01 Mar 2025 Nickalas and the bearded dragons
By Lori Dunn
Nickalas Page of Searcy is a typical teen who enjoys being outdoors and doesn’t mind getting a little dirt on his hands. One of his main hobbies, however, is one he shares with older generations. Now 14, he has been an avid gardener since he was 10.
“It sort of started with my mom; she would grow flowers. And my neighbor Pat, a really nice lady, always had gardens. She gave me some books about it,” Nickalas said.
He started his first garden in the backyard of the home that he shares with his parents, Amber and Damon Page, and older brother, Damon Jr. The first thing Nickalas ever planted was tomatoes. “I would start from seeds, a damp paper towel and a Ziplock bag. I would let them germinate and then let them spread,” Nickalas said.
Tomato seeds usually germinate in five to 10 days, but the exact time depends on the temperature and the age of the seeds. Tomato seeds also need warmth, moisture and darkness. The best time to start tomato plants from seeds is about six to eight weeks before they are planted.
Many adults began gardening during the COVID-19 pandemic when they found themselves at home with more time on their hands. Nickalas also discovered gardening during the pandemic. “It was something to help get in touch with nature, something to look forward to,” he said. He said gardening helped break up the daily routine of virtual school.
Since that first garden, Nickalas has planted sweet peppers and jalapeños, watermelons and even pumpkins. He enjoys working with his plants but realizes gardens have practical benefits also. The food is healthy, and it helps save money. You don’t have to buy vegetables when you can grow your own. Nickalas usually has enough tomatoes for the family to eat and also has enough for his grandparents. He wants to plant a larger garden this year. “I have been reading up on it and learning things over the winter,” he said.
Both sets of grandparents have influenced his hobby. He even borrows a tiller from his grandfather. “I have everything I need for my garden at home except a tiller,” he said. His grandpa is happy to help out.
Spring is just around the corner. Nickalas advises to wait about a week before the official start of the season to till the garden. “It’s best to let the ground settle some after you till it. You don’t want the ground to be too fine or too hard,” he said.
One of the hardest things Nickalas has grown has been jalapeños. “It’s been really hot in the summers recently, and they need a lot of water,” he said. A typical watering schedule usually depends on a lot of factors. “It kind of depends on what you are growing. For the most part, I water every other day. You can water too much and they get waterlogged.”
The eighth-grader’s favorite subject at Ahlf Junior High School is science, and that goes hand-in-hand with gardening. Someday, he would like to combine those two interests. “I like space and I would like to research how plants do in space,” he said.
His mother said she was surprised at first that a young boy would be interested in gardening. But her son’s green thumb has been very helpful when it comes to her own plants and flowers. “I have a black thumb,” she laughed. “So now if I get a plant, I can guarantee that Nickalas will keep it alive.”
He plans to keep gardening, and the sky’s the limit on what he will grow in the future. He might even have plants in space someday. When he’s not working on his garden, Nickalas enjoys playing video games with his friends and is interested in robotics. Gardening may be a little different than what other kids his age do, but his friends know it’s just part of who he is. “It’s just a thing I do,” he said.
By Donna Lampkin Stephens
Nickalas and his older brother Damon had wanted a bearded dragon for some time, but their mother, Amber Page, said no.
Then circumstances changed her mind.
“I’ve always been interested in bearded dragons, but my mom always thought they were dangerous or aggressive,” said Nickalas, an eighth-grader at Ahlf Junior High in Searcy. “Then she found out about a lady who couldn’t take care of one and was giving him away for free with tank and all. Mom did some research and learned they were pretty nice.”
Armed with that knowledge, Amber relented. “Touching him was scary because they look so poisonous,” she remembered. “But the moment I held him, he nestled into me, and I fell in love. Any anxiety about him went away. He’s been my best friend ever since.”
Gilly, now 7, joined the family two years ago. Harper, 1, is the Pages’ new dragon. “My mom wanted a baby one,” Nickalas said. “She went down to The Fish Bowl in Searcy, and one little one ran up the glass looking at her. When they got her out, she immediately crawls up to my mom and lays on her. So she got her.”
The two dragons have their own tanks in the family’s living room. Gilly doesn’t seem to care about Harper, but she has a strong reaction to him. “Harper does not like him,” Nickalas said. “When he’s near, she puffs up her beard. Gilly wants to walk up to her to see her, but she’s scared of him.”
The two don’t mind the family’s dogs, but the feeling isn’t mutual. “The dogs are terrified of them,” Nickalas said. “They’ll run off when they come around. The dragons try to get on top of them.”
He has learned the details of caring for the exotic pets. For example, babies like Harper need 70 percent of their diet to be protein — Dubia roaches and super worms — with 30 percent greens, such as cabbage, mustard and turnip greens. For adults like Gilly, the ratio is reversed.
While the dragons live in their tanks, they also get plenty of time with their people in the house. “Gilly loves to sit on our chests,” Nickalas said. “He nestles up and falls asleep. Harper will run around the entire house. Gilly likes to go on top of couches, but Harper will follow you around the house.”
Surprisingly, at least to this reporter, Nickalas said bearded dragons love to cuddle. “You wouldn’t expect that with their spines, but Gilly will nestle up to your neck where it’s warm and fall asleep,” he said. “Harper loves to get in nooks and crannies, like right next to your leg. She loves to hide and sleep.”
He and his mother agreed the cuddling makes bearded dragons good emotional support animals.
“For some reason, it just takes anxiety away,” Amber said.
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