Growing our own food looks like it will be as popular in 2010 as it was in 2009. In 2009, more than 41 million American households (including the White House), or about 38 percent, grew vegetables, according to the 2009 Edibles Gardening Trends Research Report, conducted by the Garden Writers Association Foundation.
Growing our own food looks like it will be as popular in 2010 as it was in 2009. In 2009, more than 41 million American households (including the White House), or about 38 percent, grew vegetables, according to the 2009 Edibles Gardening Trends Research Report, conducted by the Garden Writers Association Foundation.
More than 19.5 million, or 18 percent, grew herbs and 16.5 million, or 15 percent, grew their own fruit. For 2010, 37 percent of households said they
planned to increase their edible gardens, and 29 percent said they planned on planting about the same that they did in 2009, the survey found.
Hell-Strip Gardens
If the only place you have to plant vegetables is the front yard, go for it. “It’s time to reclaim our land for our greater good. Take that food-producing 
garden from the back 40 and put it wherever we want,” said Margie Grace, the 2009 International Landscape Designer of the Year by the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. The area of ground between a sidewalk and the street, sometimes called the hell-strip, is a perfect place for growing food, she said.
A container the size of a 5-gallon bucket can hold one tomato or pepper plant or a bamboo teepee for green beans. Growing food in containers allows you to move the plants to the sunniest places in the landscape.
Buy Seeds Early
The best selection comes with the early purchase of seeds. However, this year, there’s additional reason to buy early. Susan Reimer, a blogger for the Baltimore Sun, reports seed merchants are concerned about this year’s supply. Diseases and poor production in 2009 greatly reduced the availability of seed, especially onion sets and cucumber seeds, said Barbara Melera, president of D. Landreth Seed Co., which is celebrating its 225th year in the business, making it the oldest seed company in the United States.
Here are a few tips to get you started and ensure your success:
- Start small. You can always add more space next year. The average size for experienced gardeners is about 600 square feet.
- Grow what your family likes to eat. If no one likes spinach or okra, don’t grow them.
- The site should get at least eight hours of direct sun a day. The soil should be well drained. Access to water is a plus. Take advantage of the sunny spots in your landscape with containers if ground space is limited.
- Consider a raised bed in urban areas, where yards are small, dense with tree roots and have soil that is heavily compacted. Also, urban gardeners are encouraged to get their soil tested for lead contamination. Contact your local health department for details.
- Fill raised bed with 3 parts topsoil and 1 part compost or rotted manure. These products come in 40-pound bags at garden centers or as planting mixes in bulk from landscape supply centers.
For an in-ground bed, dig 10- to 12-inches deep. Apply two or more inches of compost or rotted manure and work into the soil. Or, add a couple of inches of bulk planting mix to the soil surface and smooth off. Always avoid walking on garden beds.
For beginners, buy tomatoes and peppers as transplants at the garden center or farmers market. It may be a little more expensive and the varieties will be limited compared to what is available online or from mail order catalogs, but it’s the easiest.
Grow beans, corn, peas, lettuce, squash, melon and most other vegetables from seed, which can be sown directly into the soil once all danger of frost has passed. Follow the seed packet instructions for the best results. 
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I n d i a n a S e e d M e r c h a n t s
- Nature’s Crossroads, Bloomington, featuring the ‘Mr. Trusty’ tomato.
- Urban Farmer Seeds, Indianapolis, featuring ‘Money Maker’ tomato.
- Heartland Family Farm, Bedford, featuring heirloom seeds, sold at farmers markets, (812) 279-0480
- Local Harvest, national/local, featuring heirloom seeds.
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