In Today's Economy, Consumers are Converting Outdoor Space into Vegetable Gardens.

Urban Gardening Taking Root

Urbanites are proving that space limitations will not confine a gardener from pursuing her or her interests.  From windowsills, to patios, to balconies, to roof tops, productive small space or mini-gardens are taking root in metropolitan areas across the country.

Nothing tastes better than vegetables picked fresh from your own garden, and Bonnie Plant Farm, the nation’s largest grower of container vegetable plants, offers some advice for a successful small space garden.

Fundamentals – Plant care, including a sufficient space or a container with adequate drainage, plenty of sunlight and water, and fertilizer should result in a productive and easy to maintain small space garden.

A Little Help – Some vegetable plants are available with a biodegradable peat container.  These containers simplify the gardening process, as the container can be planted and with the plant.  Peat containers also reduce transplant shock and encourage root growth.

What to Plant – Peppers and eggplant are ideally suited for small space gardens.  With hundreds of varieties to choose from, tomatoes are also a favorite.  Some varieties, such as the Bonnie Original, can produce up to 50 pounds of tomatoes per plant.  Herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, and oregano grow well in containers and are perfect for home cooking.

Potager – This form of gardening mixes different varieties of flowers, herb, and vegetable plants in an ornamental fashion to ensure both aesthetic appeal and functionality.

Timing – Once the threat of frost is over, warm season vegetable plants may be planted.  You may wish to continually plant small amounts of short-season vegetables throughout the spring and summer.  This helps you to avoid having all vegetables come to maturity at the same time.

Ornamental Vegetables – Some varieties of vegetable plants are both edible and attractive.  Plants, including red cabbage, sweet peas, and green beans will add some color to your mini-garden.

Bonnie Plant Farm’s General Manager, Dennis Thomas, says that the benefits from gardening are the same, whether you live in the city or in the country.  “Gardening is great for stress reduction, eating fresh vegetables daily is an excellent way to maintain healthy eating habits, gardening can be less expensive than purchasing produce at the grocery store level, and nothing tastes better than vegetables picked fresh from your own garden.”

Biodegradable Peat Containers – Companies & Consumers Going Green

Bonnie Plant Farm's Biodegradable Peat Moss Containers

Bonnie Plant Farm — the nation’s largest grower of container vegetable plants — is offering environmentally friendly and biodegradable peat containers for spring and summer gardening for several of its premium products, including tomatoes, peppers and herbs, such as rosemary and lavender.

“We are listening to the environmentally conscious customer,” says Dennis Thomas, General Manager of Bonnie Plant Farm, which plants more than 500 million seeds annually.

If you would like to grow a more earth-friendly garden, the folks at Bonnie Plant Farm recommend the following:

• Start a compost pile with Carbon-rich “brown” materials, like fall leaves, straw, dead flowers, and shredded newspaper; Nitrogen-rich “green” materials, like grass clippings, plant-based kitchen waste (vegetable peelings and fruit rinds), or barnyard animal manure; and add in a bag of garden soil.  Keep the compost pile moist and use a shovel to turn the pile every couple of weeks.
• To control problem insects, encourage the natural predators of pest insects to hunt in your garden – beneficial insects such as the common ladybug, birds, frogs, and lizards control pests by eating them.  You can make your garden hospitable for your natural allies by keeping a water source nearby.
• For weed control, use a thick layer of mulch such as straw, grass clippings, leaves, and shredded bark.

EarthReady(TM) peat moss containers are becoming more popular on the shelves of home improvement retailers and gardening centers nationwide, increasing the popularity of gardening among novices, as the product simplifies both the planting and plant care process.

Peat containers, consisting of Canadian sphagnum peat moss and wood pulp, not only increase a plant’s shelf life, but they also help to reduce transplant shock, a leading cause of non-productive vegetable plants. Moving a vegetable plant from its container to a garden causes stress on the plant and its roots. Planting the peat container and plant into the soil leads to a healthier plant.