Growing your own garden is an excellent way to ensure that you’re getting the nutrients you need. Plus, eating vegetables in season comes with its own host of benefits. It’s definitely possible to grow a garden that you and your family can depend on for vegetables.
Is it really possible to grow your own food?
Source: ShutterstockBy sticking to plants that you can harvest every month or 45 days, you’ll be set up for success. If you’ve never grown your own veggie garden before, don’t be intimidated, it’s simpler than you think. Plants simply want to grow.
If you support that desire to grow you’ll be harvesting fresh, pesticide-free veggies in no time. Vegetables grown organically tend to taste better and have more phytochemicals and antioxidants.
Choosing the right container and location
You can get creative when it comes to deciding what type of container to use to grow your plants in. Growing a garden doesn’t have to be an expensive endeavor. Plants can grow well in unconventional areas like plastic containers, baskets, wooden planter boxes, and even bales of straw.
Source: ShutterstockTo stay on the side of caution, use a food-safe material to contain your plant. The container needs to be the right size for the plant variety you’re growing. Furthermore, check it has enough drainage holes and place it in an area where it could get enough sunlight.
Most veggies grow in the full sun and need sunlight for six hours every day. Assess how much sun you’re getting in your area.
Harvesting times
If you live somewhere where it’s not feasible for you to grow plants all year round, you may want to focus on growing crops that are easy to preserve or store to eat later. Crops that take longer than 30 days but store well include beans, potatoes, garlic, pumpkin, shallot, squash, and sweet potatoes.
Source: ShutterstockSome veggies that grow within 30 days are:
- Salad leaves
- Spinach
- Radish
- Cilantro
- Onions
Grow a veggie container garden
You can grow veggies in a container garden which allows you to move the plant around for optimal sunlight. Look for smaller plants to put in containers. They are referred to as; dwarf, mini, bush, or compact variety plants. Plant your own seedlings to save money or buy seedlings or transplants to save time.
Source: ShutterstockPlants that can be grown in containers:
- Carrots (double the length of the carrot)
- Peas
- Peppers
- Tomatoes
- Eggplant
- Radishes
- Zucchini
- Leaf lettuce
- Spinach
- Potatoes
Growing a garden in the ground
Source: ShutterstockLarge pumpkins, corn, and melons don’t grow well in containers. You’re far better off planting these varieties in the ground. Cucumbers can be grown in deep containers with a trellis since they like to grow like a vine.
Food grown by your own hand has an amazingly powerful flavor. When you make the change from store-bought to homegrown vegetables, you’ll definitely notice the difference. As you can tell, the amount of space you have to dedicate to your garden and the amount of sunlight will somewhat determine what you can grow.
Thankfully, there’s plenty of plants with short harvesting periods to grow enough food to feed yourself and your family. Of course, if you have more time and space, you can invest in fruit trees and large melons. If your space is limited, consider going vertical with your garden and growing plants that thrive on a trellis and naturally want to grow upwards.
Gardening at home is an exciting and fulfilling experience that will reward you regularly.
