With a food crisis on our hands and the prospect of shelling out big bucks for our food sources of phytochemicals, many people have thought about starting a garden. The prospect of growing one's own fruits and veggies does have a certain nostalgic appeal to accompany the financial one. The idea is certainly gaining ground (at least in my neck of the woods in western Canada). Companies that sell seeds, soil and other essentials have seen unprecedented demand for their goods.

Because the idea of gardening is new to me, I've had to pull together some resources to help get me started. I would recommend doing your homework, speaking to someone who works at a gardening store and clip some articles from the web.

Here are some basic tips on how to start a vegetable garden:

Start Small: Keep in mind how much time you have/want to dedicate to your crops. Begin with an 8' x 10' space and expand as desired. Also, don't start with a large variety. Some of you may have the same limitation as I - a 1' x 4' planter box on a balcony.

Get the Needed Supplies: Buy seeds, seed starting kits and gardening supplies for vegetable gardens. If you are new to gardening, starting vegetables from seed may be too huge an undertaking, instead purchase plants. My tactic: Go to the gardening expert and ask what you need based on your situation.

Find a Location: Choose a location that receives as much sun as possible throughout the day. Northern gardeners should insist on full sun.



Ready the Soil: Check your soil. Grab a fistful of soil and squeeze. If upon release it crumbles - this is desirable. "Good" soil is made up of 50 per cent soil, 25 per cent water and 25 per cent air. Buy topsoil if you are unsure. If you can't afford topsoil, you can amend the soil with compost. Compost includes any biodegradable material which can be broken down into a fine, dark humus.

Control Pests: This will depend on what you are exposed to. For me, I don't often have issues of deer descending on my 4th floor balcony but you may be located somewhere where pests - big and small are more problematic. Proper spacing, weeding and fertilizing is a good way to prevent disease and insect infestation without having to resort to harmful insecticides.

Watering Tips: It is best to water first thing in the morning or early evening to prevent evaporation. A good steady watering is important: don't confuse a light sprinkling every day with a good soaking... check that the water is getting down into the soil. If you stick your finger into the soil every so often, it will give you an idea of how dry the ground is.

What to Grow?

Among the easiest veggies to grow are; tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and lettuce. Different fruits and veggies require a variety of conditions.

Here is an article outlining 8 great vegetable gardening books

Please do share your produce-growing tips as newbies like myself are eager to learn.

Happy Growing!

Sources:

www.thetyee.ca

www.gardenguides.com

www.gardengrowth.com

www.home-gardening-tips.com

www.timesonline.co.uk