From concrete patio into an edible garden
LOS ANGELES — Ken Sparks is a sentimental gardener.
The Ohio native’s East LA garden is filled with more than 50 types of fruit trees and plants, some of which pay homage to his family and reflect the diversity of his hometown of Twinsburg.
“I have little pieces of home in my garden,” said Sparks, 37, as he identified water lilies and an heirloom beefsteak begonia from his grandmother’s garden. “One of the things that keep me grounded is my garden. It reminds me of my family, and of Ohio.”
He grew up gardening alongside his grandmother. When she died in July, he planted peach, apple, plum and nectarine trees in her honor.
His terraced backyard is primarily concrete, but he has managed to transform the hardscape into something alive and soft with chickens, a butterfly garden and a surplus of organic vegetables that he has planted in raised beds installed on top of concrete.
In addition to his mini fruit orchard, he is growing corn and carrots; chard and squash; beans and tomatoes. African blue basil and unusual mints — pineapple and strawberry — occupy the bees. As an experiment, he is growing pineapple in a wine casket. And in front, monarch butterflies flock to the parking strip that he removed and replanted with milkweed, sunflowers, butterfly bush and lavender.
Over the years, he has revitalized community gardens in Illinois, Ohio and Watts. “It is imperative that communities are provided with gardening resources, holistic programs and activities,” he said.
So when his work as a musician and a production coordinator stalled, due to the coronavirus pandemic, Sparks started Farmer Ken Official on Instagram and pivoted to garden consulting.
“A lot of people are reaching out to me for edible gardening advice,” Sparks said. “My goal is to help others start their gardens and expose the community to organic gardening and healthy cooking and eating.”
This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.
Q: What are your favorite plants?
A: My favorite plant is the sunflower. They are majestic, hardy, tall and come in a variety of colors. There are many colors other than the traditional yellow ones. I love the multibranched ones because they bloom over an extended period of time. Here in LA, we can grow them yearround. They also attract pollinators, which are needed for the fruit to develop. Sunflowers also have the incredible ability to pull heavy metals from the soil and clean contaminated soil.
Q: What are your plans for when the pandemic is over?
A: The implementation of community garden spaces in areas where space is limited, which is common in many urban communities, and helping to identify a common place where people can have the plot to grow their own produce.
Additionally, garden education is important. There are skills that are learned through experience and there is a science behind some of the techniques that are used. One of my goals is to equip people with knowledge to be successful with their own gardens.
I have launched my Etsy shop, which has some plants, herbs and seeds for purchase. I have also provided fresh eggs and herbs at a local farmers market. For garden consultation, the Farmer Ken Company, I am providing garden planning and implementation to clients that are tailored to their space and needs.
Q: Can you offer any advice to people who, like you, have a lot of concrete?
A: There are a lot of creative ways to grow and utilize space. You can grow in raised beds, pots and planter boxes. To expand my
garden, I placed six raised beds on top of a concrete area in my backyard. In those raised beds I am growing corn, squash, carrots, garlic, chard, kale, cucumber, beans, lettuce and tomatoes. I am also growing strawberries and some herbs in pots.
Many vegetables can successfully be grown in smaller areas, and there are certain varieties that require less space. For instance, bush beans (and) bush cucumbers, produce full-sized fruit that do not form long trailing vines. Husky cherry tomatoes are compact and perfect for a patio garden space. Dwarf and ultradwarf cultivars of fruit trees produce full-sized fruit but take up far less space than full-sized trees. Kale, chard, lettuces, spinach, greens, carrots (and) tomatoes can grow in small areas. Many herbs also do well in pots.
Q: You’ve worked with kids in Chicago and Los Angeles. How does gardening impact them?
A: One of the greatest impacts that I have seen is watching youth take pride and ownership in designing and planning their growing space and harvesting their own food. I take a holistic approach in programs that I have implemented, whereas partnerships were developed to provide healthy cooking and fitness opportunities for youth, their families and the community.
Q: You are sentimental about plants. Can you share why?
A: I amvery sentimental about some of my plants. I have an heirloom beefsteak begonia potted in one of my garden spaces. I started the plant from a small cutting after my grandmother passed away last year and it started blooming this year. It is like having a piece of home here in my garden space in LA.