Home Gardening Vegetables Plants – With growing concerns about GMOs and pesticides, it’s no wonder more people are looking for ways to grow more of their own food at home. This is easily achieved with a little elbow grease and some basic gardening knowledge.
Consider what you want to grow and what the sunlight requirements are for each plant. Most vegetables want about 6 hours of sunlight per day. The exposure itself is less important than the total hours of sunlight, consider however that the afternoon sun is stronger than the morning sun and may result in the need for an improved watering schedule. Water in the morning to allow water to evaporate throughout the day instead of sitting on leaves and soil overnight, a breeding ground for mold and fungal disease.
Home Gardening Vegetables Plants
You need good soil, we deal with this fact ALL THE TIME on our blogs and we know it. But it’s really true, even the hardiest vegetables are unlikely to thrive in poor soil conditions. Time to turn the soil since it is still wet but no longer muddy or frozen, use a spade or shovel to dig about 12″ into the soil. Fold in about 4″ of organic material such as compost or manure along with any other necessary amendments. Loose soil provides more air space for plants to breathe and for water to reach root systems.
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Consider the future height and growing habits of the plants you will take care of, cucumbers, zucchini and beans will climb and can be placed in a structure with a trellis, or a fence to maximize space. Taller plants such as corn should be placed in such a way that they do not overshadow smaller plants during sunlight hours. Some vegetables can be planted to maximize yield through interplanting and succession planting. It is important to use either growth time or maximum height as the yardstick by which you arrange your rows. I successfully planted tomatoes and lettuce as the lettuce reached full height before the tomatoes did.
Know and prepare your arsenal of organic fertilizers and natural pesticides. You NEED them. Vegetables are not only tasty to us but attractive to all kinds of pests, from rabbits and deer to Japanese beetles. There are many options available at Ridgeview and we would be happy to discuss them with you. Don’t start organic only to add harmful compounds by your own hand.
Beans are easy to grow but… you don’t eat beans? For the love of Pete don’t bother! Or consider 1 bean plant, not 4. Even though many vegetables come in multi cell packs, consider how many you can eat. If you don’t intend to you might do well to build a garden rather than deliver a slow continuous harvest whenever possible. I once again learned the hard way that I am the only person in my house who likes peppers and that a 6 month supply of chopped peppers in the freezer is more than I care for. Canning is a better option, but be prepared to make. There is nothing more satisfying than choosing and processing your own vegetables, but the expectations of the temperament of the plot and yourself. This ensures an enjoyable rather than overwhelming gardening experience. These are the vegetables you can plant in late spring if you have a garden, balcony, or just a window.
If you don’t have a yard, you can still grow a variety of vegetables and herbs Read MoreGalina Lukyanenko / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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In times of stress, nature can be a peaceful refuge. And, along with the season of rising coronavirus cases, we’re also at the beginning of a brighter — gardening season.
“There’s a meditative feeling you get from the repetitive tasks of gardening,” says Teddy Moynihan, founder of Plowshare Farms in Pipersville, Bucks County. “Plus it’s an action you can take to protect yourself in the face of something that seems out of our control.”
And even if you don’t have a green space at your disposal, you can still take part in some planting projects. Here’s a guide on how to garden now, indoors and outdoors, as we look forward to spring and summer harvests.
If you have access to a garden, a variety of vegetables – beets, carrots, radishes, peas, spinach, kale, and collards – can all be grown now.
Benefits Of Growing A Vegetable Garden
“I love hakurei turnip — it’s a salad turnip, mild and less spicy than a radish,” says Moynihan. “It only takes about 30 days to get a baby, the size of a ping-pong-ball. As they grow, I like to toss them in soups, or brush them with butter, chicken stock, and a drizzle of honey.
If you live in Philadelphia or South Jersey, Moynihan says you can also start with lettuce and radicchio. Those in colder parts of the region can try their luck against frosts or wait a week or two.
“Unless you’re growing potatoes or onions, most of what you grow today is from seed,” says Moynihan. “And for the home garden, I always recommend direct planting. It’s hard to get enough sun and heat to create a strong starter without a grow light, so when tomato season comes around, I recommend trying to locate the plants in a farmer’s market.”
Next time you’re grocery shopping, check to see if your local supermarket also sells seeds. Stores including Aldi, Mariposa, and Whole Foods often have a seed rack, allowing you to avoid the extra trip.
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Local plant stores are another place to check. Froehlich’s Farm & Garden Center in Furlong, Bucks County is one that offers delivery and curbside pickup. In Philadelphia, Greensgrow Farms also hosts a pay-what-you-can farm stand at their E. Cumberland street location that rotates its stock weekly.
To order seeds online, Moynihan recommends any of the following companies: Truelove Seeds, Rohrer Seeds, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Fedco Seeds, and Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.
If you don’t have garden space but have a balcony or patio, you can still grow a lot.
“You can grow anything in a container if you have a large enough container,” says Sally McCabe, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society associate director of community education.
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This time of year, McCabe recommends planting vegetables and herbs, not including basil, a warmer-season herb. It’s best to start with a five-gallon bucket or larger, but you can certainly get creative, whether with a window box or an old wash bin. “If all you have are milk cartons, put them on their side and fill them with soil,” says McCabe. “To pump out full-size plants, you need bigger ones, but you can still have small, happy plants.”
Be sure to cut or drill drainage holes, regardless of the container, and after a rain, check on your plants. You don’t want them sitting in water.
“The more sun you have, the better they’ll do, but it’s hard to mess with herbs and vegetables,” says McCabe. “If you have too many seeds, just thin them out and eat them as microgreens.”
Be sure to place your containers close together if you decide to grow in multiple pots. McCabe explains that this will help keep the humidity between the plants higher, and the soil from drying out.
Must Grow Plants For Your Vegetable Garden And Kitchen
“Even if you live in an apartment without a balcony, at least you can grow sprouts,” says McCabe.
And you don’t have to go out and buy alfalfa seeds to do it. Pantry items like chickpeas, lentils, black-eyed peas, mung beans, and soybeans can be sprouted. The legumes need to be dry (ie not out of a can) and they need to be whole (ie split peas won’t work).
Rinse the beans thoroughly before placing them in a jar of water, and cover the top with cheesecloth or other breathable material, such as a sheet of paper towel. Then, the sprouting process begins.
You can find detailed information on how to sprout all kinds of legumes online, but the process for everyone is simple. First, soak them overnight. Then, you
cycle through rinsing and drying the legumes (at least twice a day) until they start sprouting. In two to five days, your newest salad topper will be ready. Sprouts also make a great snack.
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“Most beans will sprout, and if they don’t sprout by the fourth or fifth day, just rinse them and cook them as you normally would,” says McCabe.
If sprouts aren’t your thing, try microgreens (the tender, nutrient-packed shoots of vegetable plants). They can be grown in a sunny window or under a fluorescent light. Seed companies like Johnny’s sell special microgreen mixes, but almost any vegetable seed will work. If available, radish, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage seeds are a good place to start. Plant the seeds in a tray full of soil (or improvise with a baking dish), and from there, all you need is light and water.
“If you have whole dill, fennel, coriander, and mustard seeds, they can grow when planted in a pot with potting soil,” says McCabe. “To feed the plants
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