Our Better Nature: Start Your Own Victory Garden

It gets your heart rate up, and there are endless creative ways of doing it. Whether it’s your first time, or you’ve been at it since you were young, most agree that even so-so outcomes bring them pleasure. This is about gardening, in case you wondered.

These days, the soaring price of groceries gives us an added reason to grow our own food. During both World Wars, civilians were asked to raise produce at home in what were dubbed Victory Gardens. Promoted with radio ads and now-iconic posters, gardening was framed as a patriotic duty: It beefed up food security and saved fuel that would otherwise have been used growing and transporting crops.

With few ways to push back against high food costs, gardening is one means to score a win. Now is the ideal time to swap a bit of lawn for a veggie patch, or plant greens and herbs in containers on our patio or balcony. Newbies and those who haven’t done it in a while (gardening, I mean) can find success in their Victory Gardens at little cost and with modest effort.

With scads of gardening books out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed at first. I’ll lay out some basics here, and point to resources for more information.

Let’s look at your garden’s LAWS: Light, Air, Water, and Soil.

Light

It’s common to be in the dark on how much sun a garden (or proposed site) truly gets. Houses and trees cast shade at various times of day, so one should carefully note at what the time the morning sun fully hits, and when afternoon shadows start to cross it.

This is key because some veggies, like tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers, and basil, need eight or more hours of full sun each day. Crops such as spinach, lettuce, peas, onions, and carrots only require four hours of daily sun. Seed packets, as well as tags in potted and cell-pack plants, will say if a plant is a sun-lover or a shady character.

In class pictures, tall kids go in back so they don’t block others, which is why garden layout matters. Short plants like beets go near the sunniest (southern) edge, and mid-height crops such as peppers go next. Taller veggies like tomatoes are behind them, with the tallest like corn and pole beans in the last row. That way, everybody has enough sun. Seed packets and tags list mature heights.

Air

Good air flow keeps plants healthy, so check seed packets and tags to see how far to space plants and how wide to make rows. Crowded plants trap moisture, which sets the stage for pathogens that rot stems and kill leavers. Trellising crops like cucumbers enhances air circulation around leaves, and saves garden space too. Leaves at ground level can’t dry out quickly after rains, and are more at risk from diseases.

Water

The longer leaves stay wet, the yummier they look to fungal pathogens. Irrigation water should go on the roots, not the leaves. Don’t use sprinklers, except on leafy greens, and then, only in the morning. Water plants at the base with a gentle stream of water, or use a drip-hose.

Mulch is your friend. Whether it’s hay, straw, leaves, or newsprint, mulch conserves water. It also suppresses weeds and adds organic matter to the soil.

Soil

Soils range from heavy (clay) to light (sand). Heavy soils hold water well, but are prone to compaction and poor drainage. This stunts plants and favors root-rot diseases. Light soils resist compaction, but dry out fast. Loam is an ideal soil in between clay and sand.

Either extreme is a challenge for the gardener, but never try to resolve the issue by adding sand to clay, or vice-versa; that’s how bricks are made. Organic matter fixes the matter. Aged compost, rotted leaves or hay, and peat moss are common sources. It’s best not to add more than ten percent by volume.

Soil pH measures how acidic or alkaline the soil is. With few exceptions, most plants do best when soil pH is between 6.0 and 6.8.

Beyond the LAWS, here are some other essential points:

• It’s wise to start small. You can always scale-up next year.
• Look up your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone, which tell you first and last frost dates for your area. Also, not all plants (and bits of advice) are viable in every zone.
• Always plant disease-resistant varieties. Disease pressure is greater than it was in the past due to invasive pathogens and changed weather patterns. If you love certain heirloom veggies, keep growing them, but hedge your bets by adding resistant varieties.
• Take advantage of your Cooperative Extension Service, which operates in every state and territory. Its mission is to provide current, research-based support to agriculture and consumer horticulture. In many places this involves things like nutrition and cooking classes as well. Your nearest Extension office has staff and/or Extension Master Gardeners who can help with soil testing and garden-related questions.
• Look for local online gardening forums. They’re great places to pitch questions and to share your gardening joys and sorrows.
• And finally, here is a top-notch guide for novice gardeners.

I wish all new gardeners victory in your gardens this year, but more than anything, I hope you fall in love with gardening.