Go Green With a Vegetable Garden

Imagine going out and picking dozens of different kinds of vegetables that will feed your family for less than an hour of labor per day. You can achieve this by planting your very own vegetable garden.  A vegetable garden is an inexpensive way to obtain fresh, pesticide-free food that hasn’t traveled hundreds of miles to reach your plate.

Not only do they serve as important spaces for both our relaxation as well as providing a refuge for wildlife; organic growing is safe for you, your family and our environment. Here's Michelle Obama cultivating her "White House Kitchen Garden."

Growing your own fruits and vegetables are fresher and, consequently, higher in nutrients. They aren’t transported across the country or the world, and thereby don’t result in needless greenhouse-gas emissions. This saves you money, and helps our environment. Did you know, based on an Iowa State University report, that apples travel roughly 1,726 miles to get to the supermarket?

So how do you get started? 

Tip#1: Plan in advance

Decide what you’d like to grow. How much space can you devote to the project? How much time are you willing to spend? Answering these questions will help you to determine your priorities. For those with small spaces (or small ambitions), a container garden is an excellent choice. Containers can also supplement a traditional garden, providing a handy pot of herbs just outside the kitchen door, an experimental area for kids to grow their own produce, and allowing tender plants to be moved according to the season.

Others might consider building a raised bed to use for square-foot gardening.  Square-foot gardening allows you to maximize food production in a minimum amount of space.

Tip#2: Start small

When planning your garden, it’s better to start too small than to start too large. Please read that sentence again. In order to enjoy your garden, you must be able to control it. Don’t get too ambitious. It’s better to start small and to expand a little every year.

Tip#3: Choose productive plants

Some plants are more productive than others. If you want a rewarding, productive garden, do some research to find out what grows well in your area. In the U.S., one excellent resource is your state’s extension office or extension cooperatives.

My high school BFF's garden and her son. He's such a cutie! They've got a very productive garden.

Tip #4: Share with others

When you buy a packet of seeds, you generally receive more than you need. If so, share them with friends or neighbors, maybe even split the costs with them. Also consider sharing equipment. Careful borrowing and lending helps keep everybody’s costs down.

Tip #5: Buy quality tools

When you buy tools, it pays to purchase quality. Remember: thrift and frugality are about obtaining value for your dollar — not just paying the cheapest price. I’d rather own fewer tools that were a pleasure to use (and lasted many seasons) than own lots of crappy tools that didn’t cost me much. Keep your eyes open at garage sales. Sometimes you can get great deals on quality stuff.

Tip #6: Read up on the subject

Your public library will have many books on the subject, some tailored to your location. There are also many excellent web sites that can help you get started. Here are some useful resources:

Master Gardeners (Santa Clara County)
Collective Roots (East Palo Alto)
Silicon Valley HealthCorps 
Organic Gardening Guru
Urban Homestead (Pasadena)

Have helpful tips of your own? Feel free to share!