THE IMPORTANCE OF GROWING YOUR OWN FOOD
It is time to grow. Plant for sustainability and grow fresh vegetables and herbs. Growing your own food can inspire you to learn more about the plants that you are eating. It can even influence you and your family to make great dietary decisions while you savor your creations. There is a sense of pride associated with growing your own fresh and beautiful vegetables.
True, the benefits to the beautification side of adding plants to any space is obvious, but functionality is just as important. Whether your planting goals are for shade, for nourishment, for support of pollination, planting a garden for sustainability and sustenance will support and sustain your family both physically and mentally.
Growing for sustainability is a commodity as well as a lifestyle. The results are immediate with the added benefit of long-term rewards. Looking to the future and figuring out a healthy way of life to support your family all starts with healthy and fresh produce.
The practice of growing a sustainable garden is one of the most important practices we can follow, especially now. It improves our soils while it feeds your family fresh, organic food. Utilizing an essential and renewable resource like edible plants is key to protecting our environment and providing support for your family.
Sustainability embraces the importance of organic gardening while supporting the conservation of resources. Growing your own food to support this natural process allows nature to supplement our lives with things that we need. The approach to maintaining your garden can also benefit our ecosystem in many ways. Try using beneficial insects as a natural form of pest control. The sustainable approach conserves water resources with the use of drip or direct irrigation like soaker hoses, which provides a more direct method of watering while eliminating run off and waste.
Growing your own food is simple. Anyone can learn how to grow their own fresh vegetables. Be patient as your build your knowledge with your garden and enjoy the benefits. You and your family will have fun and grow together in your bond, in your knowledge of plants, and in the importance of promoting wellness and a healthy lifestyle.
“THRILLER, FILLER, SPILLER” DESIGN METHOD
When creating your vegetable garden with limited space, planting a container gardens is ideal. Container gardens are perfect for apartment patios or other urban dwellings. Limited yard space? Plant a container garden! First, let us teach you how to utilize the “Thriller, Filler, Spiller” design method for a visually pleasing creation as well as functional. Select a larger container when using vegetable plants to allow for room to grow, especially when combining with other plants.
You will need:
- Stylish containers that allows proper drainage and room for growth
- 4 inch veggie and herb selections from Chef® Jeff’s and other varieties
- Calloway’s Premium Container Potting Soil or Calloway’s Organic Container Potting Soil
- Calloway’s Natural Lawn & Garden Food
Plant with Calloway’s Premium Container Potting Soil or Calloway’s Organic Container Potting Soil. Calloway’s Premium Container Potting Soil is made from the highest quality ingredients to create lightness. It is the perfect potting soil to create an ideal balance and proper moisture retention to foster healthy root growth. It is ideal for growing thriving potted plants and container gardens. Always choose varieties that have similar sun and water requirements for your planting success.
Calloway’s Organic Container Potting Soil is made from the highest quality organic ingredients. It contains water saving ingredients like expanded shale and coco coir for added moisture control. The organic ingredients like composted rice hulls, pine bark, earthworm castings, and peat moss, add good aeration organic matter to the soil for rapid root growth. Plus beneficial ingredients are added like silicon, lime, and organic fertilizer to improve overall health and to feed your plants naturally.
For the “Thriller” plant in our creation, use a smaller tomato variety of cherry tomatoes like Sweet 100 tomatoes. It is key to have space for your plants to grow.
For the “Spiller” plant, add a sweeter option like tasty strawberries. Strawberries are relatively easy to grow and are perfect for container gardens. Strawberries need full sunlight to adequately produce their juicy fruits. They are ideal for our Texas climate but require moist soil. With all container gardens, watering is key and they may need more consistent watering than a typical garden.
Check out the pre-made strawberry hanging baskets available at our store nearest you!
For the “Filler” plant, add some color! Annual color can attract beneficial pollinators that will support the health and life of your garden. For our filler plant, we selected Zinnias. They are known to attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden, and they provide amazing shades of bright, playful colors. They are relatively low maintenance and require full sunlight.
VEGETABLES IDEAL FOR CONTAINERS
Make gardening stylish with your containers. Use various sizes and styles of pottery and take care not to overplant the space. For example, in a 10-12 inch pot, plant no more than 2 tomato or pepper plants. These plants need room to grow. Have fun with our quality pottery selections to create an eclectic and trendy plant display. Combine the functionality with visually pleasing designs to really make a statement. Save your plant tags and use them as a reference for care tips and instructions.
TOMATOES
Tomatoes are one of the most popular garden vegetable crops in Texas. They are a good source of vitamin A and a fair source of vitamin C. Fresh tomatoes are popular in salads or freshly sliced on sandwiches. They can be cooked and used in many culinary creations. Tomatoes grow at a fast rate. They require full sunlight and it is important to water the tomato plants slowly and deeply to help them develop a strong root system.
Roma Plum Tomatoes are classic and tasty. They take 75-80 days to mature and produce large, egg-shaped fruit. This plant can grow to 48-60 inches in height and is disease resistant! Did you know that Roma Tomatoes are a great choice for canning and making tomato paste? This is due to their firm nature.
Sweet 100 Tomatoes also need about 60-70 days to mature. A hybrid with a high yield, these plants are best when given a support system to help them grow, and they are a perfect choice for vining or hanging baskets.
When growing tomatoes, they will need support for bearing heavy fruit. Use plant tape and with stakes, tomato cages, or a trellis as your plants grow taller.
PEPPERS
Peppers are a popular warm-season garden vegetable. Plant Peppers in areas that receive at least 6 hours of sunlight each day. Water the plants enough to keep them from wilting. Slow, deep watering helps the root system grow strong. Do not let pepper plants wilt because this will reduce the yield and quality of the fruit. Peppers grow in all types of soils but do best in heavier, well-drained soils. Peppers are good raw or cooked. Eat them as a snack, use them to decorate food, or add them to salads and casseroles. You can also stuff peppers with seasoned breadcrumbs or meat and bake them.
Jalapenos are a Texas staple, as far as eating goes. Jalapenos need about 70-75 days to mature. Their plants grow to be about 16-20 inches in height with medium to large-sized fruit.
Bell Peppers, like California Wonder or Bette Belle, need 60-75 days to mature. Not only are bell peppers self-pollinating, but they can also grow to be 18-20 inches in height while bearing large, tender fruit.
ADDING FLAVOR WITH HERBS
Fresh herbs and container gardens go together like peanut butter and jelly. The great thing about growing your own fresh herbs is that they are ready to go immediately after planting and you can mix and match flavors to create different themes. You can create an Italian spice garden or you can trend your theme south of the border. Herbs can also attract beneficial pollinators to your garden.
Herb selections range from mint, thyme, oregano, parsley, and rosemary. Other great options are basil, cilantro, sage, chives, and more! Allow your herbs to grow in a space that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight throughout the day. Avoid overwatering as soggy soil can greatly impact the health of your plants. Let the soil dry a bit before watering again.
FEED YOUR PLANTS
Give your plants the best with Calloway’s Natural Lawn & Garden Food. Our best natural fertilizer just got better! Ideal for lawns, flowerbeds, vegetables, fruits, trees, and shrubs, Natural Lawn & Garden Food is one of the leading fertilizers for an organic landscape. Enhanced with Jobe’s Biozome® and Archaea, a unique blend of beneficial microorganisms, which breaks down complex minerals to improve long-term soil quality. This highly enriched fertilizer also contains helpful mycorrhizae, a healthy bacteria that stimulates growth above and below the soil.
At Calloway’s and Cornelius, we are here for all your gardening needs! Visit us today and explore our entire collection of seasonal blooms, fantastic pottery, indoor plants, fresh vegetables, stately trees and shrubs, and so much more! Shop one of our 28 neighborhood stores, serving our loyal customers for over 35 years.
Have questions? Ask our Texas Certified Nursery Professionals; they are here to help!
