Spring 2021: The Perfect Time to Grow More of Our Own Food
Anna Montgomery
This spring planting season is a great opportunity to consider growing more of your own food, or perhaps growing just your own herbs, tomatoes, and salad greens. Here are a few ideas from Knoxville-based master gardener, and biologist John Tullock, who is the author of such books as “Grow Food at Home: Simple Methods for Small Space”, “Appalachian Cooking”, and “Seed to Supper”.
You can grow food in many different ways
At a windowsill or under artificial lights
In containers on a balcony, deck, or patio
In raised beds in the yard
In a traditional in-ground garden
Most people use a variety of methods, depending on the crop and time of year
Plan for the entire year
Purchase seed for fall and winter gardening in spring, when selection is best
Think about how you actually use each crop; are you making pickles or do you just want fresh cucumbers for salad?
Understand succession planting and intercropping
Look for cultivars that work best in your situation; compact varieties are best for containers
Don’t forget herbs, small fruits, edible flowers, and mushrooms
Plan your garden based on your kitchen
What are your family's favorite vegetables?
Which crops cost the most in the grocery store and could be more economically grown at home?
Which crops will bear over a long season without replanting?
Which crops store well?
Be a creative cook and you’ll be able to use everything you produce in the garden
Learn techniques, not recipes
Use common sense and substitute when you need to
Learn basic food preservation techniques
Taste before, during, and after cooking