Getting started
Don’t know how to vegetable garden? Don’t worry. It’s not difficult. Clallam County Master Gardeners are here to help.
• This year, the Sequim Gazette’s Get It Growing column will focus on growing vegetables. Each week articles will cover helpful topics such as selecting a garden site, planting, fertilizing, weed control and much more.
• Starting in May, Clallam County Master Gardeners will sponsor a monthly lecture in Port Angeles on vegetable gardening as part of the Growing Healthy program. Lectures will cover everything you need to know to get a vegetable garden started and be successful.
• From May-September, the popular Lunch in the Garden garden walks will return to the Fifth Street Community Garden in Port Angeles. Walks start at noontime on the second Friday each month and highlight what is happening (or should be happening) in local vegetable gardens at that time.
These educational opportunities are free and open to the public. Call Clallam County Master Gardener coordinator Lorrie Hamilton at 565-2679 for more information.
by Jeanette Stehr-Green and Judy English
Vegetable gardening is a widespread pastime and growing in popularity. According to the nonprofit National Gardening Association, one in three American households grows its own food.
But why is growing your own vegetables so popular? It’s good for you! If you need convincing, here are 10 reasons to vegetable garden.
No. 1 — Gardening provides fresh fruits and vegetables, rich in vitamins, antioxidants and fiber and naturally low in cholesterol and fat. Eating fruits and vegetables is key to preventing (and managing) many health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
No. 2 — Homegrown vegetables taste better. Store-bought fruits and vegetables commonly are picked before they are mature so that they transport better. Homegrown fruits and vegetables can be picked when they are ripe and at their peak in taste.
No. 3 — Vegetable gardening increases the number of fruits and vegetables eaten. People who grow their own food take more interest in what they eat. As a result, they make healthier food choices and eat more fruits and vegetables, even when not available from their own gardens.
No. 4 — Vegetable gardening allows gardeners to decide what chemicals are used on their produce. If eating organic is important to you, raising your own fruits and vegetables is a great way to go. You control and know exactly what has been applied to your produce.
No. 5 — Vegetable gardening is a fun form of exercise. It burns almost as many calories as walking fast, riding a bicycle or playing basketball (about 300-400 kcal per hour). As a weight-bearing exercise, vegetable gardening also contributes to healthy bones, muscles and joints.
No. 6 — Vegetable gardening is an outdoor activity and increases exposure to sunshine. Sunshine counteracts seasonal depression and raises low vitamin D levels. Low vitamin D levels have been associated with a myriad of health problems and are found in a large proportion of people living in northern latitudes.
No. 7 — Growing your own vegetables saves money. The National Gardening Association estimates that the average family spends $70 a year on their vegetable garden but reaps over $600 worth of vegetables for the dinner table. Now that makes sense and cents!
No. 8 — Gardening provides a form of meditation. It decreases stress, muscle tension and blood pressure and contributes to a general sense of well-being.
No. 9 — Gardening gives the gardener something to look forward to and allows him or her to be productive. Anticipation grows as seeds sprout and plants develop leaves, flowers and harvestable fruit and vegetables. For the vegetable gardener, each day brings something new.
No. 10 — By sharing homegrown fruits and vegetables, the gardener can spread the benefits to others. Many gardeners have an abundance of produce when it comes to harvest time. So why not spread the wealth to family, friends and neighbors?
Tips
Vegetable gardening is good for your body, pocketbook and soul. So put on your garden gloves, give it a try and get ready to reap the many rewards!
For free gardening help, visit a local Master Gardener plant clinic. The clinics are from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays at the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., in Port Angeles. Bring your gardening questions, samples from problem plants and garden pests.
For more information, call the Plant Clinic Help Line at 417-2514.
Pearl of wisdom
Vegetable gardening is good exercise, but take steps to avoid injuries. Routinely stretch before beginning garden activities.
Watch your back and take frequent breaks, about every 20-30 minutes.
In addition, break up tasks; don’t try to do it all at once.
Jeanette Stehr-Green and Judy English are WSU-certified Clallam County Master Gardeners.
