Let’s look at a few things we can grow that don’t require extensive time and materials to achieve.
I always go to the herbs first because they offer so much return for so little effort. Herbs as a rule don’t require a lot of fuss. They are generally from arid climates and grow under poor conditions. Plants like Thyme, Sage, Tarragon, Oregano and Chives are tough perennials that only require a patch of earth, some sun and occasional watering. But they provide a rich, fresh flavor to common dishes. Try adding them to the oil in your pan when you begin a sauté, it makes a big difference.
Annual herbs: Parsley, Cilantro, Arugula, Dill and Basil. These flavorful plants might require a little more attention to keep them productive but they can easily be grown in a pot as well as a cultivated garden plot. There becomes the question of quantity, if you use them a lot then you’ll need more space. It’s a good idea to stagger their planting so you have a continual crop. There are hundreds of plants that might fall under this category and you can certainly expand your collection as you become more adept at growing and harvesting, but these few selections are a good start and if you’ve checked the prices for fresh herbs at the grocery store you’ll see how this might really save some money.
Leafy greens are the next category of easily grown foods. We may be used to only a few lettuces but there is a dizzying range of possibilities, so again you can go as far as you’re inclined to labor. All are nutritious and most are flavorful! The lettuces, mustards, radicchio, endive, spinach, chard and kales are what we call ‘Early Season’ because they germinate and grow best in cool, lengthening days. They can be done in pots or window boxes or they can take up several rows in a vegetable garden.
Being limited in time and space shouldn’t stop you from growing some of the smaller root vegetables. Easily started from seed, and best when done so, are radishes, carrots and beets. These you would want to seed in succession so you have a continual supply ready for harvest. We may think of beets as just the red, bloody sweet beets but there are so many different varieties that make delicious eating, especially at the smaller size. Carrots don’t need to be the long ‘perfect’ carrots of agriculture, some of the best tasting are the smaller, heirloom selections that can only be gotten from a reputable source (like Vineyard Gardens!) The greens of these delicacies are all edible too and very nutritious.
Of course there are many food crops that require a little more space and attention to their cultivation; potatoes, cabbages, broccoli, the squashes, cucumbers and melons, and to some extent peas and beans. Peas are not that difficult but you do need quite a few plants to reap a meal-sized serving. With the proper tending they will produce a succession of crop but you need several plants to feed a family of two! Beans can be very gratifying, but again you need several plants to produce a family sized yield.
We can’t talk about vegetable gardening without talking about Tomatoes. Tomatoes are THE most popular plant by far of all vegetable crops. There will need to be a post dedicated solely to tomatoes to cover all the different varieties and the growing conditions. Suffice to say. Homegrown tomatoes are delicious and when well grown are a source of pride, but they can also be frustrating. They take a lot of space, time and resources to make them work but again, it’s up to you.
The last two categories of growing that one needs to consider are staples and fruits.
The Staples are mostly all grain plants, like corn, rice, wheat, and barley.. Although you CAN grow these in your back (or front) yard they generally require too much space to harvest a measurable yield.
The Fruits would certainly require a separate post but this will have to do as a placeholder. Growing the woody fruits, stones, pomes and berries (including Grapes) are some of the most frustrating endeavors of humankind! The space, time, materials and skill required to bring in a harvest is probably what doomed the whole Victory Garden Movement. It’s not impossible but it does require commitment, motivation and sophistication.
So there’s a start to it! All the details of ‘How To’ can easily be gleaned from books, online or questions you can ask our expert horticulturists at Vineyard Gardens nursery.
We may not be able to save the world or prevent pandemics by ‘growing our own’ but we might be able to supplement our diets with what we have grown ourselves and that has the added virtue of feeding our souls. It’s also a great way to spend part of a day in quarantine!
“We must cultivate our gardens.” (Voltaire-ish)