Organic gardening in your own backyard!

I have been trying for the last few years, unsuccessfully, to grow vegetables in my back yard. Nothing would grow. I tried blueberries, tomatoes, and zucchini; the things that take over gardens in other parts of the country. My mother kept telling me that she had more zucchini than she knew how to handle, she couldn’t even give it away anymore. She had resorted to making weird recipes with zucchini (faux chocolate cake). What was I doing wrong? Was it the fact that my yard is surrounded and I can literally reach out and touch my neighbors? Not enough sun? Not enough water?

Finally I got online trying to find out what the problem was. After an exhaustive search I was convinced that my soil was contaminated. I found out from a friend that was trying the same experiment in her back yard that you could have your soil tested at Wallace Laboratory. The test didn’t come back as bad as I thought. The result was not contaminated, just nutrient lacking sandy soil. What can you grow in the sand? Palm trees? In order for anything to grow in this soil I would have to heavily amend the soil. Meaning every month, add, turn and transform the soil into something else.

I wanted a garden in my back yard. It is important for me to show my kids that you don’t have to buy everything from the grocery store or the farmers market. I want them to watch a seed sprout and grow. But amending the soil every few weeks seemed like a big chore. The gentleman at Wallace Lab recommended growing in pots, containers, or raised beds. That way you control what you put in the container from the beginning.

My winter garden is planted with broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale, chard, lettuces, and radishes. My four-year-old daughter planted most of it. My thirteen-year-old son was upset that he was at baseball practice and he missed the planting. He is now in charge of watering. Every night I ask, “Who wants to take out the compost,” and I get a symphony of “I do, I do.” I think it is going to work this time.

Resources:

Soil testing: Wallace Laboratory, www.bettersoils.com

Raised beds: www.organicgardening.about.com
www.nextag.com/raised-garden-beds/products