Eco Women: Protectors of the Planet!

By the end of WWII Americans were growing 40% of their own food in backyard gardens.  In a time of rising costs, concerns about food safety and environmental awareness there is no better way to help the environment and your wallet than to plant a small garden.  Whether it’s a 6X3 plot along the back end of your garage or a container garden on your patio or porch, growing your own food is both fulfilling and simple.  If you’ve never grown your own food before, Enviro-Girl suggests you pick about 5 of your favorite foods and start there–you can always add on to your garden next season!

Let’s start with the basics:

soil, water, sunshine & plants

Soil

To start a garden on an existing lawn is an easy thing–simply lay down 5 layers of wet newspaper and cover with 2-3 inches of shredded bark or mulch*.  Six weeks later you can dig in and plant–everything beneath the newspaper layer will be dead (grasses, weeds, etc.) and you’ll have a great layer to insure moisture.

To start a garden in containers you merely need good soil (available at garden centers) and containers with holes in the bottom for drainage.  Enviro-Girl has seen people grow tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, carrots, lettuce, peas and strawberries in everything from terra cotta pots to 5-gallon plastic pails.

Water

You’ll want your garden close to a water source–if it’s behind your garage you might put a rain barrel beneath a downspout for watering.  If it’s on your patio, be sure you have a watering can.  By mulching your plants with shredded bark, you’ll keep the roots moist and reduce the need to water as frequently.

Sun

Your garden will need 6-8 hours of sunshine every day for the best results–don’t plant your peas and beans beneath an oak tree!

Plants

Whether planting from seeds or buying starter plants at a greenhouse, gardening is still more economical than buying food at the market.  A pepper plant might cost you $1.50, but the 5 peppers it’ll produce will cost you $7.00.  A bag of frozen peas costs $1.50–and so does a packet of pea seeds.  Enviro-Girl buys tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggplant and the occasional squash as plants.  Beets, carrots, spinach, beans, peas, and lettuce she buys as seeds.  Pay attention to how much space each plant will need in your garden–tomatoes will need about a square foot of growing space, you can plant a packet of lettuce in 4 square feet of space.  Peas and beans like to grow in rows and squash will sprawl out all over 3 square feet of ground.  Also, buy your plants locally–they’ll be most appropriate for your climate and other environmental factors like drought and pests.

Planting

Once you’re past the fear of frost at night, you can slip your seeds or plants into the soil, planting at the recommended depth.  Keep the soil moist and once a month has passed, work up the soil around your plants with a hoe or garden fork every week or so to keep the weeds at bay and the soil aerated.  Harvest when ready.

It’s that simple! For less than $30 you can grow a bounty of produce to enjoy all summer and into the fall.  Gardening is a journey–trial and error, the quest for perfection never achieved.  But the pleasure of fresh food grown by oneself, the knowledge that you’ve contributed to a healthier planet and the reconnection to the land and the processes that feed us–that’s worth more than $30.

Good Resources

Check out the Container Garden blog for cool ideas.

Gardeners Supply Company has high quality stuff for sale.

Your neighbors who garden will love to talk plants–and often give advice and plants out for free!

Dave’s Garden is a site Enviro-Girl recently discovered–chock full of information, you can even find seed companies rated by users!

*  Regarding mulch–Enviro-Girl advises you to buy it local.  Imported mulch and wood chips can import diseases and bugs, introducing foul things into your ecosystem.