We try to live as sustainably and frugally as
possible. Growing our own organic
produce and helping other grow their own is the simplest way to save money and
live “green.” Have you ever grown your
own kitchen garden? It can be as simple
as a few herbs in a container or as elaborate as turning your backyard into a
food production operation. I’m here to
tell you that you don’t have to dig up your lawn or spend hours planting and
pulling weeds to reap the benefits of your own kitchen garden (unless you'd like to).
Heirloom Seed varieties are a must for any
garden. An heirloom seed has been saved
and passed down from generation to generation. These seeds have been carefully
cultivated and are considered a great value to the recipient. Some say an
heirloom variety is 50 years old or more. Some heirloom varieties have
been passed down for over 100 years and others for over 400 years.
Hybrids and gmo varieties are not heirlooms. These have been genetically "tweaked." We call gmo varieties “franken-seeds” and they are not welcome in our house OR our garden.
I have written about GMOs many times.
Heirloom varieties are often called rare because they aren't "mainstream" and if you do find them in the store (as produce) they're expensive!
Heirloom seeds are not necessarily organic but some seed
companies, like Mary's
Heirloom Seeds, state that their seeds are organic and
un-treated. Why untreated? Some companies use a chemical
anti-bacterial to keep their seeds from growing mold. Personally, I stay
away from treated seeds. I don't need added chemicals thank you very
much!
My top 5 favorite veggies
to grow are Tomatoes, Peppers, Lettuce, Cucumbers and Eggplant.
That’s not to say that these are the easiest to grow
but they’re my favorite. In my opinion,
the easiest plants to grow in a kitchen garden are GREENS:
Extra Dwarf Pak Choy Cabbage, Pak Choy Cabbage, Little Gem and Tom Thumb
Lettuce.
Peppers
are a must for a kitchen garden. Think
about how much the grocery store sells certain produce. My local store charges $3.99 for
peppers. That’s CRAZY! For $4 you can get a packet of pepper seeds
and grow hundreds of pepper plants by saving seeds from each harvest.
Tomatoes
may not be the easiest garden item to grow but if you use the companion
planting method you should have a healthier, more abundant harvest. Companion Planting
is based around the idea that certain plants can benefit others when planted
next to, or close to one another. For
example, planting Marigolds, Basil and Borage around Tomatoes will help deter
tomato hornworms, repel flies and mosquitoes, and will attract bees and
butterflies.
Depending on your tastes, Radishes are a great
addition as they are ready in as little as 25 days.
The easiest herb to grow is Basil. I have grown Fine Verde, Genovese Basil and
Dark Purple Opal Basil in the garden and the recipes I have made are
spectacular! We also offer unique varieties such as Cinnamon Basil, Red Shiso Basil and Thai Holy Basil.
New
Arrivals include 2 more varieties of Swiss Chard: Fordhook
Giant and Vulcan. These are a must in
our kitchen garden since we can snip off a few outer leaves as needed and the
plant continues to grow. I make a tasty
Garden Veggie Egg Bake with homegrown ingredients and Chard is perfect for this
creation.
We've also added 2 varieties of Amaranth (from the 1,700s)
and SO MUCH MORE!
We've also added 2 varieties of Amaranth (from the 1,700s)
and SO MUCH MORE!
If you have additional questions on how to get
started or which varieties to choose please feel free to stop by and leave me a message. I'm always happy to help!
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Have an awesome day!
-Mary