Edible Gardens Are Hot and Healthy

"It never ceases to amaze me what even a small piece of land lovingly tended can produce."  Joan Gussow, from This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader

In recent years, the movement to grow food locally, seasonally and organically has become more mainstream. This makes perfect sense because it leads to healthier eating, reduces the carbon footprint by cutting down on packaging and transportation costs, and decreases exposure to pesticides and chemicals used in industrial farming.

It's so refreshing to witness edible gardens gaining popularity and notoriety. Keep in mind you don’t even need property to have one because window boxes, containers and rooftops make great homes for gardens as well. Michelle Obama set the tone when she planted a beautiful edible garden at the White House. This was the inspiration people needed.

Wouldn’t you love to see more edible gardens in Rockville Centre? Maggie Gray is doing her best to support and encourage homeowners, community centers and schools to discover the bounty achieved by planting seeds today.

Maggie is the proprietor of New Leaf, a local business that creates and designs sustainable artisan gardens for leisure and learning. As a horticultural specialist at the Long Island Children’s Museum, she cultivates a sense of wonder and discovery in children about nature and their environment. 

Maggie’s Gardening 101:

1. Sunny Location:  A 4 ft. x 8 ft. garden is ideal in a spot that gets about six hours of sunlight a day with access to an irrigation system or hose. 
2. Prepare bed:  You can build a raised bed (do not use pressure-treated lumber) or turn the soil in your selected site.
3. Test your soil with a soil pH testing kit or take your sample to Nassau County's Cornell Cooperative Extension for testing.
4. Choosing the right plant for the right place.­­­­­­­­ The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map designates Long Island as  Zone 7 and recommends mid-May as the proper time for planting most vegetable seedlings. Peas and lettuces are cool weather vegetables that can be planted now.
5. Planting: Adhere to the information on the seed packets or labels. Identify plants with name and date of planting (cut plastic mini-blinds with a pencil works great). Consider mixing some annuals, perennials and herbs to your vegetable garden.
6. Care: Mulch around plants with a natural untreated shredded wood mulch to decrease moisture loss and discourage weed growth.  
7. Start composting to nourish your garden.
8. Avoid pesticides and herbicides by using pest-resistant plant material and creating habitats for beneficial insects and herbs. Incorporating flowers attracts bees and butterflies.
9. Be sure to manage weeds, water accordingly, appreciate the beauty and savor the harvest.

Reap the benefits of Edible Gardening

1. When children and adults learn how fruit and vegetables are grown, they are more likely to appreciate their nutritional benefits and become inspired to taste and explore a wider variety of fresh produce.
2. Gardening is a fruitful family activity and a wonderful way to engage children of all ages in nature.
3. Inspires healthier eating and more delicious home cooking.
4. Promotes wellness by eating seasonally-grown organic local produce.
5. Gardening is a work of heart and can be a work out for the body while soothing the mind.
6. Vegetables and fruits grown in mineral rich soil without pesticides and chemicals are nutritionally superior to industrial farming.
7. Gardening is an interactive way to get involved with your property and an opportunity to cultivate gratitude for Mother Earth.

An edible garden enhances your life immensely. Why not trade in some of that impeccably manicured lawn and harvest the benefits?