Gardening lessons at home in Livingston, NJ

A vegetable garden at sitting height

Lots of Livingston gardeners grew tomatoes and zucchini for decades. When kneeling and bending get hard, the usual move is to stop. A better move is to bring the garden up. A raised bed at sitting height, or a few big containers on the patio, can grow plenty of tomatoes, peppers, herbs and lettuce.

A gardener can help plan the beds, pick varieties that suit containers, and set up the first planting. After that, weekly visits are watering, tying up tomatoes, harvesting and deciding what to plant next.

Raised beds also warm up sooner in spring and drain better after heavy rain. Fewer weeds, too, which saves your parent's back.

Ideas from around town

Livingston has a summer farmers market, and a walk through it in June or July is a good way to see what grows well around here. If a farm's tomatoes look great, ask the grower what variety they are. That's free advice from people who do this for a living.

The Livingston Public Library has gardening books for every level, and a gardener might suggest a couple to browse between visits. Seed catalogs over the winter are almost as much fun as the garden itself.

Neighbors are another source. Livingston has a lot of longtime gardeners, and the person down the street with the huge hydrangeas will usually be glad to tell you their secret.

Through the seasons

Spring is planting, which usually means longer visits. Summer is upkeep and harvest. Fall is cleanup, garlic and bulbs. Winter can move indoors, with houseplants, seed starting under a light in March, and planning the beds. A gardener will suggest what makes sense for each month.

For someone who has moved to a smaller place, maybe a condo with a balcony, containers and houseplants carry the hobby forward. The gardener can help pick plants for the light you actually have.

Booking

Each gardener picks an hourly rate from $50 to $150, for a 1, 1.5 or 2 hour visit. Spring planting days often take the full two hours. Ask in a message if they bring tools, soil or plants. Book four weeks at the same time through the season or every week until you cancel. A $2.50 booking fee and a 10% service fee are added at checkout, and the gardener's note after each visit says what was planted or picked.

For families who live away, the note is a good way to stay involved. Ask Dad about the tomatoes on your next call, and he'll have plenty to say.