When it comes to eating, we all like different foods. What goes into a garden is much like planning menu for a week or month. Choosing what we plant and how it develops may actually influence our food menus in coming months, based on what choices we have available.
We have many options when it comes to producing our own food, no matter if we live in town or city, suburbs, or way out in the country . There are wonderful options for apartments, a city lot, 1, 5, 10, 20 acres or a large farm. Almost everyone has options when it comes to producing at least some of their own food if given the correct information. Sometimes, a bit of creative ingenuity will be required.
A financial investment up front is needed(there are ways to reduce the costs), in some cases more than others. The end result lowers the grocery bill and may improve ones health reducing medical costs in the future. Check out Dr Caroline Leaf’s book Eat and Think Yourself Smart for data links and informational ideas on how our diet effects our health. I read this book a couple years ago and will be posting a review link in the future. Click here.
Here are a few guidelines I consider as I decide which seeds I am planting this year
What and where is my available planting space
I have not worked up the ground here for a garden with the exception of where the garlic is planted. I have plans for some ways to prepare the ground for a garden space, but until I do, I am going to use mostly container gardens. I have been offered to share garden space by two of my neighbors. I like my neighborhood!! I am not sure yet, how much extra space that will give me. Renting or sharing garden space is definitely an option for those living in an area with little or no ground of their own. In my case, I simply have not prepped the ground for lack of tools to make it easy and lack of energy to get it done the hard way.
What are my favorite foods
Peas, green beans, lettuce, both sweet and red potatoes, spinach, heritage and cherry tomatoes, different varieties of onions and lettuce, bell peppers of any color, squash
What vegetables do I desire to store for the next winter
Peas, green beans, sweet and red potatoes, onions, tomatoes (for ketchup and tomato Juice)
What tools will I be using I currently have
Tools I will be using include:
Cracked/broken buckets, shovel, small spade, cultivator, various sizes of plastic containers I have been washing and saving for seed starting,
What do I need to purchase and corresponding cost
I have a wish list of products I would like to try, but they are likely going to wait until next year. Items I would like to purchase are:
- a warming mat for seed starting $15 – $90
- a grow lamp/light(s) $ 20 – $170(+)
- a small green house, possibly partly underground to utilize the earth’s heat $80 – $10,000(+)
- self propelled gas tiller (Depending on model) $450 – $1,000(+)
We will be discussing the how and when to start a vegetable garden in future blog posts.
What vegetables do you desire to grow this year?
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