Caleb Williams

I designed residential gardens in Essex and Morris counties for close to thirty years, and the question clients asked most at the end of every job was how to keep it going themselves. Now that is all I teach. I became a Rutgers Master Gardener in 2012 and volunteer at the demonstration beds at Reeves-Reed Arboretum in Summit.

Most of my students want to grow tomatoes, herbs and a few flowers without kneeling in the dirt. We set up raised beds and containers at a comfortable height, pick plants that forgive a missed watering, and plan a simple calendar for the season. Gardening is real work for the legs and back, so I also fold in a short strength routine: lifting a watering can properly, squatting to a stool, stretching the shoulders before pruning.

I live in Short Hills with my wife, Diane, and grow far more basil than two people should eat. If you have a sunny porch, a few pots and some curiosity, that is enough to start.