3-Step Recession Gardening

Throughout history, America has witnessed several gardening movements - all during times of economic hardship.

During the Industrial economic decline of 1893 which culminated in mass unemployment (just like today), Detroit mayor Hazen Pingree established assistance to the poor by making vacant lots throughout the city available for gardens...a program that came to be known as The Potato Patches.

While neighbors in the 1940's banded together to pool their resources as patriotic support for their country, today we can take steps to help ease the financial burdens placed on the families of our community by getting together to plan a recession garden.

Here are some suggestions for the initial phases of your recession garden.
YOU WILL NEED TO:

1. Decide where you'll have your garden and, depending upon the space available, what "kind" of garden it will be. Will it be a 'container garden', raised-bed garden, garden-by-the-foot, vertical - style garden (these choices are especially nice for city / suburban folks and apartment dwellers who may have little to no gardening space), or more of the standard, backyard variety;


2. Plan your layout and prepare the space/s which takes into consideration #1, above;


3. Prepare the soil (what kind of soil do you have?) before the actual planting stage begins;


4. Choose what you'll grow (a good recession garden has varieties that bear through most seasons of the year); and finally


5. Get down and dirty ~ let the planting begin!!
   
   

Deciding to have a garden and actually sitting down and PLANNING one are two different parts to the same story. The decision to supply the needs of your family (and perhaps your neighborhood) with a recession garden is the first big step to true independence from high-priced produce in the stores (this is like the title to your new story). But some crucial planning must accompany that decision in order for it to be a winner (the plans are like the chapters, folks).

For instance, have you considered where you'll grow those veggies?   Is there an existing area you can use, will you have to dig up part of your yard or are you going to rent a patch of land?   Look up!    Will the sun smile on the spot you've chosen?   Vegetables require sunshine to be happy!   if you live in an apartment or condo, is there space on your porch or balcony for some containers?    Do you know what kind of soil you have?   Is there a water source close by - like a tap on the house and if so, do you have hoses that will reach your garden space and if not, are you willing to carry those buckets?   Where do you live? Your state / locality determines WHEN you can start planting your garden.

WHEW! Now although this seems like a lot to consider, when all is said and done, it will be definitely worth it!  I promise.  So...what's next?

Bet you thought I was redundant, lol.   But that's exactly what is next - deciding upon  what kind of layout  you'll utilize and what kind of soil you have.
The layout chapter is the simpler part of your recession garden story because it is solely dependent upon where you live and how much space you have to dig in the dirt and plant those veggies!   A lens that can help you with this can be found RIGHT HERE.

Secret Tip #1:   If possible, make sure the layout of your veggie rows, containers, beds or whatever is facing north to south for best distribution of light.

The type of soil you have is your most important part to this adventure, because your garden's success is a direct result of the health of your soil. Starting with some testing, which you can do yourself very easily, the dirt itself will tell you if it needs some TLC in the form of amendments.   (Didn't know soil had constitutional rights, did you?)   All joking aside, your soil will "tell you" how much phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium it contains and even what its pH is.   And from this information YOU will know what  "amendments"  are needed to ensure the best plant growth.

If at all possible, Grandma and I always grew plants from seeds, either "heirloom seeds" or selected from reputable seed companies.  Heirloom seeds are those that have come directly from the last harvest of your own garden.  I've always considered them the best by far, but there were times when a good seed company had to be our second choice.   Choose hearty veggie varieties that grew best for your climate conditions and according to  what you like to eat.

As with anything important in life, timing is of the utmost importance when you begin your planting - usually as soon as your soil prep is completed.  Different vegetables have varying  "conditions" that are right for them.  The best consultant on this, besides Grandma of course, was the annual Farmer's Almanac.  It was her favorite tell-all and it never failed us. (Don't ask me how they do it; I'm sure there is a lens squidoo-ing around somewhere that could explain it).

Quick-growing crops, such as greens, radishes, carrots, turnips, squash, beans and cucumbers, are ready to harvest and enjoy in 60 days or less when sown from seed.  Others, like cantaloupe melon and corn make a good combo to plant together because you can sow a row of corn down the length of your garden bed THEN sow a few cantaloupe between the rows!  It's amazing what good partners they are; corn grows up and doesn't create a lot of shade on the ground, and the melons hug the dirt, so you can get 2 crops out of the same area (we recession gardeners are very conservative, lol).

When you are talking "survival", you cannot forget there is a "veggie for all seasons" (no, its not a song).  Spring isn't the only time you can plant and harvest a recession garden,which is great when you consider that your family needs to eat all year long.  Warm weather veggies (beans - a quick to yield crop, eggplant, summer squash, peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes) do well when the temperature averages between 65 - 95 degrees. Cool season vegetables - beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, green onions, kale, peas, radishes, scallions and spinach - all of which make me hungry for salad - can be planted several weeks before the last frost in your locality.

And finally, remember you can harvest abundantly by sowing successively.