“The act of planting a seed is an act of faith in tomorrow. During this time of limited movement, a garden is a place to find solace, joy and wonder, and hopefully some great things to eat.” (N. Astrid Hoffman with The Living Seed Company).
We are baking, cooking and rediscovering our beautiful relationship with food
Why not take it one step farther and grow your own food at home this year?
I know the prospect of weeds and waiting can be daunting but IF you keep your garden small, the little effort will be thereapeutic and fruitful!
Now is the time to Plan, Dream and get EXCITED for the season before us
How to decide what you are going to plant and what seeds you need to order
Consider how much space you have outside for a garden and if you will be using containers or raised beds.
You will be surprised at how much you can grow in a 6x8’ plot
Find a space that gets at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day
Have a small plot already? Amazing! You’re away to the races.
No soil ready in your back yard NO PROBLEM! Raised beds or container gardening can be your solution this year! There are so many resources out there outlining BOTH these techniques that produce incredible results!
2. Determine if any of your crops need to be started early and transplanted
It is not too late to start from seed!
Vegetables to start indoors now: Squash, Watermelon, Cucumber, Basil
You can also order your garden plant kit from me that includes
4 Tomato and 4 Pepper plants
ready for transplant in mid-may!
Do you have some egg cartons hanging around? Use them to start your indoor plants and plant them directly into the garden in May.
Strong light is absolutely necessary for healthy transplants. A south facing window will do for a little while but you will need to provide your plants with some sheltered outside time where it is brighter and cooler so they don’t get ‘leggy’
A 4’ flourescent work light is a great option especially if you can elevate your seedlings so that they are no more than 3-4” from the bulbs.
In the Garden now: Peas, Radishes, Kale, Swiss chard, Carrots, Beets, Onions
These vegetables will tolerate a few cold nights. Remember, the soil is still quite cold and germination will take longer than usual. If you are able, you can warm the soil by covering with a black plastic bag for a few sunny days.
Veggies that like it hot for later:
Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers, Eggpplant, Corn, Beans, Squash,Watermelon, Pumpkins
3. You’re ready to order your seeds! There are many seed companies out there but many of them are experiencing delays in filling orders due to the demand this year.
EVERYONE is putting in a garden this year!
These are some companies that I order from but by no means is this an exhaustive list! I encourage you to try something local and small. Many small farms are starting to save seeds and could use the extra cash right now.
Seed companies:
So get planning everyone! Get your hands dirty and Grow!