Grow a Meal

By Melody Perry

While some are content to go to the grocery store and pick up produce for a meal, others prefer to do things by hand. Gardening season is upon us, and it’s time to start growing so you can reap the rewards all summer and into the fall season. While you may not be growing acres of fruits and vegetables for the farmers market, though they’re hosting 22 vendors selling produce according to their website, you can help make your home and meals a little bit greener.

Once it’s stopped freezing at night, then it’s safe to start gardening. Start by finding a plot of land with good soil, meaning it’s free . If it’s rocky or full of weeds that can still work, you’ll just have to do more work. However, keep in mind, if it’s growing weeds it will grow a garden. Till the soil with a rototiller or a spade, turning over the soil. Then you have to decide what you’re growing. Depending on the plant, you’ll need to space your rows farther out or closer together with a shovel or a hoe. Some easy plants for beginners are carrots, green beans, and surprisingly potatoes.

To plant potatoes, find some with eyes, or shoots. Make a trough 4-6’’ deep, and 3’’ wide. Put the potato in the ground with one of the eyes, sticking up towards the sky. Cover it up and keep it wet. After a while, a plant will come up like any other seed. Once the plant reaches a foot high, begin ‘hilling it’, by piling dirt around the base. This helps support it, and should be done every week as it grows taller until it flowers. Wait for the flowers to wither, and dig it up. If you hill it right, one plant can produce five to fifteen potatoes of various sizes.

For the rest of the plants, follow the specific directions on the back of the seed packets. Water them every week depending on the heat of your area and the day. Once the buds flower, you know they’re getting close to producing vegetables. Growing produce is a great addition to your kitchen, and like they say, garden fresh produce is better than store bought.