In the know.

Last year, Independent Living resident Andy Anderson, approached Heath Foust, Executive Director of PineCrest with an idea. He wanted to develop a container garden, but he needed to find a space that would work. Foust was energized by the idea and took Anderson to the Assisted Living Courtyard, a space that gets great sunlight and has plenty of room for what he had in mind.  

In the first year, however, his container garden would become even more than he had in mind. Anderson was nurturing ten tomato plants, but the requests from his neighbors was outpacing what the plants could produce. Now, he keeps twenty-six tomato plants in the community courtyard with six varieties of tomatoes, each reaching nearly three-feet tall.  

With such impressive outcomes, two years in a row, one might think that Anderson was a long-time container gardener. The truth is, this is actually his first time to grow plants in this manner. Container gardening is quite different than a traditional garden and requires an especially attentive gardener who can adapt to the various needs of the plants. For example, plants in a container will heat up or cool down more quickly than in-ground plants making temperature sensitivity a major variable to consider. These plants may also require more frequent watering as they are more susceptible to dry out faster than plants in the ground. Additionally, the roots are restricted in a container, keeping them for reaching deeply into the ground for needed nutrients, therefore, it is important to provide more frequent fertilization to ensure the plants thrive.

On the other hand, the perks of container gardens are many with improved pest management ranking at the top of the list. Certainly, pest control remains a concern for any skilled gardener, but container gardens tend to be less accessible to common pests found in the ground.

For Anderson, an entirely different list of perks seemed to surface. “Andy is the talk of the town with all of his neighbors admiring his plants. He also worked with a group of home school kids, teaching them about his methods and they were so amazed to see the results,” shared Foust.  

Anderson’s initial idea was like a seed that has since sprouted and grown beyond anything he had ever dreamed.

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