{"id":1370,"date":"2022-03-18T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-18T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/?p=1370"},"modified":"2022-03-18T19:34:41","modified_gmt":"2022-03-18T19:34:41","slug":"a-beginners-guide-to-growing-your-own-produce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/everything-else\/a-beginners-guide-to-growing-your-own-produce\/","title":{"rendered":"A Beginners Guide to Growing Your Own Produce"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In response to the uncertainty that came with the pandemic, many found themselves tapping into their inner green thumb as a way to deal with stress. But whether you\u2019re coping with a crisis or not, tending to a garden can be hugely beneficial. Just imagine having something to tend to everyday that transports you to a place of tranquility, then in turn, rewards you with fresh and flavorful foods. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe process of watering plants can be almost meditative and provides a welcome distraction from day-to-day to-do lists,\u201d says Mary Jane Duford, home gardening expert and founder of Home for the Harvest. \u201cIt can also be incredibly rewarding to have plants to tend to and to watch them grow and thrive with your support.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re in a city with a windowsill or in the suburbs with a large yard, growing your own produce is a fun hobby anyone can pick up. Keep reading to learn about the added benefits of having a small produce garden plus some tips on how to get started.<\/p>\n

Why you should start a produce garden<\/h2>\n

Immersing yourself in the natural world of gardening can be both healing and rewarding. A recent study<\/a> suggests that a \u201cfriendly\u201d bacteria in soil can even help fight depression and elevate your mood.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know many people who get huge pleasure from even tiny container gardens,\u201d says Mark Ridsill Smith, author of The Vertical Veg Garden to Container Growing<\/em>. \u201cWhen I run workshops, I also witness how people relax as soon as they get their hands in the soil\u2014it\u2019s like magic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not only is it therapeutic to the mind, body, and soul, but having your own produce garden allows you to have additional nutritional value from the vegetables because there is less time between harvest, preparation, and transport.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you grow your own herbs and vegetables you can harvest when the veggies are at their peak of flavor and nutrition, not when they are best for transport,\u201d says Melinda Myers<\/a>, gardening expert, author and host of the Food Gardening for Everyone<\/em><\/a> DVD set. \u201cPlus, as a gardener you control what goes on your plants throughout the growing season. Many people are looking for organic produce and this is one way to know how the plants were managed.\u201d<\/p>\n

For some with outdoor gardens, the activity can even be considered exercise. \u201cI have been wearing a Fitbit Alta for five years or so and it reminds me to get up and move when I spend long days at the computer,\u201d says Myers. \u201cBut when garden season arrives, it is very easy to get more than my 10,000 steps each day.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re trying to incorporate more greens into your diet, furnishing a green thumb is also a great place to start. \u201cPeople who grow their own also find that, when they have fresh food on their doorstep, they start to eat more of it,\u201d says Smith. <\/p>\n

Beginner tips <\/h2>\n

This desirable activity is gaining in popularity for many reasons, but the greatest gift it offers might just be seeing, then eating, the fruits of your labor. \u201cEach year offers new opportunities and new challenges,\u201d says Myers. \u201cEvery gardener has killed a plant or had a failure, but keep trying. This is part of the learning process.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are some beginner tips to get started on an outdoor garden.<\/p>\n

First, know your growing zone. <\/strong>\u201cMany new gardeners eager to start growing make the mistake of attempting to grow plants at the wrong time of year or selecting plants not suited for the region in which they live,\u201d says Katie Stagliano, Founder and Chief Executive Gardener at Katie\u2019s Krops.<\/a> You can learn about your zone here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Go for easier herbs and produce to start. <\/strong>Try lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, Ichiban eggplant, radishes, and beans. \u201cThe key to a bountiful garden starts with nutrient-rich soil,\u201d says Stagliano. \u201cIf you will be planting directly in the ground, make sure to amend your soil with compost.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that some plants require pollinators, and some do not. \u201cFor example, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant all require pollination, so they need to be planted outside,\u201d says Stagliano. \u201cPlanting flowers alongside your vegetables is an excellent way to invite the bees and butterflies to your garden.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also says that radishes and beans are best planted as seeds directly in the ground where you wish to grow your garden. \u201cWe usually plant tomatoes, peppers and eggplant via seedlings, a starter plant that you purchase from a garden store.\u201d<\/p>\n

Visit your local garden store and ask for their recommendation.<\/strong> If you grow in a raised bed or pot, a mix of potting soil and compost is ideal. Ensure your plants are placed in an area where they will get plenty of sun, a minimum of six hours, and be sure to water them heavily when they are first planted, Stagliano explains.<\/p>\n

For city folk, here are some tips on how to start a small apartment garden. <\/p>\n

Make sure plants are on a windowsill or balcony.<\/strong> \u201cMake sure your plants are placed in an area where they will get plenty of sun if they are inside,\u201d says Stagliano. \u201cTomatoes, peppers, and eggplant are lovely plants to grow in pots. Make sure to mix potting soil and fertilizer and regularly water your pots.\u201d However, as mentioned earlier, tomatoes need pollination, so be sure to only grow them in pots outside on a balcony if you have one.<\/p>\n

Consider an LED light if natural lighting is limited.<\/strong> \u201cLight is the biggest limiting factor when growing herbs and vegetables indoors,\u201d says Myers. \u201cSupplementing natural light with artificial light will result in much better results.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beginner plants for an indoor garden.<\/strong> Lettuce, cabbage, collards, Swiss chard, basil, parsley, rosemary, and oregano do not require pollination and can be grown inside on a sunny windowsill in an apartment. \u201cHowever, mint is a highly invasive plant, so if you decide to grow it, be sure to put it in its own pot,\u201d says Stagliano.<\/p>\n

Lastly, don\u2019t forget to share your harvest with friends and family! \u201cSpread the love with homegrown tomatoes and peppers,\u201d says Stagliano. \u201cYou never know what can grow from just one seed. Gardening is a beautiful way to spread love and positivity, something the world needs a whole lot more of these days.\u201d<\/p>\n

The post A Beginners Guide to Growing Your Own Produce<\/a> appeared first on Fitbit Blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether you\u2019re in a city with a windowsill or in a suburb with a yard, here are a few quick tips to get you started on growing your own produce garden.
\nThe post A Beginners Guide to Growing Your Own Produce appeared first on Fitbit Blog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1372,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":""},"categories":[20,1,21,22,19],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1370"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1370"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1370\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1373,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1370\/revisions\/1373"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}