Don't have room for a vegetable garden, plant it in the flower beds!

Every year I revive this blog because I love fresh vegetables (having grown up on a farm) and this is an easy space savings way to get them.  If you don't want to manage a big garden, plant a few items right in your flower beds.  This year I planted jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, lettuce and herbs in amongst the flowers in the backyard. 

To get your garden started, look for a sunny spot in your yard (six or seven hours of sunlight a day) with good drainage and some room for the plants to grow.  Prepare the soil by breaking up any compacted soil and removing all the debris and weeds.  Then add any compost and natural fertilizers to the soil before you plant; just work it in the soil with a rake.   Then plant your vegetables, the garden centers have some really nice starter plants or you can plant seed packets.

For a great guide on how to plant, how much space to allow and when to harvest, got to GrowVeg.com (they even have a garden planning tool for those of you who are really ambitious).  Once you get your vegetables in the ground make sure you water consistently, soaker hoses work best to keep roots watered and leaves dry.  Then sit back and wait for the fruits of your labor. 

This summer it will be much easier and more fun to run to the backyard for dinner, instead of running to the grocery store!  And remember to support your local farmer by purchasing the rest of your vegetables at local farm stands in your area (one of my favorites is Garner's Produce in the Northern Neck of VA).