Get Veggie Wit’ It

O’Brian Gunn

Growing your own food is not only great for your health, it’s even better for your finances. What’s greater is you know exactly where your food comes from and what’s in it. Starting your very own vegetable garden is easy, no matter how large or small your growing space might be. Hulk out your thumb and start planting the seeds to better financial and physical health.

Preparation Is Key to Proper Vegetation

Before you strap on your overalls and start churning up soil, you’ll first want to plan your vegetable garden. Oddly enough, the best time to start preparing is the beginning of the year … when it’s cold … and the ground is likely frozen. While you’re inside keeping warm, you can also make a list of vegetables you’d like to grow, the amount of space you’ll need to grow them, and the amount of time you’re able to devote to taking care of your garden.

Container gardens are well-suited for smaller spaces and are also ideal for supplementing a traditional garden. In addition to letting kids grow their very own plants, container gardens are a great way to grow herbs during the colder months of the year.

Small Spaces and Productive Paces

It’s understandable that you’re as giddy as a geek at a Comic Con at the thought of growing your own plants, but try not to be overcome by the vapors. It’s best that you keep your initial vegetable garden small and manageable, lest you find yourself with more green than a dispensary. On the other hand, having a surplus of vegetables means that you can give/sell them to your friends and family.

Another good idea is to make sure you only plant productive vegetables in your garden, ones that won’t slack off by the cooler during work hours. Plants that fare well in Colorado include: brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach, collard greens, potatoes, and carrots.

While beans are also a good choice for Colorado soil, you’ll want to wait until there’s no chance of the ground frosting over before you plant them. If you decide to plant tomatoes, do so in containers so you can move them inside during stormy weather if need be.

A Community Effort

If you like your neighbors (or at least their gardening tools), you can share some of your vegetable seeds with them and see if they’d be willing to share their gardening tools. To save yourself even more money, you can also split the cost of the seeds with your neighbors, friends, and family. You can also ask your landlord or building manager if there’s a community space for a garden. On a related note, you should also check your lease or ask if there are any restrictions on growing a small garden on your property.

Take Good Notes

As you’re planning your garden, decide what to plant, and how to plant, and make sure you keep detailed notes of your efforts. Doing so will prevent you from making the same mistake twice (or more if you’re really absent minded, looking at you, self!). If you decide to plant a vegetable garden year after year, keeping notes lets you know which vegetable varieties fare the best under your tender care.

Do your body and your wallet a favor and explore the greener side of life. Unlike Colorado’s other well-known green plant, growing your very own vegetables can be quite addictive.