From my garden to yours

Applying my oft-repeated axiom “Anything is infinitely greater than nothing” to growing food crops conjures up several interesting nano-gardening opportunities. Even on the scale of my community market gardening efforts, numerous smaller projects will be found in the least expected locations. Not even expecting to approach the necessary daily caloric or nutrient requirements of a well-rounded diet opens up a world of planting choices.

A guest to the garden quietly relayed (almost apologetically) her experience with buying a few herb plants and a bag of potting soil at a department store garden center. Her project has lasted several months but eventually all her plants succumbed. She momentarily glowed while describing the three different basil varieties she grew and their specific uses. She was still using some oregano, which she had harvested, dried and bottled. But with her expectations of self-sufficiency and monetary savings came destined failure and disappointment.

I assured her that her motivations and efforts were an affirmation of humanity. She is of a small elite group of seekers of knowledge who chart the future of mankind. The preliminary education and risks involved in starting projects like this have stopped countless people from trying new things. The importance of recognizing food as a field of study is a sign of well-guided instincts. Her nano-garden brought expectations, thrills and disappoint to her cuisine, not just good taste.

A little bit of basil goes a long way toward turning that bottle of grocery store tomato sauce into a unique incident. To produce that much flavor and ensuing bragging rights does not take much work. Just as important as putting some store bought potting soil in a gallon-size container along with just enough water and nestling in a 4-inch herb plant is the moderately sunny, warm, well-attended location the whole project will call home. Persistence is such a wonderful human trait, and here is a chance to practice. Harvest basil leaves haltingly at first, expecting to learn through the event. If fate arrives sooner rather than later, buck up, spread the old potting soil over a weak spot in the lawn, and start over.

Leafy greens, peppers, cherry tomatoes and herbs all lend themselves to expectedly limited harvests. But their presence in an otherwise outsourced diet can only lead to tastier and more interesting meals.

P.s. Produce from my Sundew Gardens is now available through the online farmer’s market, HomegrownCoop.org. Located on Orange Avenue, just north of downtown Orlando, the Homegrown Co-op is uniquely positioned to provide a much-needed service of linking locally grown food with locally grown eaters.