dr Kelley’s garden guide

  • The easiest to grow are peppers, green beans, dark leafy greens (like collard or kale), and herbs (like parsley and mint). Water daily until the seedling is established. Fertilize with an organic fertilizer every 2 weeks.

  • If you are new to gardening, start small.

    Get a 12-inch pot and buy organic gardening soil. Buy three organic seedlings from a store or online. Fill the pot halfway with soil and then add the seedling. Add 1 tablespoon of organic granular fertilizer. Then fill to the top with more soil. Water well. Be sure to water consistently so the soil does not dry out especially in the summer heat.

    If you want to save some money, buy non-GMO heirloom seeds. Green beans are one of the easiest plants to grow from seeds. Plant the seeds according to the instructions on the seed pack.

  • In the winter I grow cold loving veggies like collards, kale, garlic, onions, beets, cabbage, and lettuce. I cover them with a cloth or clear tarp when the temperature does below 30 degrees F..

  • I start seeds for spring garden indoors in February which include tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and herbs. I put them into the garden after the last frost.

    Spring is the time that my hard work getting the winter garden from freezing pays off as the winter greens continue to produce and flourish until it gets too hot in the late spring.

    In addition to the transplants, in the early spring, I direct sow seeds like beets, sugar snap peas, green beans, and lettuce.

  • While in the north, gardeners can continue growing the spring veggies, in the hot and humid south, this is not possible. In the summer, I focus on cucumber, squash, tomatoes, peppers, okra, green beans, cow peas, and sweet potatoes.

  • In the fall, I start the vegetables that I enjoy in the winter. I direct sow cool loving veggies including lettuce, kale, collards, broccoli, carrots, and onions from late September through early October, and they will grow through the winter. The important thing is to get them established at least 3 weeks before the first frost. For me, this is around early November.

photos from dr Kelley’s healing garden

Green plant with large, broad leaves growing in soil, supported by a wire trellis, in a garden setting.
Close-up of a green cucumber growing on a vine among surrounding leaves in a garden.
Close-up of a red cayenne peppers growing on a plant amid green leaves.
Close-up of a tall, green celery plant growing in soil among other plants.
A large wooden barrel planter filled with green leafy plants and orange and red marigold flowers. The planter is on a gravel path in a backyard, with tall trees and dense green foliage in the background. To the right side, part of a raised garden bed with plants and gardening tools is visible.
Green cabbage plants growing in a garden, covered with a black insect net to protect them.