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Today we’re catching up with Anthony Zinfini, a gardener in Toronto.
I have been gardening since I was in diapers, playing in the dirt of my grandparents’ and other family members’ backyard gardens. As an older child and teenager, I would take the lead in gardening in my family’s backyard.
Some of the highlights of my gardening successes include maximizing my space and cultivating with successional planting techniques. Grow 4 pounds of tomatoes; Extending your active gardening season to 9 to 10 months a year, even coping with harsh winter temperatures; And successfully growing figs in Toronto (better suited to a Mediterranean climate) — not to mention the pride I’ve taken in the gardens I’ve created as well as inspiring thousands of people online. It is very rewarding when I teach people who are 20 years older than me how to garden.
Despite the successes, every year something goes wrong—insects, weather, soil conditions. And that’s right! Even as an “expert”, I embrace learning and trying new things, because not everything is perfect.
For the future, I hope to continue building my brand and business to help others learn the value of growing backyard vegetables — and in doing so, preserve Italian traditions and culture. A few weeks ago I received an email from a follower who told me that I had inspired his 90-year-old Italian father to try something new in the garden! Approaching a stubborn Italian man with new tricks?! It just shows me how vast and valuable my efforts can be.
Tomatoes are definitely one of the stars of my garden. In my opinion, there is nothing that has such a wide range of flavor profiles between store-bought and home-grown than tomatoes. People who have never tasted a backyard tomato before have no idea what a tomato tastes like. The fact that I have traced the seeds back to Italy in the 1960s makes them special to grow.
Many people think I grew up on a farm, but I actually live in an adjacent suburb less than 20 minutes from downtown Toronto. How? My next door neighbor and I have a “yard share” agreement. I created and managed a garden on their property apart from my property. And we share the grace!
A bowl of blackberries from the garden
A beautiful crop of cherry tomatoes
Figs — Yes, you can grow them in climates as cold as Toronto!
A clove of garlic
Summer in a Basket – Ripe Tomatoes
Now that’s a giant Swiss chard plant!
And a huge tomato!
If you want to see more from Anthony, check out his website (theyoungnonno.com), or follow him on Instagram: @theyoungnonno
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a special collection of your favorite plants, or a wonderful garden you’ve had the chance to see!
To submit, send 5-10 photos. [email protected] Along with some information about the plants in the photos and where you took the photos. We’d love to know where you’re located, how long you’ve been gardening, accomplishments you’re proud of, failures you’ve learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or your garden quirks. funny stories
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