fruit, get your pie cases ready! Blackberries, rhubarb, and plums are all low-maintenance plants that love the shade. Alpine strawberries will do well in the shade, too!
3. Keep Pests at Bay With Companion Plants.
Many people underestimate the benefit of companion plants. You might think — “how much protection can companion plants really give my veg from pests?” The answer is loads! Certain plants can help each other grow by repelling pests or attracting beneficial insects. For example, planting marigolds alongside your veg can help deter pests like aphids and whiteflies.
This year just gone, I planted basil beside my tomatoes, and you wouldn’t believe the difference it made in preventing pests and securing me a better harvest!
4. Pick Your Plants Wisely.
I always recommend that when it comes to growing your own food, choose what you love and stick to it. There’s no point in having a successful garden if you don’t want to eat any of it! I also find that many people are much more passionate about making their veg garden successful if they’re growing food they are excited to eat at the end of it.
A few years ago, a friend decided to start a veg garden in their backyard. I’m not sure what happened when they went to the local store — I think they got super excited, but they returned with a tonne of seed packets! They told me all about the veg they would grow, everything from tomatoes to kohlrabi.
As the season progressed, they started to show their disappointment — they were growing loads of veg, so this wasn’t an issue, but they didn’t really enjoy any of the veg they had grown! Some of them were too bitter, while others were too spicy. Meanwhile, the veg they loved to eat (tomatoes and peppers) were few and far between.
This taught me (and them!) a valuable lesson about picking your plants wisely and predominantly sticking with those you simply love to eat!
5. Start Small.
If you’re considering trying your hand at a veg garden but don’t have much experience gardening, I highly recommend starting small. People often think “in for a penny, in for a pound” when it comes to sowing seeds and planting veg, but what they don’t realize is that 1) there’s no point in growing more veg than you can eat, and 2) gardening can be overwhelming, especially for someone with no previous experience.
There’s nothing more disheartening than trying gardening for the first time, only for your first plants to die from pests and diseases. It’s also incredibly disappointing to watch your plants rot in front of you because you’ve grown way too many! Speaking from personal experience here! This is why I recommend starting small — start with a few plants you love to eat and perfect your technique. Figure out what works and how to protect your beloved veg from pests and diseases. Then, the following year, you can go nuts!
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?
Some of the mistakes I see time and time again when people start a garden is planting things too close together. Giving your plants enough space to grow and thrive is important, especially for veg. Planting veg too close together can lead to overcrowding, stunting growth, and making it easier for pests and diseases to spread. To avoid this, research the spacing requirements for each plant and follow these guidelines.
We also often think that the skill is in the planting — once we’ve created holes of the correct depth and sown the seeds or planted the plants, filled the holes in, and watered the plants, they’re good to go. But this isn’t the case. Plants need nutrients to grow and produce healthy fruits and vegetables. Knowing your soil’s quality is essential when growing fruit and veg because it can significantly affect the health and productivity of your plants.
Soil provides essential nutrients, water, and air to plants, and different types of plants require different soil conditions to thrive. If your soil lacks nutrients, your plants may not grow properly, and the fruits and veg they produce will be small, tasteless, or even inedible!
By testing your soil, you can determine your soil’s nutrient levels, pH levels, and overall quality, allowing you to make any necessary amendments to ensure that your plants get the right nutrients and conditions to grow and produce healthy, delicious fruit and veg.
What are some of the best ways to keep the costs of gardening down?
Keeping the costs of gardening down often requires a little creativity, but it’s worth it. My favorite way to keep gardening costs down is to harvest my seeds. Instead of purchasing new seeds every year, you can save them from your plants and use them to grow your fruit and veg for next year. This can be an enjoyable and cost-effective way to maintain your garden from year to year.
And if you have friends who also love gardening, you can share seeds. Sharing seeds is something I love to do, as it makes the experience feel more personal. You can take the seeds from their plants and grow your own in your garden. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Another great way to keep costs down and help the environment is to use recycled materials. You can use various recycled materials to create garden beds, trellises, and other structures. For example, you can repurpose old pallets to create raised beds and old guttering or plastic bottles for strawberries. You can also use old wire fencing to create inexpensive trellises for climbing plants.
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. :-)
If I could inspire a movement that would bring the most good to the most people, it would be a mental health gardening movement. I’ve struggled with my mental health over the years and have found gardening to be a real lifesaver when relieving my anxiety and reminding me what’s important in life, including what I can and can’t control.
Through this movement, I would inspire and encourage individuals and communities to incorporate gardening into their daily lives to improve their mental health. This could involve creating community gardens, offering gardening classes and workshops, and providing resources and support to individuals interested in starting their gardens.
By promoting the mental health benefits of gardening and providing access to gardening resources and support, this movement could significantly impact the mental health and well-being of individuals and communities worldwide. It could also promote a greater appreciation for the natural world and the importance of environmental sustainability.
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. :-)
Can I choose two? Please?!
I love widening my knowledge of the positive impacts of gardening and the outdoors, especially on our mental health, through reading. My absolute favorite book on the benefits of gardening is Gardening for Mind, Body, and Soul by Annie Burdick. I’d love to share a private breakfast or lunch with her; I have so many questions to ask!
The other person I’d love to talk to is Sue Stuart-Smith, another author. She wrote “The Well Gardened Mind: Rediscovering Nature in the Modern World.” Again, I would love to pick her brain about gardening and how we can all benefit from getting our hands dirty and enjoying the fruits of our labor.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can follow my work on the DIY Garden website (https://diygarden.co.uk/ or https://diygarden.co.uk/author/emma-loker). Thank you!
Thank you so much for the time you spent on this interview. We wish you only continued success and good health.
