The benefits of growing your own food

How does your garden grow?

WELL+BEING

Written by TRICIA LYNN STRADER

Since humans first went from foraging to growing and cultivating their own food, people of all walks of life have had a garden in some form or another.

With more people contemplating becoming self-sustainable, and the COVID-19 pandemic going on for a year now, having a backyard or patio garden has become more popular.

Norma Emery of Washington County produces vegetables and herbs for her own consumption and to sell at her business, Baker Canner Co. Her company also makes, cans and sells jams using Washington County fruit.

Charles Litton of Litton’s Produce & Berries in Fairplay has been farming and gardening all his life. Both are vendors at the Historic City Farmers’ Market in Hagerstown.

Chris Snavely is at Snavely’s Garden Corner in Chambersburg, Pa.

All three agree that planning the size, location and water source are important for any gardening attempt. Soil preparation, fertilization, what to grow

“It doesn’t take a whole lot of ground to produce enough for your own supply,” Litton said. “But you have to prepare the soil. Some places have hard clay and only 1 inch of topsoil. When they develop land for housing, they strip the best top soil away.”

Some opt for a soil test, but he suggests planning with fertilization.

“Work up the soil one year ahead of planting, if possible,” he explained. “Put compost or manure — some sort of organic matter in — and high-calcium lime, and work it under. Let it sit for one year.”

Snavely recommended using Penn State soil-testing kits, results from which are available in about 10 days.

“Soil quality is vital,” Snavely said. “It involves a good amount of organic matter, the right pH, and nutrients. Every three years, the soil test should be repeated.”

Snavely said manure is a good source of organic matter, a go-to used by farmers for generations. It should be turned under/mixed in the soil to enrich it. Others use mushroom compost. Leaf compost adds organic matter, but not as much nutrient value.

Snavely said prepared bagged mixes remove the guesswork, noting that certain crops need specific things. Tomatoes might need calcium. Potatoes like a bit more acidity than cabbage or cauliflower. So, gardeners can pick certain spots for certain crops.

“Space dictates what you can grow,” Litton said. “Figure out the space allowed and what you like to eat. Some plants take a lot of area. Cucumbers need about an 8-foot space. They grow all over the place, or you can trellis them. Tomato plants need about a 2-foot to 3-foot square.”

Litton said raised beds with compost or dirt are an alternative to poor soil. They are beneficial in small spaces or for patios and decks. If a garden space is small, he said concentrate on corn, tomatoes, peppers, beans, onions, beets and radishes.

“I plant what I can use in my baked goods and for my own consumption,” Emery said. “If I had to choose a few things to grow, I would pick kale or cabbage, tomatoes, zucchini squash, bush-style green beans (not the vine variety), and butternut squash. These will come in at different times, are fairly easy to grow and are nutritious.”

Litton and Snavely came up with a similar list.

“Any cold crops are easily grown,” Snavely said. “Cabbage or leaf lettuce are two, and the lettuce can be clipped with scissors for salads. Other crops could be radishes; onions are pretty foolproof, or peas. For warm crops, beans, a compact variety of cucumber or lima beans. Potatoes are easy to grow, and peppers are easy, with lots of varieties.”

Facing page: Cressida Valentino picks tomatoes from the garden. Right: Norma Emery of Washington County grows vegetables and herbs for her own consumption and to sell in her business, Baker Canner Co. Submitted photos

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Personal taste

“Everyone you ask will have their own opinions,” Emery said. “I chose not to plant things prone to pests, like broccoli or cauliflower. I don’t use pesticides. I avoid planting carrots because I have rocky soil, and you need a really good loose soil depth for root vegetables.”

Emery said gardeners relying on rain could be disappointed.

“You need a watering plan,” she said.

She works another job, and has to be prepared for easy crop tending.

“You want the garden to be near a water source and within reach of one hose. Most any kind of hose will do,” Emery said. “I lay it out in snake fashion up and down the rows. I poked small holes in it and used irrigation plugs in the holes I purchased online. Make sure at least one plug is next to each plant.”

There are different opinions in the gardening world about whether to water in the early morning or evening. Emery said it’s best not to water in the middle of the day, when it’s hottest. When to plant

Some vegetables are planted early in the gardening season, and others are warm-weather crops. “Cold” crops can be planted by late March. They will tolerate cold temperatures and soil. Crops such as potatoes should be planted after danger of frost.

Peppers, squash or tomatoes cannot tolerate frost or cold soil, Snavely said.

Some plants can be started with seed indoors during late winter — in biodegradable pots or trays — and transferred outside in warmer weather.

Emery starts some of her crops with seeds in March using potting soil, depending on space, warmth and light.

Above: Bounty from the gardens of Litton's Produce & Berries in Fairplay. Left: Cressida Valentino “helps” her grandmother Norma Emery prepare the garden after Emery added a weed barrier mat with irrigation plugs. They were digging holes for new plants. Submitted photos

Charles Litton of Litton’s Produce and Berries recommends planting seedlings for tomatoes instead of starting from seed. “If you stagger your plantings beginning the end of April or early May, you can plant until July,” Litton said. “You’ll get tomatoes all year until October if you plant every two weeks.” Submitted photo

After the seedlings get going, a gardener has to ‘harden’ them off slowly (cut down on indoor heat so they get used to cooler temperature changes).

“I save butternut and pumpkin seed year to year and plant in late April,” Emery said. “With cucumbers, lettuce, spinach or kale, I put the seeds right in the ground. I start tomatoes indoors as seeds or put in plants after the middle of May.”

Litton also recommends planting seedlings for tomatoes or peppers instead of starting from seed.

“If you stagger your plantings beginning the end of April or early May, you can plant until July,” Litton said. “You’ll get tomatoes all year until October if you plant every two weeks.”

Timing is important, Snavely noted.

“When starting from seed, the common mistake is a lack of proper growing conditions for the seed,” Snavely said. “Timing is everything, and light is necessary. It’s difficult to grow a strong plant without excellent light, 14 to 16 hours a day. You may need a fluorescent fixture 12 inches above the plants. It can be easier to wait and grow from plants already started.”

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Ground covers

Litton uses plastic mulch and punches poles in it for plants.

“Plastic mulch is engineered not to break down under UV sunlight,” Litton said. “If you use a cover sheeting, you want something UV-stabilized.”

Emery uses a weed mat made from corn.

Pests like deer, squirrels, raccoons and rodents can be problematic, especially in rural areas. One remedy is having a fence around the garden to deter deer, and anchoring it into the ground a few inches can discourage digging pests.

Some gardeners, such as Emery, opt for electric fencing.

“I had a small garden in 2005, and it didn’t deter the deer. So, I got serious,” she said.

She had a contractor install electric fencing, and she designed it with two removable poles and an opening large enough to drive a tractor into the garden for tilling.

“Electrifying it doesn’t kill the animals, but will deter them,” Emery said. “There are other options, like deer spray, or using human hair.” — Places

The Historic City Farmers Market

25 W. Church St., Hagerstown Open Saturdays, year round, 6am-12pm

Spring is in the Air

Start Your Weekend with a Trip to the Market!

Enjoy breakfast or lunch while shopping from our 26 vendors of unique handcrafted goods, fresh local produce, honey, meat & cheeses, baked goods, candy, coffee, teas, plants & spring flowers, bath & body items, jewelry, handbags, candles, dog treats & more

Abby’s Gluten-Free Baked Items & Crafts • April’s Pillows • Baker Canner • Buttercreme Bakery • Chris Cross Café • Crave Bakery • Crystal’s Candles & Gifts • Etta’s Crafts • Eden Wellness • Four Grand Creations • Jeff & Debi’s Grill • Holy Kannoli • Litton’s Produce • M & J Candies • Mamma Jean Snack Shack • Momma’s Spot of Tea • Needle Designs & Manny’s Sweet Tweets • Sofie Sage Bags, etc • Snookie’s Cookies • Stop, Buy ‘N See • Susan’s Creations • The Crafty Queen • Ti Boutik • Urban Delightz • WindUp Raven • Woven Treasures