Meet Sarah beach, 2nd generation owner of Sunshine Garden Center.  Sarah has so much garden knowledge to share, so when I asked her to write about what her favorite thing to grow in the garden, and her answer was “kids”, I couldn’t wait to read what she had to say.  Whether you have children of your own, nieces or nephews, or just special kiddos in your life, you are going to enjoy this post by Sarah!

My daughter, Olivia, has been growing up in gardens since she arrived. As an infant, she would sleep in her swing in the sales yard while I moved displays. As she got older she would explore the area where we were working. Her sense of wonder is magical and infectious. I always find myself just staring at her in awe. As she has explored, she discovered rocks and sticks, bugs and varmints. She has gotten dirty and she has learned to use caution. I don’t force her to do anything specific out there yet; I just let her have fun. We try to have teachable moments, but sometimes the memories are the teachable moment.

This depends on their age, how much real help you need, and your level of patience. Oliva has been a “helper” in my garden her whole life. Sometimes its been easier than others but we really try to enjoy it and make memories (the early days were my memories). When she was an infant she played the cheerleader role. She would watch as I planted and weeded, then crawl around in the sprinkler. As she got older she would help me pick our veggies and put them in the baskets. Sometimes she would taste test them for me. She absolutely loves to plant the seeds and then watch them grow. It makes my heart full when we see the first signs of growth and she squeals with excitement and pride.

My philosophy has always been if its safe for her to do it then let her try. Sometimes we both struggle (me with control and her with actually being able to do it) but we don’t know until we try what will work for us and what won’t. Sometimes we surprise ourselves and sometimes we chalk it up to–we’ll try again when you’re older. We ALWAYS try to make it fun though.

If you are working with kids or creating a garden for them, then you want to plant easy to grow varieties like marigolds, beans, carrots, and sunflowers. Head to your local independent garden center and they can help you get started. As always make sure that its something fun for both you and your kids. Gardening should be fun! Ask questions, laugh, and get your hands dirty. Enjoy the moments with your kids, they grow like weeds.

Sara Beach

Sunshine Garden Center

One of my husband’s favorite quotes in the summer is, “There ain’t nothing better in life than true love and homegrown tomatoes”. I would have to agree. No matter how good those nice, plump, red tomatoes look in the store, they will never measure up to the ones you grow in your garden. A large part of our vegetable garden is planned for an abundant crop of tomatoes. The tomatoes in our garden are grown for the enjoyment of summer eating and snacking, but there’s also a much bigger plan. Our tomatoes will be made into spaghetti sauce to be enjoyed all year long. My husband and I come from a long family line of canners. Our parents, grandparents and great grandparents preserved their harvest for the winter months. We may not go to the lengths they did, but we still do our share of canning. My goal each year is to can about 30 to 40 jars of spaghetti sauce. This way, we can have spaghetti about twice a month throughout the year, plus my kids steal a few jars for their dinners. This makes a quick, easy meal that everyone loves.

In order to have easy meals throughout the winter, it takes a little work to set up the garden. Each summer, I plant at least 8 tomato plants. I try to find a tomato plant variety that has the shortest growing season because we live in the Inland Northwest so our growing season is a little shorter. A few varieties that I like to plant are Early Beefsteak and Celebrity, but I am always on the lookout for new early tomato varieties. Make sure you read the labels to see how many days it takes to get to harvest before you buy the tomato plant. I also buy about 6 green Bell Pepper plants, and a bunch of Walla Walla Sweet onions.  Look for onion sets that are about the size of a dime.

Once I’ve purchased the perfect vegetable plants, it’s time to get the vegetable garden ready. The first thing I do is look back as to where I planted everything the year before. When I am planning the layout of my garden I consider where each plant was planted the year before. This is because it is important to rotate your crops each year for two reasons. The first is because it will keep your soil healthy and fertile. Planting the same thing in the same place year after year drains the nutrients from the soil that the plant needs in order to thrive and produce big harvests. The second reason is that rotating plant families helps manage soil-borne diseases like verticillium wilt, and soil-dwelling insects like corn rootworms. These types of diseases and pests prefer certain kinds of plants, and the longer the plants stay in the same soil, the better the chance that these enemies will show up and cause trouble. I draw out a simple map of where I plant everything each year and keep it in my Garden Journal. This way, I have a resource to refer to each Spring that is easy and quick.

A long time ago, I bought some heavy duty tomato cages that I love. The cages are made of small angle iron, so they will be passed down to many generations of Bosma’s who like to garden. I like these cages because they are super sturdy and can hold up the weight of the tomato plants. The cages give the tomatoes the support to grow up. This way the tomatoes are not laying on the dirt and roting  It’s important to spend time loosening up and preparing the soil for the tomato plants. Then, I space out the tomato cages and mark where each tomato should be planted. Each tomato should be planted in a hole about 6 inches deep. I only want about 4 inches of the plant to be above the soil, so I carefully trim off all the leaves that will be under the soil when planted. Dropping a small amount of plant fertilizer in the hole and mixing it up with a little dirt before you plant each vegetable plant is a good idea. Set the plant in the hole and fill it with dirt and firm the soil gently around each plant. Water well. This deep planting method helps to encourage a better root system, which benefits the tomato plant during prolonged drought and/or hot weather.

I plant my peppers about a foot apart. When the plants are mature they like to have their leaves touching. I like to think of it as if they are holding hands, this just makes you like bell peppers even more, right? The onions sets should be planted about an inch deep, about 3 to 4 inches apart.

I think the fun part of gardening is planting and harvesting. The middle part where you are weeding, watering and keeping the bugs away can be more work, but is super important so we can have spaghetti sauce. Here is the spaghetti sauce recipe that I received from my friend Kristi. Your family will love this sauce and might even be more willing to help you out in your “spaghetti garden” next year.

1. Floral flavor infusions aren’t a new thing, but this is going to be a big trend in 2018.  From lavender lattes to elderflower making it’s way into everything from cocktails to at home elixirs, floral flavor is going to be front and center this year.

2. Bubbly drinks came on strong in 2017 and are here to stay in 2018.  I have to say, a sparkling water hits the spot for me when the mid afternoon cravings come on strong.  Look for new and interesting flavors as more brands get into the game this year.

3. Mushroom coffee jumped onto the scene last year, still haven’t tried it, but you will likely see more and more ways to enjoy and incorporate mushrooms.  Mushroom broths mixed into smoothies and teas along with body care products boasting of this ingredient will be more available as well.  This is a good thing as new research has shown that mushrooms, particularly porcini mushrooms, have very high levels of two anti-aging antioxidants: ergothioneine and glutathione.  So ask for extra mushrooms on your next pizza and maybe give the mushroom coffee a try 😉

4. We have seen an influence of Middle Eastern cuisine for quite some time.  From hummus to pita to spicy curried dishes, Middle Eastern flavors have become a mainstay in many of our pantries.  However, this year look to see an increase of these exotic options, as there is a growing desire in experiencing flavors from this part of the world.  I am not sure about you, but I am looking forward to this food trend!

5. There has been a growing demand for knowing the origin of our food, and this will continue to grow and become more and more expected in 2018.  Look for your local grocer to highlight where they source their fruit, veggies meat and dariy.  Restaurants will likely make this a highlight of their menus as well.  Ingredients will increasingly be more visible on most food products, as more and more people are wanting to see what is in their food at a glance.

6. Vegan options are going to be on the rise in 2018 as more and more people are choosing to eat a more plant based diet.  Many companies are coming up with new ways to offer creative plant based alternatives for those that just can’t give up their bacon burgers🙋.  Some of these options are getting pretty tasty, and may even have you reaching for the vegan option without even realizing it!

7. We all love a good potato chip, but may not love all the grease that is used to create the crunch we crave.  So three cheers to the puffed and popped revolution!  Many of the big snack brands are taking to air to create tasty snacks that compromise with calories but not on flavor.  So yes, pass the chips please!

1.The Lemon Cypress.  This is such a fun a festive plant with it’s chartreuse shade and almost fuzzy feel.  A little reminiscent of the Grinch Stole Christmas don’t ya think?  The beauty of this plant is that it can be transported into a pot in the Spring and be enjoyed throughout the Summer.

2. The Wintergreen Plant.  This plant is an evergreen and can also be planted outside once it has been enjoyed indoors through the holidays.  Plant this beauty outside and enjoy green foliage all year long, even during the cold Winter months.

3. The Norfolk Pine.  This is another plant that can be enjoyed all year long both indoors or outdoors.  Something especially fun about the Norfolk Pine is the ability to decorate it!  Your host or hostess can enjoy dressing up their plant with lights or ornaments.  A great gift idea for the host or hostess with kids.

4. Christmas Cactus. A holiday classic, the Christmas cactus looks so festive with it’s bright red blooms to be enjoyed through the holidays.  If your host or hostess has any shade of green in their thumb, this should be a plant they can enjoy for years to come.  The Christmas Cactus needs a little TLC in regards to watering and light, but easy enough for most of us to handle.

5. The Succulents. There is a reason these little plants are all the rage; they are as cute as can be and require minimal care.  Plus…you can find the cutest little pots to in which to plant them…Bonus!  These make a great gift for any host or hostess and with all the different varieties, you are sure to find a succulent just perfect for your host or hostess’ style.