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July 26, 2007

A Time to Grow

Student’s can enjoy gardening, even in small spaces

Story by: A.J. Eaton

The Shorthorn staff

Photo illustration: Robert Rodriguez

When most people think of college gardeners, they probably imagine plants growing in secret closets under heavy lights. This fall, a few university students are breaking that stereotype by creating bountiful gardens on the balconies and front porches of their apartments.

Design junior Hilary Pines has turned the front porch of her off-campus apartment into her own haven. Though her hectic work and school schedules keep her busy during the week, she still finds time to care for her plants.

“I love walking out on my balcony on Sunday mornings,” she said. “I get a cup of coffee, the newspaper and just sit back surrounded by flowers and plants. It’s like having your own sanctuary.”

Aside from her Sunday-morning getaways, Pines looks forward to the beginning of the fall garden season. Generally most gardening is done in the spring; however, due to the warm southern summers, a second fall gardening season allows those with green thumbs to bring in small harvests toward the end of October.

Pines especially looks forward to planting her fall tomatoes. Tomatoes mature in 70-75 days and are ready to eat in late fall. Pines said she eats every vegetable and herb she grows but is especially fond of her tomatoes.

“You can use tomatoes in almost any dish. I like making fresh salsa and pasta sauces a lot,” she said. “Every time friends come over, they always check to see what leftovers are in the fridge or what vegetables are on the counter.”

Pines got an itch to garden after a co-worker regularly brought in fresh vegetables and flowers for everyone.

“I saw this older woman at my work growing stuff and then bringing it in, and I thought I could do it, too,” Pines said. “I started growing flowers just because I thought it would be nice to have fresh flowers on the table when I have people over, but once I got into growing stuff you could eat, I couldn’t keep my friends away. You can really tell the difference between the stuff at the store and the stuff you pick yourself.”

Dana May, a gardening specialist with Calloway’s Nursery in South Arlington, said fall planting can really be fun but people need to understand some plants can’t grow in Texas’ Indian summers, or warm falls.

She suggests late-fall planters stick to flowers, grasses and herbs.

“Mums, asters and purple fountain grass are really good for the late fall,” May said. “Also sweet potato vines. Pansies are good, and peppers are really great in the heat. Our winters here aren’t so bad, so it’s really easy to grow almost anything.”

Pines has kept her garden for the last three planting seasons but said that when she first started, it was very difficult.

“I didn’t know where to start,” she said. “Every gardening book is for people with in-the-ground gardens and not for people planting them in pots, especially with vegetables.”

She said that now it all seems pretty easy. Every spring and fall, her kitchen is filled with herbs, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

“Most recently, I tried growing cucumbers for the first time,” she said. “I wasn’t really expecting a whole lot out of it, but they bloomed out, and I couldn’t give them away, I had so many.”

While Pines enjoys and encourages others to garden, those interested should note that every year numerous injuries involving gardening end in the emergency rooms.

In 2004, the United Kingdom reported around 87,000 cases of gardening accidents that required medical attention.

The lawn mower tops the list of the most dangerous pieces of equipment with 6,500 lawn mower-related accidents reported each year. The flowerpot is the second most dangerous tool, causing 5,300 accidents.

Incubus’ lead singer Brandon Boyd can relate to the 5,300 Brits injured by flowerpots. In January 2004, Boyd was in his front yard re-potting a tree when he lifted it and stepped backward onto a large shard of the original broken pot, severing 90 percent of his Achilles tendon.

While potting plants and growing flowers may not be as dangerous as other things, it can still be exciting.

Pines said she is excited every day just to see the plants grow a little more.

“You can’t wait ’til the flower you’ve planted blooms and comes to life,” she said. “It probably sounds cheesy, but it’s like giving life to something beautiful.”