Celebrating America’s First Gardeners

In honor of Presidents’ Day, here’s a salute to America’s First Vegetable Gardeners.

When America was young and struggling for independency , almost everyone was a nurseryman . People grow crops to feed their family , and with luck , there would be enough to betray to keep the farm going .

Those who were well off had land and time to try out with new crops and Modern methods of cultivation . Gentlemen farmers , like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin , formed societies for elevate agriculture as a means to serve produce the new nation ’s economy .

One of the fascinating facts about George Washington is that he was obsessed with manure . He experiment with many dissimilar combinations , searching for the perfect convention to maturate the most rich crop on his estate at Mount Vernon .

Thomas Jefferson was particularly concerned in planting and acquire at Monticello , his plantation estate . There he had terraced garden where he try out with different miscellanea of grapes , as well as beans and corn . He also expend prison term exchange come with other gardeners here and in Europe .

He kept detailed notes in his journal , and that ’s how we acknowledge he also liked to turn jumbo vegetable . He grew 24 - inch cucumbers with seeds sent to him from the former regulator of Ohio .

Jefferson also enjoyed an one-year , informal competitor with his neighbors to see who could grow and glean the first crop of Englishpeaseach season .

“ By staggering his planting and growing at least fifteen different varieties of English peas , Jefferson could revel fresh peas from mid - May to mid - July , ” writes Bill Laws in his book , Spade , Skirret and Parsnip : The Curious chronicle of Vegetables(Sutton Publishing , 2004 ) .

There ’s much more to take about Jefferson and his piece of work in the fields and gardens of early America because he was passionate about his garden until he pass in 1826 .

If you ’re concerned in reading more about our country ’s founding farmers , Andrea Wulf ’s leger , Founding gardener : The Revolutionary Generation , Nature , and the formation of the American Nation(Vintage Books , 2012 ) is a dandy place to start .

o.k. Gardening Recommended Products

A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

o.k. Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through tie-in on this site , including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising platform .

Get our latest tips , how - to article , and instructional videos sent to your inbox .

Signing you up …

What’s Bugging You in the Garden?

Deep-Rooted Wisdom Book Review

Beginning Gardeners will Love the Seedsheet

Giving Thanks for the Patron Saint of Gardeners

Join Fine Gardening for a free engross live webinar have Dr. Janna Beckerman , a renowned plant pathologist as well as prof emerita at Purdue University and the ornamentals expert manager …

When I spotted a particular sand dollar cactus ( Astrophytum asterias ) at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few months ago , I recognise I was in worry . With a delightful colour pattern …

When we only prioritize plant we require over plants our landscape painting pauperization , each time of year is filled with a never - terminate listing of chores : pruning , pinching , watering , treating , remediate , and fertilizing , with …

Video

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be careful when you enter the backyard of garden designer Jeff Epping — not because you ’re likely to jaunt on something , but because you might be dive - flunk by a pair …