Fall Findings

Over the last two months, we hosted our Fall Gardening & Season Extension and Seed Saving workshops. Our gardeners have been harvesting lots! Many of them have been excited to dig out their potatoes and to see a continual harvest from their summer crops. 

As we look towards the fall, many of our gardeners are planting fall seeds and seedlings and thinking about which areas of their gardens that they might cover. As a program, we had an issue sourcing fall seedlings, so we have advised our gardeners to prioritize planting their fall seeds and are also offering them reimbursements to purchase their plants on their own. 

As we close out the workshop season, our end of season potluck will be this Saturday. We will gather to share our closing stories and impact of the season this year. 

We are constantly grateful for the community connections and impact that being a partner site with Grow Appalachia has led to. 

Jessica, a 3rd year, said that “Grow Your Own has become a lifestyle for me. It has opened doors into the community that I didn’t realize were there. I have learned about local quality plants vs big box stores, insect guidance, organic gardening, and best of all, meeting the community.” 

Chanda, a 2nd year, said “I am very thankful that Jessica introduced me to this program last year. I have fallen in love with gardening and my ability to grow food for my family. Just spending time in the garden makes me happy, even if it is hard work. Also, I have learned…just ONE ROW of cucumbers is more than enough to plant at a time!!!” 

As our gardeners have gained knowledge and experience, they can begin to teach others. Their advice to new gardeners would be: 

• “Be patient and attentive to your garden. Inspect it every day. Make notes of what worked best for you as well as what didn’t work well.”
• “I have learned…just ONE ROW of cucumbers is more then enough to plant at a time!!! Also…it might not always grow, but keep at it! Mother Nature might surprise you!” 
• “Stick with it, and enjoy!”
• “Keep at it”
• “Keep going even when it seems like you’re failing.”
• “Try, keep trying”
• “Don’t waste time trying to get everything right; just do your best and try to learn from mistakes”
• Checking your garden daily is #1. Squash bugs can destroy a pumpkin patch very quickly
• “Pay attention to spacing!”
• “Slow down, design to learn, make it Pinterest after your first year”
• “If something doesn’t go well, pivot and try again. I planted my cucumbers too close and they were competing and not producing enough. I ripped them out and started over. We had baby groundhogs continually get under our fence and eat crops. Don’t give up. What you get out of it is worth it. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or get help. Other people might be struggling with the same thing you are.” 
• “Be consistent and don’t get discouraged.” 
• “Stick with it! And you will mess something up! Just roll with it. Your plants are more resilient than you think.”
• “Spend time in your garden. Love and dedication !!!”
• Just get started! You can do it!
• stick with it, you will learn a lot
• Be a sponge… Don’t stress and jump in and try.
• “Jump in!” 
• “Keep on top of weeding and pest control” 
• “My biggest advice for a first-year grower is to stay consistent and pay close attention to the small details as your plants start growing. Try to visit your plot every other day to pull tiny weeds before they take over. ​Make sure to pinch off tomato suckers while they’re small, or your plants will get overgrown and unruly fast! Also, be careful when using hay or straw as mulch around new seedlings and smaller plants. If you put too much down or pile it too close, it blocks the sunlight and smothers the young growth before it even has a chance. Small, regular check-ins keep the garden manageable and thriving.”

As our program continues to grow, our staff is also growing to meet the needs of our expanding program. I would just like to take a second to introduce our other members of the Grow Your Own program team, both of which were Grow Your Own program participants and share their stories of how the Grow Your Own program helped them to become more involved in our community. 

A word from Valli: 

“Moving here two and a half years ago as an outdoor lover and foodie, I joined the Grow Your Own (GYO) program to connect with neighbors and try growing vegetables in our specific zone. The experience exceeded my expectations—the hands-on learning, vibrant garden, and welcoming atmosphere were so incredible that when a position opened up, I jumped at the opportunity.

That hands-on foundation completely shapes my work at Grow Oak Ridge. Having already volunteered at the Lavender Festival—one of the most seamlessly organized events I’ve ever been part of—I became familiar with how plugged-in Grow Oak Ridge is. GYO gave me the experience and community connection to confidently step into my role. I will use that experience to help out with our Winter Market relationship that includes local farmers, our farm-to-table dinner partnership with a local restaurant, and expanding our SNAP double-up program to make fresh produce truly accessible for local families.

Through this work, I’ve seen community building happen organically. I’ve made lasting friends with fascinating people from all walks of life across Oak Ridge. Our gardens and markets aren’t just food sources; they are gathering spaces where neighbors share tips, support local growers, and build a resilient food web together.

Looking ahead, I’m excited to:

• Deepen Restaurant & Local Partnerships: Expanding our garden-to-table dining events to highlight local harvests.
• Scale Food Access: Growing our SNAP-doubling outreach so even more families can utilize local offerings.
• Work on Winter Market Growth: Strengthening support for local vendors and keeping our community connected through the colder months.”

A note from Amelia:

“My experience in the Grow Your Own (GYO) program was honestly amazing. Before joining, I had never successfully grown vegetables of my own. I wanted to garden, but there was a big gap between wanting to be a gardener and actually knowing what I was doing. Katie gave me the tools, knowledge, and, most importantly, the confidence to get out into the dirt and figure it out. After two years in GYO, I went from thinking, “I’m not very good at this,” to realizing that growing food was something I could learn and do. That experience ultimately led me to become the Community Garden Manager for Grow Oak Ridge, and it continues to shape how I support other gardeners. I understand the questions, frustrations, and occasional “Why is this plant doing this?!” moments that come with learning something new, and I want gardeners to feel comfortable asking questions, trying new things, and learning from both successes and failures.

     Looking ahead, I’m excited to expand what we grow in the community garden and create more opportunities for kids to experience the joy of growing food. I’d love to add more melons and pumpkins for the Kids Garden Club and offer more kid-friendly workshops that make gardening feel playful and accessible. Most of all, I want the garden to become a stronger community, a place where neighbors share knowledge, lend a hand, and share their abundance. To me, gardening is about more than growing food; it’s about growing confidence, connection, and a sense of belonging.”