So you’ve decided to move to South Dakota, and you noticed that everyone here is really good at gardening and/or farming.
Chances are, if you’ve moved to a rural area from the city, a big part of that decision was to have more immersion in nature. You could ask the locals how to grow things successfully, but they don’t necessarily know how the mind of a New Yorker works or what the climate is that you’re used to.
So, as a New Yorker who’s been in Sioux Falls since 2022, I’m the perfect candidate to walk you through this!
Rather than just taking in the typical wildlife you see in Tompkins Square Park (pigeons, squirrels, crust punks), you can actively grow something in South Dakota, even if you just have a balcony!
I’m not going to explain how to “tetris” a small space if you’re only working with a patio. This is one skill that you already have if you’ve lived in the city. Congratulations on being an expert.
Now, let’s cover the most important things for a newbie to learn:
One: Be Ready for Everything to Die
Especially if this is your first year trying to grow a patio garden in South Dakota, be mentally prepared for between 50%-100% of your plants to die by the middle of July. The climate here is much more harsh than what you’re used to. You’ll basically get a few monsoon rains (and maybe some tornados) in the spring, followed by months that can reach over 100 degrees with high humidity but no real rain. But this is STILL better than dealing with whatever nonsense drove you out of New York (we won’t talk about what it was).
No matter how much your garden in Brooklyn stayed mostly alive even when your hippie/punk/anarcho-communist roommates slacked off instead of helping you get rid of the vine borers, that won’t necessarily happen here. The default is everything on the balcony frying to death before you even know what happened.
Don’t beat yourself up if you find everything dried out and shriveled up. Maybe get a compost bin to throw it all into and tell yourself, “the circle of life continues.”
Take note of what does survive, and plant more of that next year.
Two: “Self-Watering” Containers are Your Friend
Don’t even bother buying containers that aren’t marketed as “self-watering”. The description on there will basically say that the water will last for 2 weeks, but you’ll want to refill it more often than that.
In South Dakota, “self-watering” containers will work as well as “normal” containers worked in New York. These should be your baseline of what will maybe keep something alive.
Here’s some good examples:
https://www.bhg.com/best-self-watering-planters-7112388
Three: Keep Containers Portable
You’ll probably have one or two days when the rain and wind is so intense you’ll want to bring all the planters into your living room to minimize the destruction from the weather. If you get home from work on time, having wheels on containers will make this easier! If you get there too late, just sigh as the intense wind and rain blow mud all over your balcony.
Four: Be Absolutely Sure Containers are Draining if They Don’t have a Reservoir
If you happen to get a container that isn’t the “self-watering” type (which I DO NOT recommend), be sure that there’s drainage holes… after a really heavy rain, you could end up with a water-logged container that’s impossible to lift, and the next thing you know, the floor under it is rotting. Don’t ask how I know this. Just be sure there’s drainage holes if there’s no reservoir.
Five: Desert Plants are a Good Choice
Self-explanatory. If you see a seed packet that advertises itself as desert wildflowers that will cover a large area, just dump the entire thing into those baskets you bought before you realized you need “self-watering” containers. That way, when you can’t keep up with watering those baskets, at least a few plants will survive since they’re optimized for the direct sun and low water conditions.
Seven: Plants I Recommend
Here’s a list of plants I’ve had success with keeping alive outdoors for an entire season:
- Basil
- Purslane
- Marigolds
- Bachelor’s Buttons
- Wood Sorrel
- Wild Spinach
- Pumpkins
Purslane seems to be the most hardy out of these since it’s a bit like a cactus, but the basil will grow almost into a small shrub if you’re lucky!
Eight: They Have Free Compost at the Dump
Seriously, the dump right out of Sioux Falls has a mountain of free compost. Just bring a bucket and shovel and pick up as much as you need for your containers.
Nine: Pumpkin Leaves are Edible
I had zero success growing anything that people normally associate with the term “leafy greens” (they all fried instantly like a wizard was pelting them with fire spells), but the pumpkins I put in did very well in a large “self-watering” container. It turns out the leaves on these are edible and healthy!
https://www.urbangardengal.com/pumpkin-leaves-eating-cooking/
My favorite way to prepare pumpkin leaves is to sautee them in olive oil with a bit of Celtic sea salt and ground pepper in a cast iron pan, and then pour some pasture-raised eggs over them to make an omelet. With inflation affecting food prices, who can afford NOT use their space creatively? There was a term for this in the first half of the 20th century: “Victory Garden”.
Don’t be stingy harvesting leaves and think you need to save some “for later”– they’re just going to dry out if you don’t use them. Leave about 1/3 of on the plant and eat the rest early in the season, but just go for it with total abandon later in the season.
Ten: No Shame in Using a Hydroponic System
Sure, the people who have been farming here for generations might think you totally lack skills if you do this, but whatever. Indoor hydroponics are great because they provide fresh produce year-round, and the odds are that the AI that’s been trained to keep them alive is actually better at that job than a city slicker is.
Eleven: Use Mulch
No matter how much you water your plants, the top layer of soil is going to bake in the sun like a creme brulee by July unless you cover it up. So think of it like you’re a Victorian-era lady and that top layer is an exposed ankle: COVER IT.
Twelve: This is Going to be SO Satisfying
You’re going to constantly be posting photos of your gardening “wins” on social media and sending pictures to people back home in New York. They’ll have no idea how challenging this was or how accomplished you’re feeling.
When you win and things actually survive on your patio, be sure to flaunt it and bask in how awesome it feels. It’s like leveling up in life.
