Vegetable Garden First Newsletter

Howard Garrett’s Newsletter
First Vegetable Garden
 

Here's a great question that came in through the Dirt Doctor's email:

Subject: New to Gardening

Q: I am 13 years old and want to make a garden. We have sandy soil and I have 3 horses. I want to make a 12 x 25 garden. My grandpa knows how to do it organically and has told me what to do. What would be 4 herbs and 4 veggies to grow in the garden for my first garden? — Thanks, B.B., Alvarado

A: Welcome to the gardening world and thank your grandpa for introducing you to organics. It's hard to recommend just four plants in each category, so I'll give you six, and you can make the pick.

Rosemary was suggested by a listener. Comfrey is not edible but very useful for soothing insect bites and stings as well as poison ivy rash. Some larger growing food crops to plant in the landscape include jicama, pomegranate, jujube, hibiscus, bay, and roses.

2025 Update: Feeling frugal this year? Depending on how you go about it, gardening can be an expensive hobby or a fulfilling and inexpensive one. If you want to supplement your produce in case prices go through the roof, what are a few of your favorite herbs and vegetables that you can eat all summer long and into the fall? Start with the list above. For many people those plants above plus onions, okra, eggplant . . . the list can be as short or long as suits you and your space. Any container that has drainage (Rubbermaid bins are great - drill holes if needed) can be filled with soil and a few amendments and sprinkled with a package of basil or oregano seeds or any number of herbs you use regularly. Make your own pesto or simmer some marinara sauce with your tomatoes, onions, peppers, and herbs. All can grow in pots. The beauty of growing in containers if that if the place you originally start them gets too sunny, move them to a better location.

A large sprawling garden can be a lot of work and take a lot of water, but if you're hoping to simply supplement with the basics, try container gardening and use gray water instead of setting up a sprinkler that will likely cover a much wider area than your few pots. For many gardeners the water bill is the biggest expense every year.

  Behind the potted ornamental sweet potatoes are pots of basil (gone to
  seed here), onion chives, and other herbs. All watered with a bucket
  from the kitchen sink.

Instead, use gray water in the form of dishwater from a dishpan in the kitchen sink, or a bucket in the tub to catch water while the water runs hot for your shower. A bucket in the kitchen sink to catch the water when you rinse off a glass before putting it in the dishwasher or pour out the partial glass of tea you didn't finish. Water with a little bit of food or soap but nothing heavy duty like the water from scrubbing a greasy skillet, etc. You'll be surprised how well this works (and don't overdo it! You can drown those plants if you water too much too often! You'll also be surprised at how often you turn on the water and how much runs down the drain every day.)

Fertilizer can also come from the kitchen. That jar of old crusty jelly (or any other sugary food or drink) that needs tossing? Melt it with hot water, swish it around and add it to the gray water to use when watering the tomatoes or peppers, or okra in a small raised bed. The sugar stimulates the soil microbiology and has a fertilizer effect. Coffee grounds, loose tea, a handful of cornmeal all can stimulate the soil; if you search on various kitchen scraps you'll find they are good for compost or directly under plants for fertilizer.

If you have any questions regarding this newsletter or any other topic, join me for my radio show heard in Dallas/Fort Worth on Sunday from 8 - 11am (CST). Radio. Find more information on living a more natural organic lifestyle at DirtDoctor.com.

For more information check out my book Organic Vegetable Gardening.

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