VICTORY GARDEN

7 Reasons to Grow Your Own Backyard Foo d

With a questionable economy and potentially interrupted food supplies laid out before us, many people are considering their options for feeding their families. The idea of victory gardens — and potentially harvesting a lot of food from our backyards or balconies — is appealing to people for a variety of reasons.

YOU CAN START A VICTORY GARDEN FOR PENNIES

Seeds and soil cost just pennies and are really all you need to get a garden growing. Victory gardens don’t need to be fancy. Even just a handful of plants that you know you will use can cut your grocery bill. Tomatoes, peppers, and herbs are great choices. These veggies and herbs will produce food throughout the growing season and all can be grown either in the ground or in containers on a sunny patio. If you’ve got enough space, be sure to consider planting some starchy, calorie dense crops like potatoes or winter squash.

EVEN THE SMALLEST SPACE CAN PRODUCE FOOD

If you live in a small space or even an apartment, you can still grow valuable produce. Opt for crops that produce food over a long period of time. Swiss chard is easy to grow, does great in containers, and you can harvest leaves all season long.

When you’re short on space you’ll want to make the most of it by getting creative. Use the vertical space you have to grow tomatoes in an upside down hanging basket. Flower pots and other containers can be used to plant tomatoes and peppers, and even soup cans can be used to grow herbs. Hanging baskets work well to grow lettuce, and windowsill gardens are great for growing microgreens and bean sprouts.

YOU CAN PRESERVE PRODUCE FOR YEAR-ROUND USE

Your victory garden can help feed you all year long. Whatever produce you can’t consume right away can be canned, dried, or even frozen. Using these methods allows you to preserve food for months to come. There’s nothing like a pantry full of preserved food that you produced right in your backyard. And talk about reducing the grocery budget! You can often pick up canning jars at garage sales, so your only expense is the lids and rings. And of course the cost of the garden seeds!

GROWING YOUR OWN HERBS = A BIG SAVINGS

Have you noticed how pricey fresh herbs are? You can grow your own and use them in salads, marinades, seasonings, or even preserve them with dehydration. Herbs are great for containers on the patio, where it’s easy to simply snip off what you need. Some even make great landscape plants. Rosemary is a perennial bush that with-

stands dry conditions happily; creeping thyme is a great (and flavorful!) ground cover.

YOUR GARDEN PROVIDES EXERCISE AND COMMUNITY

Victory gardens — no matter the size — provide a place for the family to be together and work together. You will get plenty of fresh air, exercise, and peace and quiet right in your little garden. Gaining an understanding of where our food comes from is a bonus. And who knows? You might end up instilling a serious love of gardening in your kids — or discover that you love it yourself! There’s just something about having your hands in the soil.

YOU CAN SUPPLEMENT YOUR MEALS AFFORDABLY

Just one tomato plant can grow anywhere from 10-15 pounds in tomatoes – or more! Growing your victory garden is a great way to supplement your meals via side dishes and salads. If you opt to do a meatless dinner one or two nights a week, your garden can help deliver what you need.

A GARDEN WILL HELP YOU APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE

When you take the time to nurture something and help it grow, you tend to appreciate it more. Victory gardens can help you focus on what matters and appreciate the things you have worked so hard to achieve.

Kaia works to overcome her fear of bees with a little help from her beekeeping dad.

“Just the ticket for turning bee-phobes into beekeepers.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Kids will relate to Kaia’s fear and her determination to be brave.” —Booklist

Discover more picture books that encourage kids to go green: