Vegetable Garden

What’s a great way to become better friends with your neighbors and get free organic produce? If possible, start a community garden. Besides fresh produce 8-12 months out of the year you’ll be amazed at the help and enthusiastic support people you may not even have known are ready to contribute when it comes to this thing we all have in common – food; and very likely create something even more nourishing than vegetables. There’s lots of great information available on small plot & urban gardening, raised beds, simple cold frames and permaculture that will help you grow the most food with the least effort and resources. Don’t know enough people to get started? – post some ads around your neighborhood about your garden idea.

What to grow? Here are some ideas to get you started: easy to grow plants that are very versatile cooking ingredients. Leaf protein is nutritionally superior to most seed and animal protein.[1] I’m a big fan of growing green leafy vegetables not just because they are very nutritious and grow nearly year round, but also because per pound they are quite expensive and don’t store very well – unless they’re sitting in your garden.

There are many hardy plants that are great to have in your garden year round. They can survive temperatures slightly below freezing, or lower if covered by a portable cold frame in winter, and will send up new growth rapidly as soon as snow recedes in late winter - meaning that in most of the US and UK the growing season can be extended to nearly a full 12 months. Planting late (2 months before frost) in a well drained area protected from the wind will give your vegetables the best chance of being harvestible during the cold months and early spring. If you intend to regularly harvest a versatile and hardy vegetable like kale throughout the winter, plant a large area as plants generate little new growth in winter.

Multi-season vegetables		Summer vegetables
Kale & Collard (curly blue kale is the most tender)	Berry bushes (blueberries, currants, raspberries)	Peas, string beans, French/green beans
Spinach	Leeks	Garlic
Arugula (rocket)	Brussels sprouts (actually mean to be harvested after the frost)	Tomatoes (need full sunlight and wide spacing)
Parsley	Thyme	Lettuce
Chives	Rhubarb	Cilantro aka coriander
Sorrel	Garden cress	Squash/gourds
Mustard greens	Fruit trees
Turnips & their greens

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[1] Pirie N.W., Science, 152:1705, 1966