I love, Love, LOVE spring time! This is when my green thumb takes over. Lately, there’s a major push to eat organic foods. Many stores claim to sell organic foods, but rarely are they 100% organic. I say, “Forget the grocery stores”. What better way to get 100% organic than to plant your own garden. Not to mention, growing your herbs, fruits and veggies in your own garden is far cheaper than purchasing from the grocery store and usually much tastier.
This pic is from about 2 years ago. I had thai basil, lavender, lettuce, mint, citronella… some were started from seeds and some from young plants purchased from the nursery.
There are 1 of 2 ways you can get your garden going: You can plant seeds or you can go to your local nursery and buy seedlings (a young plant). For those of you that don’t have a home with a backyard, don’t fret because you can become a balcony gardener like me. 🙂 You can use ordinary pots or buy some planters. You can use any small pot for your herbs, but I would recommend larger planters or deeper pots for peppers, tomatoes or veggies. The root base and the plants get can get pretty large.
Now to decide what to plant. If you are a new gardener, I recommend you start with the easy stuff…herbs and peppers. Basil, mint, rosemary and any kind of peppers, I have found to be the easiest to maintain and the fastest to grow. The good thing about herbs and peppers is that a little bit goes a long way. You can eat them fresh or dry them out. After drying the herbs or peppers, I grind them and store them in jars. This way, I can make my own spice mixes and I don’t have to buy seasonings at the store for most of the year. This is a great way to eat organic and save yourself quite a bit of money!
Check out this pic from last year’s mini-harvest. Sweet basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, and a cute little cherry tomato.
If you have a little extra time and some gardening space (if not a land plot, pots on your balcony work too) why not garden your way to a healthier diet and keep a few dollars in your wallet while you’re at it? Happy Gardening!!!
theUnhingedMOM 