The Gardening Guys: Vegetable Gardening That Is!

by Barbara Ingalls VanGossen

Most people are familiar with the health benefits gardening has on those that participate in the activity—improved cardiovascular health, increased Vitamin D production and decreased stress. And for those who garden vegetables, they can also experience enhanced nutrition because of the fresh, fiber-rich produce created.

But, what some may not realize is vegetable gardening is very attractive to men in particular. Men tend to enjoy it for the tangible sense of accomplishment, combining productive, goal-oriented labor with stress-relieving time outdoors. It creates the chance for hands-on work with visible before-and-after results. It also teaches mindfulness, patience and problem-solving. Research indicates approximately 40% of U.S. gardeners are men, and 55% of them specifically focus on cultivating vegetables.

Thrive found three such men who are each in different stages of their vegetable gardening experience. But, there was one thing they all had in common—they all like to EAT what they sow!

Questions:

1. How long have you been growing vegetables?

2. What benefits do you enjoy most from gardening?

3. What has been the easiest and the hardest parts about growing vegetables?

4. What is your favorite vegetable to grow? 

5. What do you do with your harvest?  

Brian Comeaux – Traded in his boat for a tractor.

1. I’ve been gardening most of my life. I started around age five helping my grandfather in his garden, and later spent years helping my dad with his gardens as well. I planted my first garden of my own in 1990, so gardening has been part of my life for decades. It’s become something that connects generations of our family.

2. Good food!  The biggest reward is watching something grow from seed to harvest and seeing the results of your work. Gardening is also relaxing and a great way to disconnect from everyday stress. I enjoy being outdoors, learning something every season and sharing fresh vegetables with family and friends. There’s also a lot of satisfaction in walking out to your garden and picking vegetables you grew yourself.

3. The easiest part is the enjoyment that comes from it—planting, watching things develop and seeing progress every day. The hardest part is managing everything nature throws at you: weather, heat, insects, disease pressure and timing. Living in south Louisiana means you’re always working around humidity, wind and changing conditions. Every season teaches you something new. 

For this current garden, the biggest challenge was preparation. I constructed it in fall 2025 and focused heavily on soil preparation before planting. This spring I installed weed barrier fabric and an automatic drip tape irrigation system. Putting in the groundwork early has made managing the garden much easier.

4. That’s hard to narrow down because I enjoy growing a variety of vegetables, but tomatoes are probably at the top of the list. I enjoy seeing large healthy plants loaded with fruit. I also enjoy growing cucumbers on arches and trellises because they create a unique look in the garden and make harvesting easier. Sweet corn is another favorite because there’s nothing better than fresh-picked corn.

5. We use a lot of it fresh at home, and there’s always plenty to share with family and friends. One of the best parts of gardening is having more than enough to give away. Seeing people enjoy fresh vegetables straight from the garden is part of the reward.

John Tarasiewicz – Assigns each of his girls their own vegetable responsibility.

1. I have been gardening and growing vegetables since 2021.

2. I really appreciate the relaxation and sense of accomplishment it provides, along with being able to involve my kids in the process. It is a great way to spend quality time outdoors together and help teach them patience, responsibility and how things grow.

3. The easiest part about growing vegetables has been the enjoyment of watching them grow and getting the kids involved in the process. The hardest part is keeping up with watering, pests and unpredictable SWLA weather while trying to keep the plants healthy throughout the season.

4. I enjoy growing tomatoes because they’re relatively easy to maintain, produce a lot throughout the season and taste much better fresh from the garden. 

5. I typically use the harvest in home-cooked meals and enjoy it fresh when possible. I also freeze some of the excess to use throughout the year and enjoy sharing extra produce with family and friends. 

Avery Williams – Motto: Grow. Cook. Eat. Repeat!

1. Started back in Indiana when I was an elementary school kid helping my mom in her garden.  It just kind of “grew” on me!  Once I was old enough to acquire my own land, I started my own garden. 

I’ve had one ever since.

2. Good food! I do it because I like to eat and I like to cook.  It’s hard to beat fresh produce.  Plus, I know where it is from and I know how it was grown.  I don’t use any chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers, etc.  Just composted manure, leaf litter, eggshells and coffee grounds . . . that’s it! 

3. Plants aren’t created equal. Some are easier to grow than others, at least for me!  I am not, by any means, a master gardener.  Some stuff I can’t grow that well.  I’ve never had much luck with green beans of all things.  They seem so easy for most everyone else, but not me!  Peppers, I can grow some peppers. And tomatoes!  Those two are by far the easiest for me to grow.  

4. That’s a tough one!  However, I really look forward to that first fresh tomato sandwich every year!  And if I had only one vegetable to grow it would definitely be tomatoes.  I only grow Better Boys.  

I know there are others, but that’s what my mom always grew, and they grow best for me.  

5. Eat!  That’s what it’s for!  Either fresh or jarred.  

We eat a lot of pickled jalapenos in our home so I’m always pickling them among other peppers.  I make my own tomato sauce and strawberry jam.  I love to cook and feed folks so it’s all just a good time for me!