During the spring and summer friends and I tend to barbeque a lot and finding fresh vegetables can be a hassle. So this year I made the decision to try a home garden for the first time; ok its just a few tomato plants but its a start. Some of my favorite foods require tomatoes and having fresh, juicy, and big tomatoes makes all the difference in the world.
Driving to Fred Meyer and gathering supplies I soon had everything needed to grow tomatoes in the back yard: flower pots, potting soil, and tomato plant starters where all it took. I purchased 2 Brandywine Reds, 1 Big Boy, and 1 Arkansas Traveler to get an assortment and to see which ones grew and tasted the best. Tomato plants require 60-90 days to grow so this is the perfect time to get them going.
A home garden is a great way to spend time with family and is easy to add in as you are doing other lawn care items. If there is space available and time on your hands then get outside and get planting.
What can you grow in Washington during our short Summer?
Surprisingly there is quite an assortment of vegetables that can be grow in a few short months: tomatoes, corn, green beans and peas, onions, lettuce, potatoes, carrots, and asparagus.
What does it take to make a home garden?
Some time, a patch of ground and Sun light. If this is your first home garden it is good idea to start small and work into the Mr./Mrs. Green Thumbs skills. Take a section of your property, that southern facing sun to get the most sun light, and dig out the grass, bark mulch, and/or rocks down about 6 inches. Next lay down some really good soil, can be found at a nursery and rake it out till its smooth and even.
Then you are ready to pick out what types of vegetables to grow. Something I remember from high school horticulture is to place the taller vegetables in the back roes so the smaller ones can get more afternoon sunlight. Corn, tomatoes, beans, carrots, and onions are really easy to grow and do not require much maintenance other than watering.
This year is going to be exciting because of the fresh vegetables and new recipes I am going to try. One of those recipes is Tomato Basil Mozzarella. The first time I tried Tomato Basil Mozzarella was at the Macaroni Grill in Lynnwood, but it goes by another name there, and it was to die for. So get out there and enjoy the Sun and eat fresh while you’re at it.
Home Gardening Resources
– Better Homes & Garden
– The Garden Helper
– Organic Gardening
– National Gardening Association
2 Comments
Your tomatoes certainly look as though they are doing really well! I am determined to produce my own fresh fruit and vegetables this year too, my tomatoes have just been moved in to grow bags so it is make or break time!
Keep up the good work!
Hi Laura, thanks! I am sure your tomatoes will do just fine. What are grow bags? and how is the climate in England this time of year? Is it conducive to growing vegatables?