From my garden to yours

I am not jealous or in a competition with any of my gardening compatriots. In an occupation as rewarding as food gardening, the more the merrier. When a neophyte has glaring success entertaining a crop with which I struggle, my practiced tact kicks in to not blurt out axioms related to “beginner’s luck”. This lack of accumulated pests and diseases in a recently developed plot encourages the newbie to continue his endeavors, honing his skills for when troubles arrive. And after a short apprenticeship, the now-experienced gardener can teach me a trick or two.

Starting with Mel Bartholomew’s book “Square Foot Gardening” and then graduating to John Jeavon’s tome “How to Grow More Vegetables…” is the beacon of a maturing dedication. In the early stages, simply germinating seeds is enough to feed the soul when looking for any success. My original goal was to merely consume something from the garden on a daily basis. After a couple of growing seasons, expectations to assuage the rumbly tummy emanate from the household as attention is drawn away from other honey-do projects. Time to submit results more substantial than complimenting a bagged-salad mix with a few homegrown nasturtium (edible) flowers.

Productivity from the garden as a measure of quantity will ultimately be derived from available growing space cultivated over time. A family’s farm of a single growing bed 4 feet on a side produces enough green beans for a couple of meals, to the exclusion of most other crops. And then the whole garden needs to be started over from scratch. Time to dig up the grass, dedicate a germination space, rededicate the irrigation system and free up hours in a hectic schedule. Linking the foursquare plots into a lengthy growing bed is what we’re talking about. When enough plants are germinating, surviving, flowering and fruiting all at the same time, produce purchases at the grocery will become a memory of the past. Finally, a managed risk resulting in a return on our own investment!

Properly choosing crops, knowing that we have the luxury of spatial quantity, produces a quality all its own. Selecting to grow stalwart green scallion onions that produce year-round rations requires minimal space and they are universally consumed. Allow room for promised producers such as collard greens, kohlrabi, turnips and radishes to tender repetitive provisions. Harvest, repatriate the soil and customarily grow what will be eaten. Yes, plant those beans again and again. Once the routine of dependably feeding the family is achieved, you’ll find an esteem unbeknownst to most that is almost as fulfilling as the food that we eat.

Mel Bartholomew, Square Foot Gardening, How to Grow More Vegetables, John Jeavon, Productivity, Garden, foursquare, collard greens, kohlrabi, turnips, radishes, food