So, in a month or two you will be writing down those New Year’s resolutions that you want to accomplish in 2018; unbelievable right? And, if saving a little money and being healthier is going to be on top of your list, well, think about growing your own vegetable garden!
There’s never been a more sensible time for edible gardening. It’s just right on so many levels. Why?
Well, for starters, store bought vegetables can’t match the flavour and goodness of home-grown produce. Think about your own tomatoes … ripened on the vine. Or, maybe a bunch of fresh aromatic basil straight from your garden onto fresh pasta. Yum!
Besides being so much fun, growing your own vegetables will help you to save money too, not only on what you grow, but on fuel. Yes, fewer trips to the grocery store! It will give you a new appreciation for nature and it may spark an interest to learn more about botany, landscape architecture, photography, or nutrition. It could also give you the opportunity to give back; if you have an abundant garden, you could give some produce to family and friends, or maybe support your local soup kitchen. Best of all, in general, gardening burns 200 calories an hour!
So, whether you hope to discover your green thumb or save a little green, growing your own vegetables is easier than you think. But where do you start?
One of the first and best pieces of advice is to start small? Why? Because you’re less likely to give up growing your own vegetables if you don’t take on too much at once. Whether or not you have space for an in-ground garden or whether you are an apartment dweller; container gardening is a fantastic way to start. Growing your own tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers and herbs are easily done in even the smallest of space. The good news is almost anything can be used as a gardening container as long as it has proper drainage and the appropriate depth to sustain the roots of your plants.
There are a few basic requirements for success:
Grow what you love to eat. No sense in growing spinach if you can’t stand the taste.
Grow vegetables from seeds or seedlings. Seedlings are more expensive than buying a packet of seeds, but it’s a great option for faster results. Either way, the packet of seeds or the starter plant will include directions about spacing and watering.
Make sure your vegetables get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. If they don’t get enough sun, they won’t bear as much and will be susceptible to attack from insects or diseases.
Choose leafy veggies so that you can harvest a few leaves and they will keep growing. Beans and peas will for example keep producing the more you pick them.
Feed container plants at least twice a month with liquid fertilizer, following the instructions on the label.
Give plenty of water. Most vegetables aren’t drought tolerant, especially tomatoes, peppers or any other warm-season vegetables.
Don’t use soil from the garden, it can become waterlogged and bring disease and insects with it. Choose a soilless mix or use compost alone or combined with a soilless mix.
Remember there will be successes and failures, but half the fun of gardening is learning as you grow. Happy gardening!
Source: www.sparkpeople.com, bonnieplants.com, www.vegetablegardener.com, www.thetelegraph.co.uk, www.theweekendgardiner.net, www.treehugger.com, greensideup.ie, www.bhg.com, www.farmandfleet.com, www.almanac.com, za.pinterest.com, articles.extension.org, www.gardeners.com
