-
-
A victory garden can allow you to save money and enjoy your own vegetables all year long if you can, freeze, or dry your crop. It's easy to get started with a victory garden! The tips contained in this guide will help you learn how to plant a victory garden.
-
-
Inside the White House: The Garden
Michelle Obama talks about her goals in starting an organic garden on the grounds of the White House. She states that during the campaign she began incorporating more fresh fruits and vegetables into her family's diet, and wanted to use the position of First Lady to inspire other families to do the same.
-
-
Introduction
- During World War I and World War II citizens were encouraged to plant gardens to free up resources for soldiers. These plots were called victory gardens. Today, people plant victory gardens to enable them to fight global warming, or as one step in their battle for economic security. The average vegetable travels 1500 miles before it reaches your dinner table, generating greenhouse gases in the process. Growing your own vegetables can also save you money, as a pack of vegetable seeds that can feed your family all season (and beyond if you preserve the crop) is generally the same or lower than the cost of buying one meal's worth of that vegetable.
Step 1: What Vegetables to Include in a Victory Garden
- Select plants your family will eat and enjoy. If no one in your family eats broccoli, don't devote space in your garden to it.
- Include vegetables that can be harvested for a long time. Kale and brussels sprouts, for example, can last through a frost and can be harvested through December in most areas of the U.S
- Although lettuce and tender greens can be enjoyed during the summer, you'll want to devote most of the space in your garden to foods that can be canned, frozen, or dried, so you'll be able to enjoy the fruits of your labors all year long.
- Consider growing a few varieties of beans for drying. Beans are good sources of protein, and easy to dry.
Step 2: Select a Location for a Victory Garden
- Although lettuce and some other cool weather crops may succeed in part sun, most vegetables require full sun to do their best. Locate the garden within easy reach of a hose (unless you're planning on installing an irrigation system), so you'll be able to keep it well watered. If soil quality is an issue, you may want to consider planting a raised bed garden.
Step 3: Plant a Victory Garden
- You can sow seeds directly in the garden, or use seedlings for plants that have a long growing time.
- Enhance the soil with compost before planting your garden.
- Have your soil tested to see if you need to add nutrients.
- Make sure you follow the instructions on the seed package for proper spacing. Crowding plants encourages disease and may reduce yields.
- Add mulch after the seedlings appear to conserve water and prevent weeds.
- Apply fertilizer regularly, checking with each vegetable type to see what nutrients it needs.
About this page
-
Page Views0
No one is currently managing this page.
This page currently has no vertical manager.
