Gettin' Dirty This Weekend

Spring and summer are my favorite seasons. Warmer temperatures and lots of sunshine lend delicious fruits and veggies. Over the last two years, my husband and I have built garden plots and filled them with the produce we eat most. As we have begun planning for our first 2013 planting weekend, I've been thinking a lot about past garden experiences, what worked and what didn't and how we can improve. Homemade Change is going HomeGROWN during this planting craze. My hope is that you can learn new tips or resources and learn from my mistakes and successes. Through the next few posts, I'll show you how to save money, eat healthier, feel better and maybe even have a little fun.

So let's recap last year for starters. Cedar, raised garden plots were a great choice. Conveniently pre-made and you can add more plots easily. Plus, you get a great workout breaking up the grass and soil.

Photo of our initial plot set up. OK that was a lie. We initially put it in what I deemed the ideal place for our garden. Aesthetically, I chose the spot that made the most sense with our yard lay out. Unfortunately, the sun didn't care much about my perfect blueprint and shone where it wanted to anyway. So, we had to move the garden---this would be a mistake not to make. I'll show you how to avoid it in an upcoming post.

 



We used organic soil, seeds or seedlings and fertilizers. Our workout continued while toting nearly a dozen of these bags.



 

So many plant choices!!In an upcoming post of the HomeGrown series, I'll give you some tips on how to choose your perfect veggie blend. Why go to the trouble if your garden isn't tailored to your family's needs?

 

First planting day: Lettuce options and herbs such as Sweet Basil, Cuban Oregano, Hot and Spicy Oregano and Rosemary.

 

Second planting after our local community garden plant sale. Multiple types of tomatoes and peppers. That photobomber is one of our four legged helpers, Marley :)

 

Potatoes are incredibly easy to grow in many various ways. Use a large pot or even a large, canvas bag and you can add soil as your potatoes sprout. For more details visit: http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/7-ways-plant-potatoes

 



One of our biggest producers was this organic strawberry plant. Yum!

 

If you have never grown your own produce, I can't tell you how exciting it is to watch and more importantly eat the "fruits" of your labor. I use our homegrown herbs for nearly every meal at home. For ease and convenience, I purchased a multiple vase bud stand at a consignment store for 8 dollars:

From left: Sweet Basil, BBQ Rosemary, Cuban Oregano, Hot and Spicy Oregano. I have found using fresh herbs alleviates the need for additional salt, butter or other all purpose seasonings high in sodium. 

My favorite summer salad using all organic ingredients and some homegrown! Stay tuned for prep tips, grocery list and serving options for this outdoor BBQ or garden party favorite. Mater and Melon.

 

Check back within the next week to learn which veggies you should splurge and which ones can you afford to save on, recipes and further resources. My husband and I are playing in the dirt together this weekend. A cheap, productive and fun date! Wanna see our progress? Visit the Homemade Change Facebook Page for updates.

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