Mr. Bennecke, one of the amazing teachers at JVA, has been gardening for around 20 years all around the US, from Iowa to Las Vegas and now to Colorado. His most recent endeavor in the last three years has been starting an impressive 200 square-foot garden after digging up the sand that surrounded his home that was previously a schoolhouse. At the moment, he’s in the process of growing an incredible array of fruits, vegetables, and assorted plants – let’s have a look!
The Crops
Fruit & Vegetables
Mr. Bennecke Pro Gardening Tip: In Colorado, don’t plant until Mother’s Day for ideal growing conditions! If you plant beforehand, cover your crops with blankets to protect them from wintery weather.
Currently, Mr. Bennecke is growing blackberries, boysenberries, and golden raspberries.
Garlic is one of the main things that Mr. Bennecke is growing. Garlic plants are bulbs, similar to tulips, and they’re best planted in the fall before the ground freezes. They’re also typically the first crop to come up and signal that others will be following. Specifically, he’s growing Russian red garlic, which has a purple hue as well as a more spicy taste than regular garlic.
Here are some pickles and pickled peppers, all made from ingredients found in the garden, including dill, cucumbers, peppers, and garlic.
Mr. Bennecke has planted chives that are starting to sprout up, and he often has to clear away unnecessary clutter so the chive plants have space to flourish. He’s also planting asparagus, which he says is hard to grow in Colorado due to the snow, and he was planting rhubarb, which will now have to be regrown. He had great success growing giant pumpkins, squash, and zucchini last year.
In his basement, Mr. Bennecke’s also working on a lot of potatoes, which have to be kept under cold temperatures and low light to grow effectively. Some of the potatoes have purple stems, which are huckleberries that are purple on the outside and yellow on the inside, and they aren’t easily available to be purchased. They’re also around the size of golf balls. He recommends making them into delicious purple french fries, and he’s growing them alongside some Yukons.
Mr. Bennecke Pro Gardening Tip: Grow plants that you won’t be able to find easily in stores (especially if you’re a cooking aficionado).
Additional Plants
Mr. Bennecke’s growing hops up the side of his fence, and he prefers them to grapevines because of the way they look as well as their distinctive aroma. He’s used them to make alcohol-free fermented kombucha for his family. He’ll be pruning them around winter as well to clear excess growth. Additionally, he’s planted some flowers for his daughters.
Mr. Bennecke Pro Gardening Tip: Prune away dead crops over winter to keep the soil in good condition and preexisting roots safe.
Gardening is a process that takes a lot of time and effort, which Mr. Bennecke continues throughout the year. In the next issue, we’ll take a look at the growth progress of the crops that have already been planted and what exciting new crops Mr. Bennecke will have ready to go by mid-spring.