Zanoni gardener says he learned ‘just about everything’ he knows about growing from his dad
Like father, like son Zanoni resident David Clardy, pictured above in front of his large garden this year, says he’s learned almost everything he knows from his father James Jordan, pictured in his own garden, below, several years ago. James and wife Debbie Jordan also live in Ozark County.
Editor’s note: David Clardy sets a sales table up at the farmers market on the north side of the Gainesville square on Tuesday mornings and at the Hometown Hardware first Saturday farmers market in Theodosia with his homegrown produce, salsa, pickles, jams and syrups and other homegrown and homemade goodies.
Featured gardener:
David Clardy, Zanoni
Describe your garden: I have a 40-foot by 80-foot garden area that has between 16 and 20 rows depending on the plants I grow that year.
This year I’m growing cucumbers, green beans, a few types of peppers, tomatoes and squash. There are also a couple permanent rows for onions and asparagus.
I grew lettuce and snow peas early in the spring and planted tomatoes and cucumbers in those rows when the lettuce and snow peas were finished producing.
This year is the first year I planted a container garden, which consists of 20 mineral tubs planted in various things. It’s been fun and challenging at the same time. I did a lot of companion planting in the tubs. In those I’m growing a couple varieties of sweet potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, dill, basil and a couple different pumpkins.
I also grew a bunch of dwarf sunflowers that were really neat.
How long have you been gardening? Are you influenced by anyone?
I have probably been gardening for 25 years. Anywhere that I’ve lived that I could put plants in the ground, I grew tomatoes and peppers.
Growing up, my dad James Jordan always had a garden and always preserved the veggies by canning or freezing them.
I learned just about everything I know about gardening from him and I still ask him questions when I run into problems with pests or diseases in the garden.
What is your favorite thing to grow? How do you utilize it after it’s grown?
It would be hard for me to pick a favorite thing to grow.
I grow lots of tomatoes. I started with 150 plants this year. It’s hard to beat the taste of a fresh picked garden tomato.
I turn a lot of my tomatoes into salsa and can them up.
I always save 40 pints of tomatoes for myself to get me through the year, and I sell the salsa and tomatoes at farmers markets in the area. I also give some for gifts to friends and family.
I always grow more vegetables than I’ll ever be able to use or save. So I sell them at the area markets, and I’ve also donated a lot of produce to various places in Gainesville.
Do you have any special tips, tricks or advice for other gardeners?
I think the best advice I’ve ever got was to keep from working in or picking the garden when it’s wet. It’s very easy to spread disease that way.
And I think any gardener would tell you visit your garden every day possible. The more time you can spend in it, the better your results will be.
What is your favorite part of gardening? What is your least favorite part?
My favorite part of gardening is watching everything mature. It’s so gratifying to see a tomato set, then grow for about 30 days and finally turn red.
Yellow squash are fun too. You need a male and female bloom and pollinators at the same time. Then a few days later you can pick it!
Pests are my least favorite.
The evil squash bugs and hornworms can end your season quickly if you’re not paying attention. I’ve found that Diatomaceous Earth applied liberally to the bottom and around squash plants works to control adult squash bugs. I use a flower sifter or strainer to sprinkle it around.
Do you have any fun stories from the garden?
I take my extra produce to the farmers market on the square in Gainesville on Tuesdays and to Hometown Hardware in Theodosia on their first Saturday market, and it’s always fun meeting new people and connecting with old friends.
Lots of garden stories are told by all.