The Vegetable garden craze
I was reading the local newspaper yesterday and an opinion piece by Griffin Longley entitled ‘Gardening has seed of truth to save the earth’ caught my eye. The long and short of the article is that 2009 saw many, many people take to vegetable gardening and take to it with gusto. Apparently during 2009 the Obama’s and the Queen set aside land for organic vegetable gardening to take place for their respective houses. Kevin Rudd came under great pressure to start up a vegetable garden at the Lodge and many school around Australia started to use the humble vegetable garden as a teaching resource. I myself can vouch for this as I was working in a primary school that regularly had students in the vegie garden and even used the produce to promote healthy eating.
What has bought about this influx in vegie gardening? There are a few suggestions ranging from the global economic crisis to global warming and these have definitely played a rather large role, but exactly why it is now in vogue to have a vegie garden is a little illusive and certainly not something I can put my finger on.
I have to say though, I am excited to see the interest in vegie gardening pick up because I believe it will inevitably increase peoples desire to have a better general garden as well. Whether that means people digging in and doing it themselves or hiring a garden professional, the end result is better gardens and that is something I’m excited about.
What about you? Have you jumped in on this latest trend? Are you growing vegies in the back yard? Do you have a worm farm? Are you farming fish? Do you have a compost bin or better yet a range or bins? What area’s of permaculture are you getting into? If the article in my local paper is correct 1 in 2 Australians grows some vegetables in their garden each year. Where are you?
6 Responses to “The Vegetable garden craze”
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When we built in Perth’s Northern suburbs I constructed brick raised garden beds for vege growing. This has been better in some years than others but it is only since I started moving across to beds in the front yard that I have had success with some crops like lettuce. This year has been great for the buttercrunch variety but wind will always be a problem up where we are.
Great blog – I will follow it with interest (via Hamo’s backyad. . .)
Thanks for the comment Grendel. It is funny how some plants will ONLY grow in particular positions, even when it ‘appears’ that the conditions are the same. Glad to hear you are having success with your crops.
If the wind causes you problems where you are I’d hate to think of the experience of Lancelin residents or worse yet Geraldton residents as far as wind is concerned!
I reckon that up there you’d need to buy those 800mm colourbod garden beds – then only half fill them with soil so that you have a 400mm windbreak.
I was joking when I wrote that but now having done so it doesn’t seem such a silly idea.
We live in the Northern Suburbs too. About 2 years or so ago, ripped out all the plants along the back fence and changed it into a vege patch. Today I made tomato relish as I pick about a kilo or more of tomatoes a day! And they are so yum! The reason I did it is I was tired of the awful tasting veges from the supermarket. And its not difficult to do. I have lettuce, tomatoes, apple cucumbers, rhubarb, mint, basil, onions, strawberries, corn…the list goes on. Also do the winter veges and have great success with broccoli! I love it! I use minimal, if no, pesticides and feel it is healthier for all of us.
And how good do home grown vegies taste!
I love nothing more than coming home, going outside, picking some fresh vegies and then cooking them to go with whatever else I am having. Fantastic.
Sadly living in an apartment at the moment is making this pretty hard to do. I have a front porch which I am considering planting a few vegies in boxes but it really doesn’t get ANY sun so I don’t actually expect to achieve much. But experimenting will be fun!
Hello Middo,
Chris (from a churchlessfaith & Leavers) here. I have a struggling vegie patch that needs much love and attention. Very none of my immediate neighbours have a vegie patch. I have to agree the taste of home grown veggies are amazing. I cannot get my 3 year old to eat shop bought tomatoes but out of the garden she eats them like they are lollies.