Feeding Frenzy

By FCM

June 18, 2008 6:17 PM | Link to this

I have always hated gardening. However, since my parents spent summers on the grandparents’ farms, we always had gardens. Food really does taste better fresh from the garden. However, my allergies get bad, I get heat stroke easily, and then there are the varmits (snakes, rodents, etc). Now that I am an adult I plant a few container items on my balcony and porch. My parents still plant a large garden (by today’s standards) on their Acre. They always have enough to share with the neighbors or myself. My children love to garden. They call Grandma and Grandpa and ask if they can plant, weed, water, etc. They go for day, a few hours, or overnight. They don’t care. My Dad plowed up some land behind the back deck just to plant the kid garden. These are plants that I purchase and help the kids plant…then they tend them. My folks added a bench, some special lighting and other fun stuff to the area. It is a small garden paradise for a tea party or pirates to hide treasure. The kids pick 2 - 3 vegetables they want to grow in the big garden. Then they help plant the containers and walkway plants.

There are times I mention wanting more land and to do a garden. My parents just laugh until the tears roll. They then remind me to check my containers (usually dying from thirst) and say “don’t go there.” I think my children will look back and have great memories of gardening with the Grands. More likely they will continue to garden when they have their own homes.

My brother and I are just happy to offer to cook up whatever the harvest in payment for them growing it.

By chocoholic

June 19, 2008 11:11 AM | Link to this

We have 3/4 of an acre and my husband has helped me with a little garden the last few years. This year I planted on Saturday and the crazies hail storm I’ve ever seen hit on Tuesday (I live in Cherokee County and missed the tornados, but got the hail instead). So I immediately had to re-plant the garden. It seems to be growing really well and hopefully we’ll have some tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and squash soon. The weeds are a big pain, but it’s worth it when the fresh veggies come in. The rosemary that I planted last year is threatening to take over the yard - if you’re not a gardener, try rosemary - it grows like a weed! My husband bought me three blueberry bushes this spring as well, but I’m sure they will take a while to get established. I wish we could have a HUGE garden like my grandparents used to!

By Rebecca

June 19, 2008 2:51 PM | Link to this

When my husband & I were first married in 1985, I planted a vegetable garden in our back yard and canned lots of tomatoes. My husband ate them all by October— he loved them so much! When the children were little, I did not have much time for a vegtable garden, so I turned it into an herb garden. This year my daughter (15 years old) & I have planted a small vegtable garden in the back yard. So far I have harvested lettuce & radishes. I was partly inspired by Barbara Kingsolver’s book Animal, Vegtable, Miracle which is a good book to read if you are interested in locally produced food. Gardening can be expensive, but fresh vegtables are so much better than store bought. My advice to someone just starting out is to plant squash. You can’t kill it & the seed always comes up!

By me

June 19, 2008 3:04 PM | Link to this

It takes less room than you think to plant a garden. My garden runs along the edge of the fence that borders my backyard. We are already having yellow squash every night and tomatoes with every salad. I planted the squash and 3 of the tomato plants April 1. I’ve also got more blueberries than we can eat. I’ve had a small garden for about 4 years now, but I’ve added more this year since it was the only legitimate way to water anything last year. I encourage everyone to at least try a garden of any size!

By FCM

June 19, 2008 5:00 PM | Link to this

If you don’t already do it…plant some merigolds near the tomatoes…keeps the bugs off the tomatoes.

I think Mom planted violets near the pepper plants too.

Plus, as me said you can water the garden and she gets a few flower clipings to bring in too.

By nono

June 20, 2008 12:51 PM | Link to this

My recommendation for new gardeners would be to try utilizing the “square foot gardening” method (google search for more info). There IS an upfront cost (about $50-$60, less if you already compost) for the materials needed, but my garden requires less water than conventional rows, my plants (grown from seeds for more economy) are huge and happy, and there is no backbreaking digging or weeding involved EVER. The only thing I use to plant is my hands because the soil mix used is pure plant heaven. It’s a wonderful way to be organic and responsible—and end up with tons of produce all summer long—without killing yourself digging, weeding and sweating in 90 degree Hotlanta weather!

By Linda

June 20, 2008 1:01 PM | Link to this

My husband and I went to TSC and bought a 10’ cattle feeder which is raised, and this is our vegetable garden, No digging or permanent damage to the garden and all you do is fill with soil, compost and plant. We have all different veggies and also pots with our own herbs of choice. Very satisfying to watch everything grow and you can buy herbs for little money and they reap great rewards.

By mp

June 20, 2008 6:50 PM | Link to this

yeah I plant and love it but I long for more soil to plant in Ive got too many trees to much shade on my property to get my garden any bigger, it saves me money,

I am looking into starting a community garden but I think it will come down to one thing ((WATER ))I can find plenty of plots that I believe I could get permission to use but I need a water source.

By ron

June 20, 2008 9:42 PM | Link to this

I have a veggie garden.Lots of different greens I clip for salads and cooking.I grow tomatos ,cucumbers and sweet potatos.We have fruit trees and blueberries.We plant in both raised and flat beds.We also use containers.

By Chipper

June 20, 2008 9:58 PM | Link to this

Gardens are for suckers. Squirrels, birds, worms and bugs of every ilk. Nets and poison. Nets and poison. Then there’s fungus, blossom rot, etc.

Save your money, and buy at the grocery store.

By farmer Joe

June 21, 2008 8:21 AM | Link to this

I have been a gardener all my life. Even when I had a 1 BR apt. in Buckhead, I planted tomatoes and peppers in pots or in the small patch of soil near my garage. Squirrels, bugs and bad soil can be addressed, the biggest issue of late is rainfall (I water with the run off from my a/c condensate line). Economics aside, gardening makes sense. Composting reduces waste, fresh homegrown veggies are healthier and taste better than store bought, and digging in the dirt is theraputic. I am already enjoying tomates, peppers, eggplant and green beans. The Spring yieled strawberries, collards and broccoli. I like to experiment with a new crop each year, so this year it’s sweet potatoes. I live in-town, so sunlight (trees), soil quality and space can be an issue, but I’ve built raised beds and rely on compost (table scraps and yard waste; with some horse manure thrown in). Bon Appetite!

By Jud Williams

June 21, 2008 9:07 AM | Link to this

Raised garden beds is a new term to many but it is a system of gardening that utilizes the concept of elevating the garden rather than planting down into the soil. In its simplest form, it could be described as a very large sand box that has been filled with soil and planted as a garden. Raised garden beds serve many purposes, the first of which is to install a viable garden in an area that would otherwise be unsuitable.
Lack of space might be the primary reason for erecting a raised garden while poor soil conditions may be another as is the case in so many places in Georgia. How does one go about creating a raised garden bed? Quite frankly there are more methods than is possible to list. Gaining in popularity are gardens erected using composite lumber or cedar planks. Both of these materials are suitable because of their resistance to rotting. Either of these materials will provide long lasting gardens. One of the first considerations once the site for the garden has been selected is to rid the area of potential weeds and grass. This may be accomplished by placing several layers of newspapers over the affected space after spraying the area with vinegar. The amount of soil you will be needing depends on the depth of your garden. The rule of thumb for the popular 4 ft x 8ft x 12 inch high garden is that it requires one cubic yard of soil. That is approximately equivalent to the capacity of a standard full size pickup truck. The medium sized 6 ft x 4 ft x 12 inch kitchen garden takes about 3/4 of a yard of soil while the 4 ft x 4 ft x 12 inch herb garden takes half a yard. One last comment; during these periods of drought the raised garden offers an alternative to a traditional garden plot as a means of conserving water, not to mention the saving to be realized on your monthly water bill. Water is easily directed onto a raised garden in a concentrated fashion unlike the wasteful way it is normally sprayed onto the traditional garden.