| For thousands of years people have grown their own | | | | You will need to pick a good spot for your garden. |
| food. Today, many people garden as a pastime. | | | | Some leafy vegetables will grow well in partial shade |
| However, there once was a time when families and | | | | but fruit-bearing plants need full sun. |
| communities grew their own food out of necessity. | | | | The ideal spot for a garden should also include a fence |
| Large-scale food production has become common | | | | or other barrier designed to keep birds, rodents, and |
| only in the last several hundred years. Before that, | | | | other animals from destroying your food. |
| food was grown on a smaller scale for villagers and | | | | The most important aspects of the soil are that it be |
| individual families. A resurrection in the trend of families | | | | well-drained, relatively free of rocks and stones, and |
| and small-scale food producers has increased the | | | | with subsoil that is not loaded with gravel, shale, sand, |
| need for viable instruction into the process of growing | | | | or other hard substances. Although some experts |
| your own food and ensuring that your garden or | | | | insist that the fertile properties of the soil are the most |
| small-scale plot remains viable from year to year. | | | | important aspects, soil can made fertile, whereas |
| Doubtless, the convenience of walking into a grocery | | | | drainage and subsoil properties are more difficult to |
| store and purchasing mass-grown produce has its | | | | fake. |
| benefits. But considering the increasing cost of shipping | | | | Layout |
| produce worldwide, including fruits and veggies in your | | | | Just dropping any seed in any spot is not the best |
| everyday diet is becoming rather cost prohibitive. | | | | way to plan a garden. Space should be allotted |
| Additionally, the pesticides, artificial additives, and | | | | according to the amount of space plant roots and |
| genetic alterations that are included in mass-market | | | | leaves will need to grow best and according to the |
| produce make it increasingly dangerous to ingest. | | | | height of the plant as it grows. You will need to ensure |
| Many health-conscious individuals make sure to | | | | that you will be able to move through the rows and |
| purchase organically grown produce in order to avoid | | | | sections of your garden so that you can perform |
| any contaminants, but the cost of organic food is | | | | tasks such as fertilizing and weeding and so that you |
| outside the average food budget. | | | | can harvest ripe fruits and vegetables without |
| Chemical processing aside, it is economically sound to | | | | destroying others. |
| grow at least part of the food that you eat. Depending | | | | Tools and Supplies |
| on where you live, some fruits and vegetables may be | | | | Fortunately, not many tools are necessary for the |
| more feasible than others, but you can certainly save | | | | average grower. Concentrate on purchasing a few |
| a few hard-earned dollars off of your food budget if | | | | high-quality tools such as the following: |
| you invest in a self-sustaining garden. Once you get | | | | Spade |
| started, there is little to no actual expense in doing so. | | | | Fork |
| Whether you are growing food in a backyard garden | | | | Rake |
| or in a more restricted urban setting, you are probably | | | | Hoe |
| wondering how to begin. Assuming that you are | | | | Wheelbarrow |
| starting from scratch, you will need to determine a few | | | | Garden Hose |
| important factors before you begin. You will need a | | | | Trowel |
| location complete with a layout and plan, you will need | | | | Cord or Rope |
| to determine which foods will grow best in your region, | | | | For smaller gardens, the above tools are all that are |
| and you will need your tools and supplies. | | | | necessary. For larger plots, you might want to invest in |
| It is a simple fact that not all foods will grow best in | | | | a power tiller and other power tools to make turning |
| every area -- especially if you live in a cooler climate. | | | | the soil and weeding easier. |
| Spring and fall frosts will limit your growing season so | | | | Seeds |
| you will need to ensure that your particular region has | | | | Whether or not you rely on pre-packaged seeds or |
| a growing season long enough to support your | | | | seed saving, depends on how self-sustaining you want |
| selected foods. Vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels | | | | your garden to be. For the first planting, you will need |
| sprouts, cabbage, celery, parsley, peas, radishes, | | | | to purchase quality seeds from a garden center or |
| spinach, Arugula, beets, endive, leaf lettuce, parsnips, | | | | reputable dealer, or obtain seeds from another grower. |
| potatoes, and Swiss chard are hardier foods that can | | | | However, after the first planting, you will be able to use |
| stand a bit of cold weather. But green beans, corn, | | | | seeds saved from your own garden, eliminating the |
| cucumbers, eggplant, melons, peppers, summer squash, | | | | need for the purchase of seed for future plantings. |
| and tomatoes are warm season only veggies -- they | | | | Fertilizer |
| can only be grown from frost to frost. So, make note | | | | The most readily available form of fertilizer is compost. |
| of what region you are in to ensure that you select the | | | | Any organic material can be tossed onto a compost |
| foods appropriate for your particular growing season. | | | | pile. Once the material rots, it forms a rich source of |
| Hint: You can extend your growing season by starting | | | | nutrients for any food garden. |
| your seeds indoors and transplanting them outside | | | | Sustainability |
| when the danger of frost has passed. | | | | The key to successful growing from seed is the |
| A quick look at the back of most seed packets will | | | | eventual sustainability of your garden plot. Whether |
| indicate which hardiness zone a particular plant grows | | | | you are container gardening on a backyard deck or |
| best in. | | | | terrace in the middle of the city, windowsill gardening |
| Of course, some foods are more difficult to grow than | | | | for fresh herbs, or whether you have a bit of green |
| others. Beginners should concentrate on such foods as | | | | space you can designate specifically for the growing |
| beets, bush beans, collard greens, green onions, kale, | | | | of food, at one point, your garden will produce its own |
| leaf lettuce, mustard greens, radishes, peas, summer | | | | seed for the following year and you can produce your |
| squash, swiss chard, turnips, and, of course, tomatoes. | | | | own compost fertilizer. After your initial investment of |
| More experienced growers might like to try cauliflower, | | | | tools, seeds, and supplies, your garden will be |
| celery, eggplant, lima beans, melons, okra, peppers, and | | | | completely self-sustaining! Think of the health benefits |
| sweet potatoes. | | | | and the savings! |
| Location | | | | |