Come Plant A Garden With Me
So you wanna plant a garden.....(sung to the tune of Do you want to build a snowman)
I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear that! I grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan, and growing your own food was well, just how it was done! We literally only ever bought staples from the store with the exception of watermelon or mandarin oranges or things that were considered a treat. Growing a garden on the farm was just how we lived and everyone was expected to participate in the planting, maintenance and the harvest. So we learnt all the ins and outs along side parents and grandparents.
Once I left home it felt natural to have a garden in some form or other. Their is literally nothing better that a fresh tomato ripened on the vine even lettuce tastes different!
I am no expert by any means, would definitely not consider my self a horticulturalist or Pedologist and while there are somethings you need to know, much of gardening is trial and error. The weather can wreak havoc, frost, hail, and pests, birds, and creatures can destroy a garden, but once you make that first harvest and know exactly how that produce was grown you’ll be hooked for life! Growing a garden is extremely rewarding and a definite amount of soul healing happens when your hands are in the soil, trust me you’ll see!
Having taken growing a garden for granted I didn’t realise that it had become a dying art I thought everyone had snapped beans and shelled peas with their mom or grandmother. I was at the farmers market and you know how they have all the samples set out well precovid that’s how it was done. Anyways a vendor had fresh peas out and a young couple were talking to each other wondering what they were....huh???? Was it a bean? How do you eat it? Just like that? I couldn’t stop myself from joining the conversation, yup I chimed right in! These are peas luv, and you have to shell them to get at the peas inside, are you telling me you have never in your life shelled a pea I asked. I suggested she buy a bag and take them home to have her first shelling experience and it was in that moment that I realised growing our own food may have completely skipped a generation!
I understand that if you didn’t grow up learning how to grow a garden it can feel a little intimidating to try or know even where to start. I am here to help!! Lets get started!
First thing is that you can get your feet wet by starting with something small its not necessary to have a big plot and container gardening is a really manageable way to get started. I have had gardens of all sizes and its pretty amazing just how much you can get out of a small patch. This is a container garden I had in the city and I had different lettuces, peas, beans tomatoes, chives, peppers and cucumbers and carrots. I also had a small raspberry and strawberry patch instead of a flower bed. The raspberries provided more than enough fresh eating and plenty for raspberry jam. Now you don’t need a back yard it can be in a front yard, in an old flower bed or a balcony of an apartment. In a garden that size its all fresh eating and doesn’t provide enough to can or store for the winter.
This is a great place to start getting your feet wet, try it out, start with your favourite vegetables pick up some seeds I prefer heirloom, heritage or non GMO seeds you can even hit home depot or a garden centre to get started seedlings and all you have to do it get them in the soil, in the sun, preferably southern exposer and water regularly . Rule of thumb for this area is to plant on or just after the May long weekend.
I really hope you give it a try It is so incredibly satisfying to wander out your patch and pick fresh produce that you grew with your own hands!!
XO A.