What the heck is a garden coach and do you need one? First let me give you a little context.
I’ve come to realize that I do not need to spend all my time being the expert in all things. I don’t have the time or energy resources to divide focus into researching everything I need to know about a particular subject. Too many rabbit holes, too little time. For example, I have a health coach/nutritionist that I’ve been working with for about 6 years. I wanted to take my health from good to optimal. I’m an athlete aside from being an avid gardener and her expertise, coaching, and courses have done wonders to educate me on how my unique body uses certain foods. Because of her, my health markers are all in the optimal range or trending that way, I’ve learned what signs my body gives me when it’s feeling less than optimal, and I know how to best fuel my body for my sport (triathlon) and for life. She is encouraging, she is an expert in her field, and I trust her explicitly. I turn to her when I need help because I know she is always on top of the latest scientific papers and research coming out. This alone takes a ton of stress off and let's me stay laser focused on my goals. Best of all, she is a cheerleader for my progress and that is incredibly encouraging.
So, by that standard a garden coach is a person who is an expert at growing things and wants to help you be a successful and confident gardener too. Not only are we in love with gardening on our own, we love to help others learn more about gardening and give new, and even knowledgeable gardeners, support and advice on how to garden better.
During a typical coaching session I come to my client's home for a one-on-one walk through of their garden. This is great time for us to discuss seasonal maintenance tasks that are specific to their garden and troubleshoot any current issues they're having. I will offer suggestions on the best use of their space, how to maximize fruit and veggie harvest, and even create a planting calendar if they want. I will also share the best local resources for a healthy and productive garden, like where to find good compost, irrigation supplies, my favorite nurseries and seed suppliers.
When does a garden coach come in handy?
You want to learn how and when to harvest the fruits and vegetables you are interested in growing.
You want to learn how to preserve your harvest, so you can enjoy garden produce in the cold season.
You want to establish a new growing space or flower bed and don't know where to start.
You want a personalized garden maintenance plan for your edible garden.
You want to learn how and when to start your own seeds (one of my favorite garden tasks).
You want to learn how to automate your watering chores with a drip irrigation system.
You want to know which plants are best for your garden space and where they will thrive.
You want to learn how to bring song-birds into your garden.
You are dealing with a certain pest and need help finding an environmentally sound and safe way to handle it.
Basically, a garden coach is your personal guide, teacher, and cheerleader wrapped up into one horticulturally enthused package. At least that's how I see myself.
I'm here to share my hard-won knowledge, tips, and tricks with you so that you can bypass the mistakes I've already learned from and grow your gardening knowledge faster. Pretty cool, huh? Click here to visit my services page learn more and book an appointment with me. If you don't live in Nevada County, visit the Gardenary site to find a coach in your area.
Now tell me, what do you think makes a good coach?
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