Pandemic Gardening…

So for anyone who saw a previous post about seed catalogues and wondered why on earth I was ordering seeds in January….. Turns out a lot of people are getting their hands dirty lately. Seed companies across Canada saw extraordinary demand for their products in 2020 resulting in delayed orders and seed shortages. Burpee Seeds that have been around for over 140 years reported record sales in 2020. Hence the early ordering. So what’s up with ‘Pandemic Gardening? Well, if you were not born yesterday you know that ‘there is nothing new under the sun’. In 2020 they are called ‘pandemic’ gardens. During WW1 and WW2 they were called ‘Victory’ gardens. And during the Great Depression they were called ‘Relief’ gardens.

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Turns out that people can and will dig deep when times get tough…..and I mean dig 😉 The obvious benefit of fresh air and exercise are not the only ‘feel good’ aspects of gardening. One could speculate that gardening helps people feel better by working hard, staying busy and contributing to the family larder. And planting a little extra to share with the elderly neighbour or the local food bank certainly helps to get those endorphins perculating. And who can’t use that?

So what about space? When finding a plot in a community garden isn’t possible and your available green space will not accommodate a large traditional layout; improvise. Maybe thinking ‘inside’ the box is exactly what’s needed. Square foot, container and verticle gardens are all viable options. New urban homesteaders are all about working with and making the most of what they have, especially when it comes to space. Let’s take a look at a few options.

Even balcony gardens can be productive. Bear in mind that many vegetables require 6-8 hours of sunlight to grow properly. Plant to your conditions. Job #1 is to calculate exactly how much sun your balcony gets every day. If less than six hours don’t despair. You can still grow lots of chard, spinach and salad greens. While most herbs will be more robust given a sunnier location; many will produce nicely in partial shade to shade. The following is just a sampling: Bay leaf, Tarragon, Mint, Parsley, Dill, and Chives. If you have a favourite give it a try. Fresh herbs are a wonderful addition to any dish. Don’t forget the blossoms. Nasturtiums and sweet violets are just a couple of the edible blossoms that can grow in partial shade and add a bit of flair to the salad. Back to that space issue. Many balconies can be on the small side. Think about growing vertically or in hanging pots. Let your imagination go wild here.

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How about the small condo back yard. While leaving space for the kids and the dog (on occasion) you have a lot more options. Square foot gardening lends itself wonderfully well to small gardens. Still not enough room for an 8×10 bed? Try a ‘step’ garden with a trellis behind. Or more containers.

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Okay so you might not grow 50 lbs. of food for your family. But I will tell you this. There is something calming and satisfying about just walking out on your deck and eating a strawberry off your plant. A few fresh peas while standing in your yard. Telling your friends that you made the best spaghetti sauce ever due to adding your own fresh herbs. And whether you grew it in a pot or in the ground; that’s a ‘victory’ garden that brings stress ‘relief’, ‘pandemic’ or not. See what I did there? LOL Couldn’t resist 😉