Jackson Free Press

Gardening is not only for those of us endowed with large yards. One of Jackson's most unusual gardens is located in the back of a pickup truck owned by garden expert Felder Rushing. Vegetables, herbs and flowers follow him wherever he drives, proving Rushing's claim that gardens need not be large or complicated.

Rushing insists that "if you can fry an egg, you can garden." He advocates starting small and simple and mixing a variety of plants together in one bed to minimize the visual impact if one of your plants dies. Rushing explains that this technique of interplanting is "what gardeners have done for centuries," and if deployed correctly, it can hide the bare earth year-round.

But don't feel like you must plant a traditional bed with neat rows. You can start with a bucket on your front porch, a container on your balcony or roof or a pot in your kitchen window. A no-nonsense gardener, Rushing says many beginning gardeners are overwhelmed by complicated (and expensive) details that aren't necessary. Don't be daunted by what he describes as "that rose society stuff." Choose from a selection of easy-to-grow plants meant for your area. You can't always trust garden centers to provide that basic information, Rushing says. That's why you'll find, for example, that the varieties of cherry trees offered by some local garden centers often grow poorly in Mississippi. Rushing's most reliable source for good plants and great advice is Herbie Austin at Hutto's Home and Garden Center in South Jackson.

Rushing suggests growing lettuces on your porch as a fun introduction to urban gardening. Get a 12-inch pot and fill with soil. Mix a variety of lettuce seeds and plants in the pot. Each week for three or four weeks, start a new pot. Once your lettuce from the first pot looks ready to eat, you can have a steady supply of salad from your porch from September through June. Just be sure to bring the pots indoors any night the temperature will be in the teens, Rushing says.

You can get a handout listing Jackson's impossible-to-kill plants by e-mailing him through his Web site: felderrushing.net. Rushing will also send you simple handouts on composting, container gardening, green roofs, Mississippi fruits and vegetables and much more. And he's always happy to answer your specific gardening questions.

Previous Comments

ID

84965

Comment

I still remember when he visited our fourth grade class and gave us all peppers and sprigs of thyme, which I said smelled like pizza. Yummy.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-08-16T17:59:54-06:00