At the end of 2009, we caught up again with Chef Marc McDowell at the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, who, as you may recall from previous posts, put in an extensive kitchen garden on the grounds of the resort. Echoing the feelings of many a new gardener, Chef McDowell said he spent the year alternatively exhilarated -- when his crops did well -- and disappointed -- when pests invaded. “I have never felt so hopeless than those times when I see total devastation, but when I see something doing well it’s a real feeling of pride,” said McDowell, who said gardening has become a real passion for him. We discussed the similarities between gardening and cooking – and how they both involve trusting your intuition a bit. “It's a feeling. If you think it’s going to taste good, it’s probably going to taste good. And if you think a plant needs water, it probably does,” said McDowell.

McDowell’s goal for the new year is to take what he’s learned and become more proactive. “I’ll adjust when I put certain vegetables in and try to be more ahead of the game instead of just reacting,” said McDowell, who’s been selected for the 2010 University of Hawaii Maui Master Gardener Training Program. The program begins on January 20 -- right around the same time his wife is due to give birth to their second child.

Chef McDowell sent along a recipe for a corn-and-lemongrass veloute – which he describes as a great soup that combines Hawaiian and Southwestern tastes and is made using ingredients right out of the garden. “It’s a chicken-stock-based soup that thickens itself because of the corn,” said McDowell. “We add crab to make it our signature soup.” (Click "read more" for recipe.)

We recently received the following question: We had a family vote on what to plant in our backyard garden and raspberries won in a landslide. I have no experience with raspberries and wondered if you could give some advice. We are in Redondo Beach and would plant them by a fence where it's mostly shady. It gets late afternoon sun for about two hours in winter, longer in the summer. Thank you! Jennifer S.

For some answers, we first contacted the University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener helpline at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 323-260-3238. Here is the response from Master Gardener Volunteer Lorraine Zecca: 
“Raspberries are a good choice for Redondo Beach. They will do well if
 planted in full sun. The canes should be kept upright with the support of
a trellis. For more detailed information on growing raspberries, check the 
link below: http://groups.ucanr.org/cagardenweb/Berries/Raspberries.htm
"

We also contacted Judy Frankel, an organic gardener in the South Bay who runs the Rancho Palos Verdes Fruit Exchange, for her advice: “Raspberries do best in full sun, so if you plant them where it's mostly shady, you may not get the best production. They are a prolific plant that send a lot of suckers out from the original roots, and you have to thin the suckers. I like Heritage, as they are my most productive variety (I have four varieties.) They like to be planted in a raised bed if possible. This will control the suckering a bit."

Good luck -- and let us know how it goes!

The idea of sharing gardens is not a new one but, with more and more people embracing the idea of sustainable gardening, it is increasing in popularity. And no wonder. It’s a great idea -- both for the apartment-dwellers who love to garden and for those who have the land but don’t have the time, resources or inclination to do anything with it.

For us at GardenstoTables, it was just that – a great idea – until I received the following e-mail:

"I read about you in Westways and went to your website. After reading about how excited you were to rent a plot at the SM community garden I had an idea. Why wait for a plot to become available. What if there are people in the West LA area who are not gardeners (like me) who have the perfect space for a garden but will never plant one. I would love to let anyone use my yard or untended patch of dirt to plant, experiment, tend or whatever. I would even help pay for supplies if someone just lovingly dealt with it.  Just a thought....if you know anyone who wants a little plot to plant...have them send me a note! Nina."