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Fresh From the Garden

May 9, 2022



There is sense of pride that comes with planting vegetables, watching them grow and making recipes those vegetable inside. If you taste a tomato straight from the garden versus a tomato from the grocery store, there is no doubt a difference in taste. Even if you do not have a large area to have a garden, there are ways to still be able to grow foods and enjoy your harvest. Gardening is also a great way to educate children on where our foods come from. Especially if you have a picky eater at home, gardening can be a great way to get them to try new foods.

 

 

 

 

 

Container Planting

Vegetable that have a high yield are the best ones to grow in containers. Greens such as lettuce, kale, arugula or spinach work the best in the early spring and fall as the optimal conditions to grow these are cooler climates. When you are done growing the greens, you can save the containers and replant a summer crop so there is a potential of replanting 3 times in a typical growing season. Cherry tomatoes are so delicious and work really well in containers. There should be ample amounts of tomatoes that come from just one plant and this is a lot more cost effective than buying them at the store. Peppers, especially banana peppers, can be great in a pot and make a great addition to any recipe including a topping for salads. Cucumbers will come in a few different varieties, but can work in a pot as well. You may want to add a trellis to this as they like to spread out. Herbs are also great ways to trial container planting. Some places will sell preassembled herb pots to keep at home or you can easily grow your own with some herbs that grow back every year such as sage, oregano, thyme, chives, mint and rosemary.

 

 

 

 

 

Small Garden Planting

There are many options in a garden store or online that you can take a small box filled with dirt and place it on a small part of your yard or there are various sizes of raised garden beds that you can assemble on your deck or balcony. This can not only serve as a decoration, but also as a source of nutrition. You may want to look up the companion planting as some plants grow really well by certain plants, but do not grow well by others especially in such tight spaces.

 

 

 

 

 

Community Gardens

This is becoming so common and very popular in the last few years. Many communities will rent out a plot of land for a very minimal price where you do your own planting, watering and harvesting for the spring, summer and fall. This can be something that you can go in on with friends or family to share the duties of maintenance especially if gardening at your place if residence cannot happen. This way you can still enjoy a bountiful harvest and eat the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor!

 

The Author


Kim Kramer R.D., L.D.N., CDCES

I have been a dietitian for over 15 years and my passion is in outpatient wellness working with kids and adults to help change their eating habits. I knew from an early age that I wanted to be a dietitian, and I am enthusiastic about nutrition as it gives me joy to talk to others about healthy foods. I promote a healthy lifestyle and positive behavior changes. I have also been working in the field of diabetes for the last 7 years providing optimal diabetes management practices to those in need. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my kids, cooking, playing the piano and working out.

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