Lavish Looks for Food Grown at Home
Backyard gardens are all the rage. With concerns over sustainability when it comes to food production (and mindfulness when it comes to consumption) rising, more and more people are taking matters into their own hands.
In the spirit of knowing where your food comes from, we’re sharing a hodgepodge of information on gardening, including how to incorporate one into your existing space (however limited it may be!).
Protected Vegetable Garden
As large or small as you want, a vegetable garden is a great place to start when growing your own food. Some plants are trickier than others (tomatoes versus lettuce, for example), but the height of the garden fence will keep bunny chompers and other herbivores away.
Edible Landscape
We love the idea of creating a landscape scheme that you can harvest! Trade in bushes for some colorful kale. Squash blossoms and other edible flowers are also terrific and unique choices. The real beauty of the edible garden is that it requires no extra space; you just use what you have.
Farm Fresh Eggs
You don’t need a ton of space to have your very own chicken coop. As long as you have some grass for those ladies to pluck at, you’ll get yourself some beautiful eggs on the regular. You can ensure your laying hens will thrive in an earth-conscious environment (with feed you’re comfortable with).
Herbaceous Holders
For those tight on space, an indoor herb garden could be the way to go. Make sure they get enough sunlight, and don’t over-water. Keep in mind that indoor plants can be temperamental, herbs included. The ideal temperature for growing herbs indoors is between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, or 18 to 21 degrees Celsius, during the day, dipping down into the low 60s to mid 50s at night. Use fluorescent bulbs if need be, and trim the ends if they start to look moldy.
Rosemary and mint are hearty herbs that grow easily and would be our first pick for getting started.
For more on growing your own noms, visit Earth Easy and read up on planning and planting!
And here’s a website that supports and encourages at-home beekeepers. Yikes! Would you try it? (After seeing this woman dance while covered in bees, a little hive doesn’t seem so bad).
