Green Thumbelina

I absolutely LOVE walking outside and picking fresh vegetables and herbs from my garden! It is so rewarding to be able to eat the fruits of my own labor. My garden has been producing ample amounts of cucumbers, zucchini, green beans, carrots, radishes, onions, cilantro, basil, oregano, and chives. Here is a picture of the garden that I took just this afternoon. This is about 2 months after planting.

I have never planted anything before, let alone maintain and grow a small vegetable garden. Planting this garden was one big science experiment for me, but it actually turned out to be successful! We've been picking, eating, and cooking veggies and herbs almost daily for the past two months. Not only are we saving a heck of a lot of money on food, but the vegetables taste amazing! Produce from the grocery store can contain harmful pesticides and is usually coated with a waxy substance so it looks better and has a longer shelf life. Grocery store veggies just can't match the taste or freshness that my garden provides! It feels good to know that I am feeding my family healthy, organic food right from our own backyard.

Growing your own vegetable garden is something that anyone can learn. I got some really helpful tips from http://www.weekendgardener.net/vegetable-gardening-tips/starting-garden-050705.htm. I used the technique of wide row planting, which you can see in the photo. Instead of planting in rows, I planted each vegetable in its own rectangular shaped plot, approximately 3 ft. wide by 5 ft. long. This technique is different than traditional planting of rows, and it has made maintaining my garden SOOO much easier. As the plants grow, they crowd out the weeds and the shade keeps more moisture contained in the soil. That means you have less watering and weeding to do! It is super easy and I would recommend this method for small backyard gardens. My garden is about 13 ft. x 13 ft. now but I'm hoping to expand it next year! Gardening is addicting and I'm definitely a green thumb now! Happy gardening!