Greetings:) Below you can read about the gardening experiences of Grow Ohio Valley’s Backyard Gardener participant Erica Cumpston. Erica is a second year Backyard Gardener participant, she was also in our program in 2023 with a focus on container gardening. She planted an in-ground garden last year with limited success, but is having more success this year with tilling assistance, fertilizer, and using organic mulches.

My adventure into organic gardening kicked off with a simple dream, drawn out on graphing paper. I pictured a lively garden, but I started with just a bare patch of grass in the backyard. The ground was a real mess—filled with dirt that had shards of glass and big rocks, not exactly the best setup for planting. A soil test revealed high phosphorus levels, adding another layer of complexity to my gardening plans.

After chatting with the amazing ladies at Grow Ohio Valley, we made some adjustments to my original ideas. After, we got to work tilling the soil and putting up fencing around the area to keep the critters out.

Once I had the basics down, I measured out my planting beds and created walkways between them using plastic, making it easier to navigate my little garden. To give the soil a boost, I grabbed bags of organic mulch made from chopped leaves and spread it over the beds. I also added some fertilizer to my beds to really nourish the plants and laid down wood chips on the paths to keep everything tidy.

At first, I wasn’t sure if anything would actually grow in such a tough spot. But I’m super happy to say that my tomatoes, pumpkins, watermelons, and potatoes are all thriving! It’s been so rewarding to see my hard work come to life.

Now, as I look at my garden, I can’t wait to see how it evolves over the next few months. Each new sprout and flower reminds me that even the most challenging spaces can bloom into something beautiful with a bit of effort and creativity.

Where we started.

Tilling and Fencing.

Adding mulch