The Greenhorn and the green thumb: Harvest time

Back story: Mujwid-Cole, a lifelong gardener, tends her own plot in Minneapolis and also operates Tinka's Gardening (952-356-4226), a garden design and maintenance company.

Biggest success: Tomatoes. Mujwid-Cole is a self-professed "tomato snob" who grows 14 kinds, mostly heirloom varieties. Every year she tries a few new ones. This year those included Valencia ("meaty and bland; I will not grow those again"), Moonglow ("really good, with a little kick -- they're great on sandwiches") and Paul Robeson ("the skin is a little thick, but it has great flavor and looks beautiful when you slice it").

This season's experiment: Staking and tying her tomato plants, rather than using cages. The verdict? "I'm not so sure I'm pleased with it," she said. Her "monster plants" are so heavy that they're pulling the stakes out of the ground. "They're producing like mad, but I can't get through to pick 'em, there's so much foliage." Next year: "The stakes need to be driven deeper."

Biggest disappointment: Heirloom carrots. "I ended up with mutants. I think my soil is too compacted and rocky for them." They taste fine, she said, but their misshapen appearance is a turnoff to her daughter. "She says, 'I want the normal ones.'"

Biggest surprise: A volunteer pumpkin plant, probably the result of squirrel activity and a pumpkin she tossed last year. "It's just gone crazy. The vine is taking over my garden, and it's got a huge pumpkin on it, the size of a basketball."

Overall: "This summer has been really good for veggie gardeners," she said. There have been wide fluctuations in moisture and heat levels, which have caused blight for some gardeners. "But I've had a lot of success. I have an abundance. I was up until 1 in the morning canning."

Back story: DelMar, who lives in Minneapolis, bought her first house last year and planted her first garden this spring. She created it from scratch, using Craigslist to find free and inexpensive plants and garden materials. "I don't know what I'm doing at all," she said in May. But she was eager to learn and to start growing some of her own food.

Biggest disappointment: Low yields. She planted peas, beans, spinach, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, squash, strawberries, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, cantaloupes and watermelon. But while most of her plants appear to be healthy and thriving, they haven't produced much. So far, she's harvested just two small watermelons and a few beans -- "like five at a time. Not much you can do with that," she said. "I thought I wouldn't have to buy any veggies this summer. And I really wanted some fruit. I didn't want to overwhelm myself this year, but I guess I underwhelmed myself."

Possible causes: Mujwid-Cole, who agreed to be DelMar's garden mentor this season, suggested that low bee/pollinator activity might be limiting her yields. The heavy rains from earlier this summer could also be a contributor. "Rain can wash away pollen and keep the pollinators from visiting when they need to," she said. Low phosphorus levels in the soil also can result in plants with good foliage but not enough flowers to produce fruit; she suggested bonemeal fertilizer next spring.

Overall: Despite getting much less produce than she'd hoped, DelMar said she's still committed to growing her own food. Will she garden again next year? "For sure," she said. In fact, she plans to expand her edible garden. "Next year, I'm taking all the flowers out and making a bigger strawberry patch," she said. She also intends to plant more of the veggies she likes best. "I really want more beans and peas. That's my biggest goal for next year."

Kim Palmer • 612-673-4784