Sean Dengler’s 2025 urban garden. PHOTO BY THE AUTHOR

While I am no longer growing food on a large scale, I became a slightly more aggressive gardener this year. I planted popcorn, peas, green beans, green peppers, sweet peppers, and sunflowers in a plot with a diameter of five feet. Marigolds and zinnias from the farm were also sprinkled in the small garden.

Despite the close quarters, all the plants have fared very well. The green beans have climbed up the sunflowers. They have also continually produced beans while hanging off the sunflowers. This cohesive interaction shows how nature works together. This has also spread to below the surface. After a few years of “no-till” gardening and growing a variety of plants, earthworms have multiplied year after year.

The sunflowers and popcorn rise above my height. Unfortunately, the popcorn will not be eaten. One, like all the other plants, a lawn treatment got aggressive and almost killed the crops before they started their life. After talking to Iowa State employees, they recommended not eating the produce from the affected crops. Two, the neighborhood gang of deer have made quick work of the popcorn. The yield was looking strong despite Southern Rust coming in late.

The sunflowers are near harvest as the heads dangle closer to the ground with each passing day, filled with seeds. This is the second year in a row growing sunflowers and last year’s crop was great. The green peppers have not fared as well due to the competition from the corn and sunflowers. Not enough light can be shared between these plants. It is still surprising how the green peppers have not died. It is a testament to their determination.

While planted as seeds, the sweet peppers have grown surprisingly well. Aided by being on the south side of the popcorn and sunflowers certainly helped. The peas performed well earlier this growing season. The zinnia seeds amounted to one zinnia, but the plant is looking better than ever despite one bulb being eaten by a deer.

The most surprising part of the garden are the marigolds. While being covered by all the other plants, these marigolds have done spectacularly well. It would be hard to tell them apart from my other garden’s marigolds which are growing with no competition from other plants. The vast amounts of rain have helped the marigolds, but it is still perplexing. This soil is not the beautiful northern Tama County soil. This soil is clay and then some.

My other green peppers in the garden not affected by the spray have also thrived. Compared to store bought peppers, they last longer and are crisper. The green peppers will be sticking in the rotation for years to come. It has been a successful growing season.

Looking forward to next year, the Three Sisters might make an appearance. Growing corn, squash, and beans together will provide an interesting look at how plants thrive off each other. This is the best part of growing crops. Seeing how they thrive or do not thrive and switching it up every year to learn something new is always fun. Onward and upward!

Sean Dengler is a writer, comedian, now-retired beginning farmer, and host of the Pandaring Talk podcast who grew up on a farm between Traer and Dysart. You can reach him at sean.h.dengler@gmail.com.