Owen Dodson works on his raised-bed garden last spring. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Alessio
Owen Dodson's passion for plants bloomed early. "When I was 5 or 6, I started gardening with my dad and kind of fell in love with it," the Bloomingdale eighth grader tells Axios.
- Owen's father passed away unexpectedly last spring, and he's used gardening as a way to remember and heal.
🧑🌾 In the week before the start of the unofficial planting season, we asked if he could share some of his experiences and tips.
His crops: "I love to plant pumpkins and watermelons because even though they're challenging, they're a whole bunch of fun."
- "I also like sunflowers because I see them as a vegetable and flower at the same time."
- Owen also sprouts potatoes in his closet over the winter so he can plant them in mid-spring to be ready by the fall.
Be smart: "Lettuce is probably the easiest and fastest to grow," Owen says. "It's great for cool climates, and you can harvest in one big bunch or over time."
- "Radish is another cool-season crop and very, very fast growing. So if you're impatient with gardening, it's a really fun plant to grow.
- "Herbs are really easy to grow. Probably the easiest one of all of them is basil, which is a classic. And there are all sorts of different colors and flavors. So I find those are a lot of fun."
What we're watching: Owen doesn't just garden. The tween also hosts the YouTube cooking show "Owen's Treats."
- Recipes range from baked buñuelos and peanut butter bars to his all-time favorite, a chocolate chip cookie microwaved in a mug.
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