By Michelle J. Mills

In the middle of the bustle of Pasadena lies the Urban Homestead, a self-reliant oasis for Jules Dervaes and his adult children, Anais, Justin, and Jordanne. The family lives and works on the property, where a tenth of an acre is devoted to gardening. The average home-sized spot has yielded more than 5,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables annually for the past two years. It boasts more than 400 different types of produce, as well as nearly 2,000 chicken and duck eggs and 25 pounds of honey, which is sold to local restaurants, caterers and other clients and also finds its way to the Dervaes’ table.

“I wasn’t sure when I started how much I could grow, we just keep pushing the envelope that’s all,” Jules Dervaes says.

Dervaes hopes to encourage others to take up the spade and grow some of their own produce. He recommends a few easy crops for beginners, such as herbs, edible flowers, pole beans and greens, such as leaf lettuce, arugula, mustard, regular and ruby Swiss chard, kale and collards. Greens are good in the winter and spring, Dervaes says, and in summer, he suggests tomatoes, sweet peppers and hot peppers. He likes a challenge in his vegetables. “Squash, I would categorize as too easy, then you have the issue of having too much.”

Don’t fret if your vegetables are not “grocery-store perfect,” homegrown produce can look a little different from what you may be used to. Tomatoes, especially heirlooms, can come in “funky” shapes, but they taste wonderful. “At the store they have to have perfection because people don’t like blemishes, but the real organic vegetable won’t look as perfect,” Dervaes says.

Your produce may also be different colors than you see in the store. For example, carrots not only come in orange, they can be white, yellow, red, or deep purple. Try growing vegetables in unique hues on purpose–experimenting for fun and flavor.

Also, in organic gardens, it is common to see holes in the plants’ leaves, as the bugs know good food. Just wash as you harvest and enjoy.

Don’t be afraid to ask your local nursery for help. They should have the plants that are in season and will grow in your area. “I thought once you have a good season, then you’ll always have a good season, but Arctic ice is melting, bees are dying–there are a whole lot of things at odds right now, and nature’s having a rough go, so you’re going to have some bumps in the road,” Dervaes says. The most important tip is to be patient. “You have to keep coming back to try to adapt and try something else,” Dervaes says. “Experiment because you are going to learn from it.”

Timing
How you start your plants depends on what you plan to grow and how much time you have. Seeds are best started a couple months in advance of the season, but are susceptible to weather. If it’s later in the season and you want to get going quickly, purchase 4-inch plants from a nursery. Greens and smaller vegetables, such as radishes, are easy and best to start from seeds, while bigger produce, like tomatoes and peppers, are easier to start from plants. If it’s really late in the season, buy plants in gallon or larger containers that are about to fruit or already have some on them. “You can splurge just to have a crop, to get your first under your belt,” Dervaes says.

Soil
Much of Southern California has poor soil, so Dervaes advises you to enrich it. He recommends using organic compost, following the directions on the bag for the proper amount for your space. You can also make your own compost from kitchen scraps and “finished” plants or produce that goes bad before you can harvest it.
If you have animals running around–the Urban Homestead has goat, chicken and duck–their manure can help you create extra-rich compost. They use nine different kinds of compost to find out what works best for each crop. “Some people feed the plants; We recommend feeding the soil the plants grow in, “Dervaes says.

Water
It can be expensive, and water restrictions go with the territory in Southern California. This is where your soil is the key. With poor soil, the water will sit on the surface, which doesn’t benefit the plant. Good soil will be spongy and hold water. To help conserve water, don’t use a sprinkler that goes everywhere. Instead, hand-water at the base of each plant. Mulch heavily throughout the season, as keeping the soil covered will protect it from drying out from the sun. You can select fine to heavy mulches as appropriate for the growing area and plant.

For a successful start in your garden, Jules Dervaes of the Urban Homestead recommends:

Nasturtium is an edible flower. Its leaves and petals are good in salads and its seeds can be pickled. You can also nibble on the petals of roses, Johnny Jump-Ups and bachelor’s buttons.

Herbs are great to grow because they thrive despite our hot and dry climate. Try unusual types of plants, such as yellow sage and oregano which add color to your garden. French tarragon doubles as good groundcover.

Ruby chard (red Swiss chard) adds color and can be started as seed. Harvest its leaves as you need them. The younger, softer leaves are tasty in salad, while the older, heavier leaves can be cooked for a side dish.

Tomatoes are always popular, but they need a lot of sun exposure. Plant them in containers so you can move them around to find just the right spot. Also don’t give up on tomatoes. The fickle plants may do poorly one year and thrive the next. Three plants in a 15-gallon tub should keep your family stocked with tomatoes throughout the summer.

Bell peppers are also a great summer plant, but expect them to be smaller than you find in the store.

Red Russian kale is a great winter crop to plant in November or December.

Beets are also good during colder months and have a long harvest, since you can eat the leaves as salad throughout the season and pull out the root whenever you like.

Pole beans are pretty on a trellis in an odd corner of your garden. Pick them frequently–the more you harvest, the more they produce.

Jules Dervaes shares some is his tips to get you growing:

Start small so you have a better chance of success.

Begin with “foolproof” plants, such as herbs. Also find out what your neighbors are growing and ask your local nursery which plants and varieties do well in your area.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help, but still do most of the work yourself so you know what to plant the next year. Gardening for yourself is rewarding.

Garden as a family: “Especially when they bring it to the table, they’ll eat it if they grow it.”

Soil is the key to a successful garden. It is alive and needs to be well, so nurture it. It may take a long time to obtain healthy soil because nature takes a long time.

Be patient and never quit.

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