Spring is here, and April showers are quickly becoming May flowers – or vegetables!
One of the most cost-effective way to get fresh produce in your diet is to grow them right in your backyard. Many vegetables are easy to care for as long as you do the right amount of planning and preparation.
If you don’t have a yard, many plants can be grown in pots on porches, patios, or in window sills. Even having a small herb garden will save you money on delicious flavors for your meals.
Planning your garden can be as simple as deciding which vegetables your family likes and how much space you have to utilize. Preparing your garden will likely consist of clearing garden beds of weeds and rocks, and filling pots with soil.
This blog walks you through a simple way to plan your garden, so you and your family get the best use of it throughout the season.
Tips for planning and preparing your garden:
- Involve your whole family in the planning process. This way, each family member can have a say in what they’d like to grow, and kids will get a better understanding of where food comes from.
- Write it down! Not only will this make it easy to remember what you want to grow, it will serve as a reminder to get the job done. Use maps and diagrams to help you plan out your space more efficiently.
- Water your bed before you clean it out. It may seem like a waste to water a bed full of weeds, but unwanted plants are pulled out more easily if the ground is wet. This will also help get the soil ready for new plants.
- Skip the seeds. Many stores and even farmers markets sell sprouted plants at relatively low costs. By planting young plants instead of seeds, you’ll see results sooner. The cost is generally outweighed by the benefit, especially with plants like tomatoes, peppers or beans that yield more than one harvest throughout the season.
