It’s Time To Plant A Garden
This is the week.
The week that our family will get started planting our annual vegetable garden. You have to understand that I have a brown thumb and am not great at growing anything. But I come from a family of big gardeners who love planting lots of vegetables each and every spring. I enjoy it…I am just not good at it.
It is something Lucy and I love to do together and have done since she was about 3 years old.
We often plant in big pots instead of in the ground directly because it is easy and saves on space for us. Each year we try different things but tomatoes of many varieties are always a MUST! If you are up for a fun family activity that keeps giving all during the summer, think about planting a garden. It is easy and fun and if I can do it anyone certainly can.
Here are my 5 steps for organizing a vegetable garden:
1. Decide where to plant the garden.
This is usually a choice of in pots or in the ground and is often dependent upon space. In an apartment with no outdoor space? Try a window garden for herbs.
2. Decide what to plant.
Think about what kinds of vegetables you like (and remember everything tastes better when home grown). Do you have sunlight? Do you want to maximize the chance for success (e.g. things like radishes grow like weeds, others do not)? And how long do you have to grow before it gets cold again? This one is helpful with things like pumpkins where it might be too cold in your area before it gets to Halloween.
3. Make a shopping list and shop.
Besides seeds and plants (I always use plants for bell peppers and tomatoes), you will need a good hose, fertilizer, potting soil, cages and ties to hold up things like tomato vines, and even a pair of gardening gloves.
4. Plant away.
Put aside a few hours on the weekend and plant the garden. Remember to make what seeds you plant where so you can remember and to water everything well the first day.
5. Manage the garden.
This is a great family project with lots of opportunities for delegating things like watering, fertilizing and even picking the vegetables. It is something even small kids can do with ease and will probably enjoy. And….think of how great it will feel to eat your vegetables, you grew for dinner this summer.
