Grow things! – Guest Post

My first garden, in a tiny plot at the edge of our married college housing, was a disaster. I got one measly, green tomato. I gave up for a few years after that. I don’t know why, but I decided to give it another go. Only problem: we had moved to a new state, new apartment, with no garden plots. Luckily, we did have a small balcony patio. I found two big planters at a thrift store, bought a few little plants and seeds, and set to work.

image by A Hen’s Nest

This time it was success! I had planted a little “salsa garden” with tomatoes, green onions, jalepenos, garlic, and cilantro. We had fresh salsa all summer long, and it hardly cost a thing.

Now we live in a real live house, with four lovely grow boxes out back. I’ve had my ups and downs. One year the green beans will grow like weeds, the next year there will be 3 sorry, skinny little beans. But every year I’m learning something new.

A garden spell magic when you’ve got 3 little kids, tiny shovels, and lots of dirt! They each get to choose something to plant and are in charge of weeding and harvesting their patch of land. It’s not a huge harvest, but there’s enough pride in their faces to make up for the lack in the basket.

In winter, I bring the pots of herbs inside and we have thyme, basil, oregano, and other delights right from the window sill. Whether you live in an apartment, townhouse, or mansion, there are ways of growing even the littlest bit of something. It’s extremely gratifying, can save you trips to the store, saves money (remember how expensive fresh herbs are at the store?), and makes your life greener and healthier.