It's spring, grow something!
April, 2009
by Angelique Devost
When I moved into my home in August of 2007, I was able to enjoy the vegetable and flower gardens that were planted by the previous owners. When I ate the delicious produce, I was struck by how comforting it was to eat food grown in my own soil.
The following spring, with great enthusiasm, I planted my first garden in many years. This was a daunting task, because past attempts had always ended in failure. Growing things was never my forte. It amazes me still that my children have managed to make it to adulthood! It was usually the houseplants or my outdoor gardens that perished from either too much water or too little attention.
Last year's garden was a mix of success and failure. When the Vermont summer turned cool and rainy, my tomato plants drowned in the heavy, clay soil (at least I didn't kill them!) and the basil ended up with black spots on the leaves from too much moisture. I was able to salvage some of the basil to make some delicious homemade pesto and the kale was a huge success. I have since enjoyed putting kale in my fruit smoothies every day. (It's a great way to get your greens if they are not your favorite things because the bitterness is offset by the sweetness of the fruit.)
Even with the mixed results from my garden, the experience gave me the sense that, "I can do this!" It was very empowering, and I felt motivated to try again this year, feeling wiser and a bit more confidence.
Few things help us feel connected to the cycle of life more than eating something we have planted, tended to, and harvested ourselves. Growing our food is an act of creation. In that way, it nourishes us, body, mind and soul. Of course, the fact that you are eating food that didn't have to be delivered to your local store in a fossil fuel burning truck is an added bonus!
This year, I am using as a reference, Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. It is helping me do a better job of planning out my 12' x 22' garden. You can also find free gardening tips online. Websites such as www.thegardenhelper.com/vegetables offer garden planning tips as well as solutions for dealing with pests.
Give it a try! Even if you live in the city or in a suburban apartment, buy a planter that will fit on the window sill, balcony or patio and plant something in it - herbs, lettuces, some varieties of tomatoes, and many other vegetables can be grown in small spaces. Get creative! Savor the feeling of preparing a meal with something you have grown with your own hands. It is very empowering!