Featured Garden: My Aquaponic Greenhouse

I first became a serious gardener when my kids were born 18 years ago. I called it my sanity time because I could engage in something outside the house (barely) during nap-times and still hear the baby monitor.

Gardening continued to be something I could do with and around the kids throughout the time I was a stay-at-home mom. In 2003, I took my hobby professional and became the head of Plant Products Development for AeroGrow International, the makers of the AeroGarden. I left them in 2009 as the VP of Marketing and New Product Development to pursue my interest in aquaponics.

Aquaponics is an amazing way to grow plants without soil using the waste water from growing fish!

My favorite plants are tomatoes – hands down. I'm a tomato freak. And they must be real heirloom indeterminate tomatoes, not these hybridized self-contained plants. I not only love the flavor and variety of heirloom tomatoes, but I love taming the wild, crazy vines!

That's easy - the fish are my favorite feature! My greenhouse is alive with tilapia, for eating, and koi, for their beauty. The reward me with a perfect fertilizer for my plants.

Because right now I'm gardening mostly in a greenhouse (it's winter here in Colorado!), I'd say insect control is a bit of an issue. I hate dealing with them, but they are a fact of life in a greenhouse. I need to be very careful how I control them because of the fish.

Think beyond the dirt! You aren't limited by the soil condition, location, and availability in your backyard. You also don't need to be limited by your physical capabilities. With alternative gardening techniques like aquaponics you can garden anywhere, including in your basement, without the strain of digging,weeding, etc.