I love to garden! Actually, that is a huge understatement! I have managed to have some sort of garden no matter where we live. We lived in an apartment so I grew tomatoes in pots on the balcony and even talked the landlord into giving me a small section of the landscaping in the back of the building for a few tomatoes and pepper. My passion is vegetable gardening and I am not happy unless I have spouted the plants from heirloom seeds, some of which I saved from the successful season before. Once we had the upstairs floor of a house and I was able to talk my downstairs neighbor into letting me use some of the yard. Last year, the garden was small. I only had one 4x12 raised bed because I knew we would be moving and our renters would be the ones enjoying my tomatoes, but I planted anyway.
I have to say, I really do have a green thumb. That has come with lots of reading and probably from a rich history of gardeners. Once you have sat on your daddy's shoulders while he hads you cherry tomatoes from plants you helped him plant, there is no hope for you. I like reading about gardening almost as much as I like gardening. I am a real nut when it comes to the "dirt", constantly coming up with scemes for adding more organic matter to my soil. We had a worm composter going really well in Oklahoma. It was so cool. It has now been giving to our good friends, so they can enjoy it.
The gardening I have found to work the best is square foot gardening in raised beds. I have big plans for when we finally get settled in Mexico. At the Children's Home I have a way to channel all the water from the clothes washer, so I can have a garden in our mountainous desert. Plus feeding all those kiddos produces a good amount of compostable matter.
But this is a transitional year for us and we have no place or time for even containers. My father-in-law offered me some garden space at his house, but alas we are just traveling too much. We will be in Mexico the first two weeks of August and I am sure it would never do to plant a garden only to have it neglected at the peak of the season.
So my solution to my gardening diliema is sprouting. They are quick, compact, and packed with nutrients. Did I mention cost effective. So far this week I have mung beans, alfalfa, and wheat grass. The kids will just gobble down the alfalfa before it has a chance to see a salad and the mung beans are great raw or stir fried. The wheat grass I juice. So, if you can't grow where you are, then sprout in four days or less.
Ya know, if you ever want to come over and build a little garden in my backyard, you are more than welcome. :) We've talked about it for a long time but can't seem to get started.
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