Set a trend in your area: join the food-growing culture - instead of a visit to the gym for muscle-toning and aerobic exercise, pick up your spade and a bucket, and head for the garden. An hour or so outdoors gives you plenty of fresh air, sunshine and exercise to boost your immune system and keep you trim!
There is no doubt that by being part of the process of growing our own food (even if you are just starting off with a simple herb garden or veggie patch or some greens for the chickens) we heal ourselves and become more spiritually rooted in our bodies. Food gardening provides exercise, fresh air, sunshine and mental relaxation that are vitally important for boosting one’s defense system. If you haven’t already started your veggie and herb patch, get going and give yourself a break – in more ways than one. Don’t think for one minute though that if you don’t have a large plot of land that you cannot grow at least some of what you eat. Nasturtiums from my garden often make it to the salad bowl and dinner-plate, easy and within reach!
All that is required is a small piece of soil - set aside a space in your garden for planting some lettuce, carrots, cabbage, herbs or any of your favourite vegetables. Some of the vegetable plants are really beautiful and won't detract from the look of your garden unless it is very formal or you're going with a specific design. My favourite way of gardening is indigenous and cottage style, it gives me far more leeway to be creative, offer food and shelter for the birds.
Start an organic farm on your kitchen windowsill.
It will save you time, money and water. Sprouts are the easiest-to-grow, most power-packed, year-round food. They grow very quickly, are always fresh and are, uncontaminated by pesticides. You can eat them everyday in salads, stir fries and sandwiches, in soups and stews, or just as a snack. They are the most economical food and use very little water to grow. The rinsing water can be used in your garden, or added to the cooking pot.
Some seeds from your kitchen cupboard that you can sprout: Lentils, chickpeas, soya beans, peas, peanuts, mung beans, fenugreek, mustard, and alfalfa or Lucerne. You can even sprout onion and broccoli seeds, but make sure that you never eat the seeds from the packets that you buy for planting in your garden. They may have poison on them!
How to landscape with edibles
Like all plants used in the landscape, edible plants grow best in certain conditions. Many (but not all!) fruits and vegetables do best where they receive at least 6 hours of full sunlight a day. Most also like well-drained soil. Parts of your garden that satisfy these conditions are good places to start an edible landscape.
To start simply, consider a one-for-one substitution. Where you might have planted a shade tree, plant a fruit tree. Where you need a deciduous shrub, plant a currant or hazelnut. Edible plants come in nearly all shapes and sizes and can perform the same landscape functions as ornamental plants.
Why landscape with edibles?
There are many reasons to incorporate edible plants into the residential landscape. These include:
- To enjoy the freshness and flavor of home-grown, fully ripened fruits and vegetables
- To eliminate pesticides and herbicides used on the foods you consume
- To increase the food security of your household
- To save on grocery bills
- To grow unusual varieties not available in stores
- To get outside, interact with the natural world, and have fun
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