{vsig}RoysGarden{/vsig}
{vsig_c}0|Roy1.jpg||Reinal Caspari working on his organic compost in his backyard. Photo by Reinal Caspari{/vsig_c}{vsig_c}0|Roy2.jpg||Green Bell Pepper ready to be harvested. Photo by Reinal Caspari{/vsig_c}{vsig_c}0|Roy3.jpg||Corn ready to be harvested. Photo by Reinal Caspari{/vsig_c}{vsig_c}0|Roy4.jpg||A view of the garden in the month of April. Photo by Reinal Caspari{/vsig_c}{vsig_c}0|Roy5.jpg||Tomatoes. Photo by Reinal Caspari{/vsig_c}
Move towards organic lifestyles creating new green thumbs
When you think about the D.C. area, gardening probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.
But people across our region, from First Lady Michelle Obama to local Muslim families, have started their own vegetable gardens in an attempt to save money and eat more organic, locally-grown produce. Since the economy took a downturn, more and more people have started cutting costs where they can, and some have turned to their own backyards in order to save money by growing their own food.
“The price you pay to buy a tomato plant that will produce fresh, home-grown tomatoes is minuscule compared to how much you’d pay at the grocery store for an organic tomato,” explains Hena Shami, a resident of Brookeville, Md. who recently started her own vegetable garden.
Sabba Zahir of southern Maryland agrees.
“Our family is really big on organic foods, but organic foods are really expensive so we decided to start our own little organic vegetable/fruit garden at home,” Zahir said.
Much of the produce in supermarkets is imported from other states countries, traveling thousands of miles to get to the local grocery store. The packaging and transportation of this take a big toll on the environment.
“We know home-grown fruits and vegetables are not only fresher but also healthier, because the products and processes that are involved in growing them are all natural,” said Reinal Caspari of College Park, Md.
Another big factor in the rise of home vegetable gardens is the contamination of produce and the e-coli and salmonella outbreaks in spinach, lettuce, and tomatoes over the past few years. These outbreaks have alarmed people, raised questions about how our food is handled and led some people to grow their own vegetables so they can control the quality of their food.
Starting a vegetable garden seems simple enough: get some soil, throw in some seeds, water it all and voila! But a garden needs planning, hard work and dedication. The size of the garden, number of plants, types of plants, location, and how much time you can devote to it all matter a lot when it comes to growing a successful garden.
“My mom started her first vegetable garden about five years ago,” Zahir said. “She was able to keep it up three seasons but then it became difficult for her to take care of. With all of us kids at school, she didn’t have much help. The weeds became a really big issue as well as the deer and rabbits and she eventually gave up on it.”
“This time around, the garden is much smaller so it’s easier to maintain and much more organized,” she added.
Location is also a big factor. The ground where the garden will grow needs to be fertile and should be in a sunny spot where it will be sure to receive rain and sun. Shami learned this the hard way.
“I had originally began gardening in another location in my backyard but found it necessary to move my garden due to the lack of sunlight,” she said. “It’s crucial that your plants receive the right amount of sunlight.”
A vegetable garden doesn’t necessarily have to take up a huge plot of land to be worthwhile. Many people have also taken up container gardening in which they plant whatever vegetables and fruits they want in pots that they can place on their decks, apartment balconies or inside their homes.
Tomatoes, chili peppers, cucumbers, melons, squash, and various herbs such as basil, oregano and mint are a few of the most popular plants in our area. These plants are fairly easy to grow and maintain and they yield plenty of produce come harvest time.
However, you might have some competition. Pests such as deer and insects have been known to get to the goods before they are ripe enough to be picked.
“At first I was very delighted to see lots of deer, rabbits, squirrels, ground hogs and foxes in my neighborhood,” said Syed Aminuddin, a resident of Dayton, Md. “But as time passed, I realized some of them are a great menace to my landscape and vegetable gardens, particularly deer, rabbits and squirrels.”
Some people choose to get rid of these pests with pesticides and other chemicals, but there is a growing shift towards more natural, organic methods.
“Ten years ago, we had very few choices for consumers at home to use in their garden, but we have so many more choices now,” said Mitch Baker, American Plant Nursery’s horticultural specialist and a Maryland-certified professional horticulturist. “A lot of the big companies have introduced an organic line of soil, pesticides, and herbicides, so it’s a win-win for everyone.”
There are other methods such as garlic sprays and pepper grinds to repel deer since they don’t like the smell of these. For insects, Dave Johannes of Good Earth Market in Olney, Md. recommends neem oil.
“It’s the most popular thing right now,” he said. “It coats the plants and kills the insects that are on it and prevents more insects from getting onto the plant. It also protects from fungus. Now you’re proactively gardening as opposed to reactively gardening. You can use it on any plant.”
Although pests are an annoyance, some of them can actually be useful to your garden.
“Bugs are of course a nuisance, but some of them are helpful in cross-fertilization,” Aminuddin said. Insects such as bees, butterflies, flies and moths help spread pollen to fertilize crops, making them stronger for the next season.
Another method, which Caspari applies to his garden, is planting garden companions which act as a natural defense against insects and other pests.
“InshaAllah this year we will try garden companions, with basil, marigold, onion, garlic, and ground coffee, because bugs don’t like their smells,” he says. “Green beans and potatoes are also good companions and they are interesting because the beetles around these plants are usually fighting with each other so they forget to eat the plants.”
Most people who get into vegetable gardening learn by trial and error. What works for one person may not work for another because of environmental factors, pests or time restraints, but all of the gardeners interviewed for this article agreed that everyone should give vegetable gardening a shot.
“It’s worth it because there is a unique enjoyment in doing the process itself,” Caspari said.
------------------------------------
To follow Reinal's updates on his garden, visit his blog at organicfirdausgarden.blogspot.com
Comments powered by CComment