DID YOU GROW THAT?
By Sandy Powers

You want to eat healthy so you’re thinking about organic food, but the family budget is straining at the cost. What do you do? You grow your own. Growing some of your own organic vegetables is not as daunting as it may seem as long as you do a little planning ahead of time.

The two most important questions to ask are how much time and how much space you can allocate to the project. The answers usually are little time and little space. This is why square-foot gardening is becoming so popular. It is a space-saving concept that basically divides a four-foot square box into sixteen one-square-foot plots.

To make your planting box, make a four-foot square box of untreated wood (so chemicals don’t leach into the soil) and divide it into 16 one-square-foot plots and attach to a wooden bottom. For easier maintenance, the wooden box can be conveniently placed on cement blocks to elevate for weeding and watering. Fill the squares with organic soil which is available at your area nurseries, Lowe’s, or Home Depot. Plant the vegetables that have the highest pesticide residues: celery, sweet bell peppers, and lettuce. Lowe’s, Home Depot and many local nurseries carry other organic vegetable seeds and organic vegetable plants. Follow the planting directions for the plants. For the seeds, plant only 1 to 3 seeds per hole. Don’t waste the seeds. Water by hand directly to the base of the plant. Involve your children. They will love to have their own watering can to help. They will experience the joy of assisting in the care of the plants and in harvesting the vegetables.

The benefits of square-foot gardening are less weeding, less watering, and less bugs. Very little, if any, pesticides are necessary. If a little is needed, use organic pesticides, also available at Lowe’s, Home Depot, and area nurseries. It is estimated that one four-foot square bed can feed two people for a season. A family of four will have their food costs for vegetables cut in half. Besides eating some great tasting and healthy vegetables, you can brag, “Yes, I grew that!”


Sandy Powers

sdepour@comcast.net
http://www.organicforhealthsite.com