Growers and Grocers

The movement for growing your own vegetables started long before Michelle Obama started digging around the White House gardens, but hurrah for her calling attention to such a wonderful thing.  As my six-year-old son and I tend to our garden of various herbs and vegetables, it was fun to tell him that even the President has his own garden.

Just one mile from the White House, former reporter Ed Bruske is growing his own as well, long bucking the tradition of fast food and long waits in fancy restaurants.  He and his gardens were recently featured in People magazine, and he answered a few questions on the benefits of growing your own:

What’s an easy crop for beginners?
Leafy greens, like lettuce.  You can literally scatter the seeds and they grow like weeds.

When best to start?
As soon as possible.  Cool-weather vegetables like peas and spinach you can plant before the last frost.

Best way to save a crop from pests?
Fences keep out furry creatures.  There are organic compounds for treating infestations.

What’s the savings over buying organic salad ingredients?
A packet of 50 tomato seeds is $3.  I use maybe six seeds [to grow] 100 lbs of tomatoes.  If it’s $3.50/lb for heirloom tomatoes, that’s $3 compared to $350.

For more about Ed and his garden, please visit his website… and grow your own.

Photo from The Slow Cook.