Spring is here and time to think about gardening. I say think about because lately it has been too cold here to do any actual gardening. However once it does warm up I have big plans for this year!
My garden is primarily a culinary herb garden but over the years I have added raspberries, tomatoes, peppers and last year I planted two small blueberry bushes. I have had varied success with the fruits and vegetables but this year I am going to try more vegetables and lettuces. That is if I can keep the rabbits out!
I have always been a gardener, it's in my blood. Even in high school it was a delight to go to the local garden center and bring home new specimens. My parents however, were not thrilled when I planted wild mint in their garden which quickly took over; as a matter of fact the people who bought the house from them probably were not thrilled either as they are probably still trying to weed it out.
My grandmother, who lived in the country, always had a vegetable garden. It was there that I tried raw spinach for the first time, I am sure I wouldn't have touched it had it been on a plate. My grandfather who was a farmer, was known for his delicious tomatoes and sold them in front of his house. I remember eating them hot and ripe straight from the garden. Sure you could go to a farmer's market and buy fresh and local but there is no better produce in the world than that which has ripened in your own patch of earth.
Having your own vegetable garden is en vogue again thanks to Michelle Obama, whose White House garden has been much publicized and a hot topic during her recent European trip. Inspired by Eleanor Roosevelt's White House Victory Garden, her garden is a modern organic version that highlights the benefits both environmentally and financially of having a home garden. Kitchen gardens have been an important part of American life from the start. My pilgrim ancestors certainly knew a thing or two about victory gardens, if they wanted to eat it they had to grow it, those gardens were victory over hunger. It's not that I think we should grow all our own food at home but Victory Gardens are certainly a trend worth reviving.
So ladies and gents here is your challenge: plant your own Victory Garden this spring. Do your part for the environment, do it for your health. Don't be intimidated just start small. Even if you live in an apartment you can grow a few things in pots or join a local community garden. If you have children get them involved, teach them where food comes from. You never know they might even try something new (like spinach). Tomatoes and peppers are great for a first time gardener: especially cherry tomatoes. If you don't have a green thumb just plant some herbs, it is quite hard to kill chives and thyme. Besides, most herbs are just weeds that happen to taste really good. Just be careful where you plant your mint!
Here are a few great sites to get you started:
or visit your local library for inspiration
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