A recent trip to the grocery store left me feeling completely unfulfilled and concerned about the future. What should have been a 15-minute dash into the store to get a few essentials (i.e. milk, eggs, cereal, salad and honey) lead me to recalibrate my life choices. I noticed the eggs were more expensive than usual, but put them into the cart anyway. I drew the line, though, at purchasing a $7 jar of honey. I wasnât trying to purchase Manuka honey or even honey comb. I simply wanted a small jar of clover honey to enjoy on toast the next morning for breakfast. While staring at the yellow price sticker on the shelf, I simultaneously realized while I could afford to spend that much on honey, I certainly wasnât going to.
Problems require solutions and my solution, as I texted my husband, was that I wanted to get hives and start harvesting our own honey. While that line of thinking probably wasnât the best solution, I did contact a local beekeeper and now have two delicious jars of honey in our pantry. As grocery store prices continue to go up and double-digit inflation is predicted, it may be more important than ever for us to be as self-sufficient as possible. A key part of being self-sufficient is growing our own food.
Growing your own food has numerous health benefits. It promotes exercising outdoor, reduces exposure to pesticides and is a natural stress reliever. Although our reality is that even with the most prolific garden, we can only grow a small portion of our own food. That, however, will be the portion that tastes the most nutritious and delicious!
When determining what vegetables, fruits or herbs you might like to grow, you may want to start by taking a look in your pantry and refrigerator. What vegetables do you eat most? What herbs do you frequently use in cooking? Are there certain fruits that you use in your favorite baking recipes?
Container gardening is an increasingly popular way to grow flowers, fruits, vegetables and herbs. Less weeding, more versatility, greater accessibility and flexibility are all strong reasons to consider growing plants in containers versus the more conventional method of putting plants in the ground. Choosing the containers in which to grow your plants does require a bit of planning. It is imperative that any container used for gardening have at least one drainage hole, preferably several. Also consider the material that the container is made out of and its size. Clay pots tend to dry out faster, while plastic containers are often more durable and economical. Ceramic containers are heavier duty and add interest to the outdoors. Smaller containers with diameters of 10â are more conducive to growing herbs. Larger containers with diameters of 24â are needed for squash, larger tomatoes and cucumbers.
A premium potting soil mix helps to ensure good drainage thus reducing the possibility of problems due to watering. Potting soil is usually composed of peat moss, vermiculite, perlite and coconut coir. Ideally new potting soil is used each year to provide the plants with a more suitable growing medium. A granular, slow-release fertilizer such as Osmocote can be worked into the potting soil at the time of planting. This will provide the plants with a consistent source of fertilizer throughout the growing season. Vegetables are high nutrient feeders and watering will cause nutrients to leech out the bottom of the container. Because of this you may want to also use a water-soluble fertilizer as the season progresses.
Protecting your container grown plants from pests and diseases starts even before the growing begins. Containers should be cleaned using a one-part bleach to 10-parts water solution prior to planting. Previously-used potting soil can be contaminated and should be avoided. Providing plants with the environmental condition in which they grow best will help them grow and stay strong. This includes the correct light, water, fertilizer and providing air flow between and around the plants. Blossom End Rot in tomatoes, for example, can often be avoided with consistent and correct watering techniques. Purchasing healthy plants and inspecting them regularly will help you to identify potential problems quickly and install mitigation techniques. For many insects, simply picking or washing them off will solve the problem. Many gardeners also use a liquid detergent and water mix to develop a homemade insecticidal soap. If a chemical plant care product is used make sure to read the label thoroughly regarding the application instructions and any harvesting recommendations.
While tomatoes and peppers are two of the most common edible plants that are grown in containers, many others also do well. Lettuce, onions, radishes, spinach, garlic and even green beans can also be grown easily and affordably in containers. Blueberries, raspberries and rhubarb do well also. Herbs such as chives, thyme, caraway and rosemary can be harvested virtually year-round when they are brought inside for the winter.
Seed packets and plant tags contain information regarding the timing of the harvest. The âDays to Maturityâ listed will give you an idea of how long until you will be able to literally enjoy the fruits of your labor. Frequent and correctly-timed harvesting will actually encourage your plants to produce more fruit or vegetables. Removing a perfectly-sized cucumber will allow that plant to put its energy towards growing more cucumbers as opposed one giant sized cucumber that is no longer tasty. Cilantro, if not harvested while small, goes to seed and becomes coriander. Warm weather can cause lettuce to bolt. Watering and a bit of shade can delay this process.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a garden center and landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or emailing her at Kathleen@thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
