Let me start with a reminder that I am not a growing guru! So far, I have mostly accomplished pots of dirt where food plants should be. That said, with my last post about CSAs, I got a considerable response from people who grow their own saying that should be part of the conversation, too. So, I asked them about getting started, especially for smaller spaces (suburban and urban homes, not big farmsteads), and compiled their advice. I've started trying it out, and so far the baby food plants haven't croaked.
Where to grow?
Pretty much any place the has dirt and sun and can get water is a good place to start. Front, side or back yards all work. Large pots, half-barrels or boxes on roofs or porches, or in windows are all lovely places. Also, there are many (and a growing number of) community gardens where you can get a plot. Make sure wherever you plant, the plants are visible to remind you to water them and care for them regularly. (It doesn't take a lot of time, but forgetting is a problem. One I have made several times.)
In your yard, if your soil is questionable, you can work in a raised bed instead of digging into the ground. There are several ways of making a raised bed. One friend described making her raised bed thus: Measured the space; got wood (about $50), got organic dirt ($90). She says the bed is still producing 10 years later (with periodic additions of dirt and compost or manure.) To start, you can even go as low-tech and easy as using the potting soil bag to grow in.
An additional option for those of us who are horizontally/spatially challenged: Going vertical! While I haven't tried any yet, there are several ideas on line for growing plants, including foods, along walls, in an up-ended pallet, a shoe organizer, even repurposed gutters.
Also, in planning where to plant, remember the wild animals. Lots of foods that are edible to us are tasty and edible to the other animals in our environment. "Some are a problem. Some are not. I've given up trying to grow broccoli because the groundhog eats it every time. On the other hand he also eats my Swiss Chard but there is enough for me to share."
Seeds or Seedlings?
In planning your growing, the next question is what to start with. Seeds are cheaper, but baby plants are frequently easier. Due to my horrible track record, I started with baby plants, which were $6 per 6-plant tray. If I can grow well, that would be $1/bunch of spinach and chard. A pretty good price. The odds, of course, are that I'll lose a few, so the price may work out to being even with buying them in the end. (That doesn't include the costs of water or time. The soil I already had, and the compost we've been composting forever.) My friend buys about 20-some tomato plants each year for $12, and even with those that she loses, has fresh tomatoes for 3-4 months, and enough to share with neighbors, a more than reasonable deal.
To start from seeds, at least for the New England growing season (where I am), it seems the best bet is to start them (before now) indoors in trays under a UV lamp. One friend finds this a fun and inexpensive activity with the kids in her building. She recommends going to a plant nursery for your seeds, not a discount place. She also recommends reading the packets about when the plants you are buying grow and what they need. Taking the plants outdoors, requires "hardening off" (where you acclimate the plants to outside temperatures by bringing them out for periods of time before the final move.) I've watched my landlords do this at springtime each year, as the baby plants grow in the basement, and then have visiting time in the yard for a few days before getting replanted in the beds.
If starting from baby plants, it is good to ask if they have been "hardened off" already. If so, you should be able to plant them directly outside. This is another reason I went with the baby plants: timing. I always think of planting after it is too late to start with seeds.
You may have heard about growing potatoes from potatoes. One thing to know is that most grocery store (conventionally grown) potatoes are engineered to make sure they do not grow new potatoes. (This has been the cause of a pot of dirt in our house at least once.) We are trying this one again this year, too.
What to grow?
There are several considerations: what your seasons are like and when you are planting, what your soil is like, how much sun you get, what you like to eat, how much space you have... Some suggested first vegetables:
- Herbs: These can be easy to grow, can grow in small spaces (even indoors), and add a huge benefit in the taste department. Best herbs are those that you like, and that you cook with/eat fresh.
- Leafy greens (spinach, kale, chard, etc.): These are easy to grow (or so I've been told), add a lot of beauty to your garden, and most of the plant (all the leafy parts) are edible, making it a better food investment.
- Small tomatoes: If you have the sunny corner to grow a small tomato bush, the taste of fresh-from-the-vine tomatoes is amazing. Also, the smaller varieties frequently grow faster (although check to be sure about the variety you are about to buy.)
- Perennials: Some plants will produce year after year after your initial investment. A few of these include asparagus, berries, fruit and nut trees, fig bushes, and mint. Of course, you may want to take a little more care in planning these for exactly that reason.
- Start small: It is easy to overwhelm yourself by taking on too much and not enjoying it. Start with a smaller space, easier plants, things you will enjoy eating. If you like it, you can always scale up.
Obviously, this is not enough information to get your home farm going. However, there are many resources!
- A great article just came out in Edible Boston for those with small (or smallish) yards.
- Your local Cooperative Extension Service can be really helpful with classes, advice, and inexpensive soil testing.
- Region-specific resources, such as the Boston Natural Areas Network, offer classes and advice.
- Your community-garden probably has a plethora of seasoned gardeners. "Seek out one of the old-timers/elders. Gardeners are notoriously generous with their wisdom, and often plants too."
- Online you will find innumerable resources; I've tried to link to some of them throughout this post. One other that I haven't linked to yet is Square Foot Gardening, which was developed by a non-farmer with a modest-sized yard. His ideas have also been adapted to container gardening as well.
- Non-profit organizations (such as City Growers) are also interested in getting more local food growing going on.
- Home garden planners of many stripes and varieties abound. While they will all cost, you can usually plan with them how much assistance you want, and therefore have some control over how much of an investment you make.
Is it worth it?
This is an interesting question to ask, as it depends on what you value. The growers I spoke with all agreed that growing food is not inherently cheaper than buying it from farmers. It can be. It can be about even. Or, if you go crazy trying to do it all just so, it can get expensive. However, as one friend pointed out, it is a mistake to measure the value of growing your own food only by a dollar sign. She had her own list of benefits:
- FUN! Despite grumbling about forced gardening labor as a kid, she finds as an adult that she really enjoys time in her garden.
- Peaceful: As a city-resident, her garden is a peaceful oasis away from the rush, sensory input and noise of the street, just on the other side of her apartment building.
- Taste: The difference between a tomato or pepper, for example, from the garden and from the store is night and day! As someone who loves to cook good food, she finds this is worth the effort in and of itself.
- Variety: Many seed and seedling sources offer a much greater variety of fruits and vegetables than can be had at the store. Gardening allows you to experiment with different varieties.
- Community: Getting to know your neighbors as you garden, or your garden-neighbors in a community garden are a great way to build up a sense of community. She also tells stories of sharing the bounty of her garden as something that builds relationships.
- Reducing Resources: She likes knowing that she is decreasing her demands on the planet through the shipping and processing of foods.
- Decreasing Stress: Gardening time can have a meditative quality that decreases stress. It is also a way to relearn how to slow down, to take time and literally smell the growing things. These, in addition to the fun, peace and community-building above are all wonderful ways to decrease stress.
