Master Grower Joel Chesebro Shares Tips for a Flourishing Vegetable Garden

Your best-kept dinner-party secret could be just outside your back door. There's a certain magic to strolling through your perfectly landscaped yard and lavender-lined walkway to pluck a freshly ripened heirloom tomato from your own vegetable garden.

The process of watching a simple seed you've planted grow into a beautiful blooming plant sparks a inimitable sense of joy. Not to mention, how impressive it is to lay out an entire dinner spread filled with vibrant fruits and vegetables cultivated a mere couple steps from your stunning outdoor room.

Head Demonstration Chef Joel Chesebro in the 2 ½ - acre garden at Sub-Zero’s headquarters in fitchburg, wisconsin.

Bob Coscarelli

However, producing a bountiful harvest at this caliber takes time and patience. Luckily, master growers like Joel Chesebro, the Head Demonstration Chef for Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove, have developed innovative ways to ensure your garden hits its peak year after year.

More From Veranda

preview for HDM All sections playlist - Veranda US:

Here, the celebrated chef reveals his five secrets for cultivating a plentiful vegetable garden.

Aim for a Small Plot and Big Gains

“The biggest mistake new growers make is planting too much at first—that’s the easy part. It’s sustainable to start small and grow only what you can realistically maintain. Besides, you’ll be amazed at how much production can happen in a relatively modest plot.”

Become a Master Observer

“Planting a few containers first is a great way to get to know the growing habits and pest considerations of different plants. You learn to be observant, to see what’s working, and adapt. Then expand to raised beds, which make it easy to retain control over the quality of the soil.”

Head Demonstration Chef Joel Chesebro stocks the kitchen with seasonal crops like Purple Haze carrots.

Bob Coscarelli

Guarantee Early Wins

“Veggies like radishes and squash offer immediate gratification, which is fun in the spring, when you want something right away. Also try planting a couple things with complementary flavors, like heirloom tomatoes and basil. It’s an instant reward in the kitchen.”

A rustic dining table filled with rainbow carrots, heirloom tomatoes, and arugula.

Bob Coscarelli

Delight With the Wild Cards

“I think it’s important to plant a couple things that are offbeat and out of the ordinary, like green zebra tomatoes, rainbow carrots, purple cauliflower—anything with fun color can turn into a runaway hit when cooking for friends. It’s like growing your own conversation pieces.”

Reap the Life Lessons

“It’s a bit of a cliché to talk about what gardens can teach you, but there’s a tremendous amount of truth to it. Even small plots require you to be subservient to the processes of nature. There’s nothing like a bumper crop of tomatoes to spur a last- minute dinner party.”