What is the minimum age to participate?

The workshop is open to participants aged 12 and up.

How do I sign up or ask questions?

Book through the provided referral link or contact Chloe Watts at 423-493-9155 or email: cwatts@crabtreefarms.org for questions and assistance.

Grow Your First Vegetable Garden: 2-Hour Beginner Workshop at Crabtree Farms, Chattanooga | Workshop | Farm

Q: Who leads the class?

The workshop is facilitated by Karen Creel, owner of Gardenchick, member of the Garden Coach Society and a certified Garden Coach; follow her work at www.Gardenchick.com.

Morning light shifts across the raised beds at Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga • 1000 E 30th Street Chattanooga, TN 37407, where a two-hour workshop strips vegetable gardening to practical steps for busy beginners. On March 28, join Beginner’s Guide to Growing Your Own Vegetable Garden with The Garden Chick, a concise class that teaches soil-building, site selection, seasonal plant choices, organic pest control, and square-foot raised-bed techniques. Facilitated by Karen Creel, owner of Gardenchick, member of the Garden Coach Society and a certified Garden Coach, the session blends hands-on demonstration with realistic tips for small yards, balconies, and time-strapped lives. Karen Creel lives on four acres in Chickamauga where she Gardens, creates DIY projects with her “junk” finds, and raises a few hens.

Expect an approachable, methodical lesson: testing and amending soil so plants establish quickly; choosing sunny micro-sites and container alternatives when ground space is limited; and mapping a season-by-season plan so you harvest rather than scramble. The class highlights practical natural pest deterrents—herbs and companion flowers—and shows how to organize a square-foot raised bed to maximize productivity without overwhelming maintenance. Key scene elements you’ll see up close include raised beds, rich amended soil, instructional planting layouts, and demonstration containers suited to urban plots.

This workshop is ideal for Chattanooga residents and visitors who want an easy entry into growing their own food. It’s suitable for participants aged 12 and up, accommodates groups up to 30, and runs about 2 hours. Bring curiosity and a notebook; tools and materials for demonstrations are provided. Refunds can be requested up to 7 days before the start of a workshop with a cancellation fee of 10% of the ticket amount. If you have questions, please contact Chloe Watts at 423-493-9155 or email: [email protected].

What makes this offering stand out is its focus on realistic, repeatable systems rather than garden fantasy: small-space strategies you can implement next weekend, organic pest control that works for home plots, and square-foot layouts that respect your time. Crabtree Farms sits within Chattanooga’s evolving urban landscape and serves as an accessible teaching ground where beginners walk away with a plan, not just inspiration. Whether you’re converting a patch of lawn, setting up balcony containers, or building a first raised bed, this workshop is a direct, practical route to eating what you grow.

At the end of the workshop participants receive practical next steps and a take-home planting guide, plus direction to follow-up resources on Karen’s blog at www.Gardenchick.com. Sessions emphasize low-cost, repurposed materials and do-it-yourself fixes so you can start with affordable supplies. Whether you are planning container herbs on apartment rail or a pocket raised bed in a yard, the course leaves you ready to plant season.