Gardening 101

Vegetable Garden

A friend of mine recently asked me to come over to discuss gardening tips, as she is just starting her first garden this year. As I was making some notes to discuss with her, I thought it would be a good idea to share some things here. With all this economic stuff going on, it seems to me that more people are looking for ways to save money. I have seen MANY more people at the store with a stack of coupons. I have seen the clearance shelves empty. I suspect garage sales are going to be a big hit this year. In my fifteen years of marriage, I have NEVER seen food prices go up the way that they have in the last 2 years or so. It is unbelievable!

I truly think that people are going to start thinking about gardening for the first time if they do not already have one. I have been gardening for about 4 or 5 years. Another friend had come over and helped me get started. I do not by ANY means consider myself an expert! But I have learned a few things along the way, with the help of library books, DVD's, asking my parents, and garden-savvy neighbors.

The first thing I would recommend is decide what kind of garden you want. What is the purpose of growing your own food? Is it to have fresh produce throughout the summer or do you want to grow enough to can or freeze for the winter months to come? I honestly would recommend to start small because it can really become overwhelming when the harvest starts coming in. Another question to ask is how much space do you have? Is there shade or plenty of sunshine in your garden area? I personally have 2 raised beds for my garden and we are planning to add 2 more this year.

The library can be your best friend right now! Look in the 635's section to find loads of information. Gardening does not have to be complicated. If I can do it, anyone can. Start small, inform yourself, and have fun! It is relaxing and enjoyable and you really reap the rewards.

For you homeschoolers out there, what a great learning experience for the children! Science in action! There are so many ideas, just endless. Letting each child have their "own" garden, starting seeds in a jar in order to see root growth, knowing what the Bible says "whose seed is in itself..." Just lots of wonderful ideas out there.

I'm rambling now. Thanks for sticking with me this long. I will try to update some ideas or "how-to's" in future posts. Happy gardening!