We’ve been gardening for about six or seven years now in Zone 7B. We started out with a little raise garden bed, and a few tomato plants, and over the years we have expanded it. Currently have 4 raised garden beds, two greenstalk towers, and a few buckets and pots to round it all out. We grow tomatoes, numerous types of peppers, beans, okra, strawberries, and about 15 different types of herbs. This has been a great money-saver for our family, and it allows us to enjoy fruits and vegetables even when they are not in season.
Some things to consider before starting
Eat what you grow and grown what you eat. – In our house we eat an extremely large number of tomatoes. We use them in various recipes from dips, to stew, to casserole. Oddly enough, no one in house currently eats raw tomatoes, but we eat them in various other dishes. If you’re going to grow it, make sure you will consume it one way or another.
What do I have that I can grow in. – When we first started, I used some buckets, and even as the garden grew, I am still using buckets today. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just useable. It doesn’t have to take a fortune to start your garden.
What am I going to do with my harvest. – Everything we have grown we have consumer in our family; however, I have also sold excess and given some away. This route may not be for everyone, but it’s something to consider when establishing how much you want to grow.
I have never had any sort of a green thumb, I just knew that I wanted to do it, and that meant teaching myself in my own time. Growing up, my dad had a garden with a few vegetables and he also canned, but it wasn’t to the extent that I do now. I knew a little bit, and so I had a foundation and the motivation to start. Remember, if I can do so can you! You just need to start.
What can I teach myself ?
Budgeting – Yes, when you begin there some expenses, but you’re in control of that. Our local library has a free seed section that the public is welcome to. You can also purchase your own seeds or buy some local starter plants. Decide how much you can and are willing to spend and stick to it.
Seed Saving – I taught myself how to save seeds from the previous year. This cuts back on your cost. There are literally thousands of YouTube videos teaching you how to walk through the process. Also, don’t be afraid to purchase clearance seeds and use them the next year. Keep them in a cool dry place, and they will keep for several years depening on what they are.
Canning – I have canned countless jars of tomatoes, jams, pepper jelly, pickles, and peaches. Everything that I have done and have watched others do. Recently, I have started into pressure canning foods, and I’m still continuing to learn.
Dehydrating – This has been one of the easiest things that I was most scared of when I started. I purchased a dehydrator on Amazon Prime day for an inexpensive price, and it just took off from there. I have dried all of the herbs that we use, peppers, tomatoes, fruit, jalapeno salt, and mixed veggies. We buy fruit from our local farmers market an enjoy it all through the year. Many of those things, I have made recipes with on the site. Always looks at your local thrift store for dehydrators at a cheap price!
I never in a million years though that I would be here today doing stuff like this, but with the rising case of food, and its resources sometimes questionable, it was an easy “YES” to get started. Plus, I pass what I have learned onto my kids, and it becomes an experience for them.
You might surprise yourself what you can learn when you truly want to succeed at something. I’m still learning, still growing, and I will continue to expand my growing venture for as long as I can. Don’t be afraid of, just go do it! There’s lots of recourses out there.
