Eastern Carolina Parent - April 2009 - (Page 10) Ask The Expert Childhood Memories are Rooted in the Garden beans, and rows of collards, cabbage and spinach. However, our family lived next to a very practical and wise gentleman who harvested his own 20 foot by 8 foot garden directly beside the road. His gardening strategy raised a few eyebrows in the neighborhood, but as a four, five, and six year old, I didn’t much care about the logistics—only the final product. I would run next door to Ted’s each day to see what had changed in just 24 hours. My sister and I have always loved vegetables, in part thanks to neighbor Ted. I believe that seeing something grow, gives you an appreciation for its deliciousness. I learned about the importance of watering, the need for sun, and the necessity for patience all by observing Ted in his garden. My sweet neighbor was a Christian and would explain to me that the future of the garden (and life) was in Gods hands and that you must give from your abundance. These childhood memories led my husband, Rodney, and I to begin our own garden preparations. Rodney also had special memories of his father’s garden. We felt our sunny spacious backyard had the perfect spot for our future garden, which would be planted with memories. Our first hurdle was to recognize we needed good soil in order to be successful. When we first tilled the area, we realized we had a large amount of clay. Plants do not thrive in heavy clay soil. To determine your soil type, you should know if it sticks together like cookie dough, it is probably clay. If it is gritty and does not hold together, it is probably sandy soil. If it holds together in a ball but crumbles if tapped, it is most likely loamy soil. Most plants thrive in a loamy type soil. After some research, we added peat moss and commercial composted soil to improve our base. Your local extension agency can give you a soil testing kit to determine what soil additives you may need. We built our bed two feet above our ground area and lined it with railroad ties. This facilitated drainage for the garden and trim work for the yard. Our outline of 20 x 10 allowed us a number of vegetables to choose from. Grow and harvest! Once you have raised your own vegetables, you realize the reward is greater than the savings. The gratification of success is so worthwhile. Flavor, freshness, and a superior product is your reward. Teaching your children the simple, practical value of working on a family project is an experience that is full of life lessons that will be remembered with fondness. Gardening is both fun and work. There is nothing better than surprising a friend with a basket full of freshly picked tomatoes that you gladly share because of your own bounteous supply. Zucchini multiplies daily for casseroles and moist breads. Yellow squash, okra, beans, and cucumbers come in such abundance that you feel almost guilty not giving some away. Successful vegetable gardening requires only a few variables: an area of fertile soil, sunshine, water, attention, and patience. The joy and pleasure of planning and nurturing your garden is a wonderful family project and even the youngest member can help! The fruit of your labor will be much more than what you gather in your basket! My desire to start a garden began with early memories of my grandmother, Etta. Grandmother was born on a family plantation where gardening was used as a means to feed everyone on the land. Vegetable gardening was a tradition she continued after she was married. I helped as she shucked cob after cob of silver queen corn, then blanched, chilled, and cut the wonderful nuggets to store in the freezer. That freezer yielded Thanksgiving and Christmas traditional food that became family favorites year after year. When one grows up in an urban residential neighborhood, it is highly unlikely to be exposed to corn stalks, pole 0 Eastern Carolina Parent : April 2009 We learned that the garden needs a two hour rain or watering every three days. Morning time is the best time to water because the sun is not in full force. Daily visits are important to see what needs to be harvested once the garden is established. Tomatoes are the easiest vegetable to grow and among the most versatile foods to cook and enjoy. Seeking advice, we decided to grow three varieties: Better Boy, Beefsteak, and Cherry. Tomatoes need support by stakes or cages. We learned it is best to pinch off the lowest leaves so that the fruit bearing top is stronger. The children would pick the cherry tomatoes daily like candy and even eat larger tomatoes like an apple. Cucumbers are a vine that can climb up a trellis or will run shallow rooted along the ground. They require a lot of water. After the fruit appears, it matures quickly. Summer Camps Coming Soon! Log onto www.grpd.info or call 252-329-4567 for a complete listing of our summer camp opportunities. Spend your summer with us! You won’t want to miss out on the fun! www.easterncarolinaparent.com http://www.grpd.info http://www.easterncarolinaparent.com
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