Wednesday, February 16, 2011

2011 Growing Challenge: 4 Season Gardening!

I have joined this 4 Season Challenge & the Seed to Seed Challenge over at One Green Generation.
Join us!!



The 4 Season Garden challenge is to obviously garden in all 4 seasons - Now the winter is going to be a challenge for me (and perhaps some of you as well) but it's something I've been thinking about and wondering how to make it work on a budget.  Now there's a challenge!  With all the snow we still have (I actually can see 1 corner of one of my raised beds), growing things under lights in my basement is looking good!

2 - Grow something new each season and grow it from SEED! I'm growing a bunch of new things this year and all from seed.  In the spring, I have new lettuce varieties and broccoli.  In the summer, I have corn and potatoes along with new varieties of pole beans, bush beans, cukes, tomatoes and carrots.  For the fall, I was planning on growing what I did in the spring but perhaps I can kick it up a notch by adding something.  Oh the possibilities!!

3 - Spread the word! Blog about what your doing, tell people about what your doing, or go to the website and comment about what you're doing. Encourage 3 others to start gardening!! I know I've already encourage my bestest friend who lives in Texas to encourage his soon to be fiance who has been wanting to grow a garden.  She just planted her first strawberry plants today! :)

An optional challenge is if you can't grow it, buy it from a local farmer.  I definitely plan on doing that this year.  I have to learn about preserving veggies (freezing/canning) since there's not much available in the winter and I don't know of any local farmers that are even open to the public right now.



8 comments:

  1. Get yourself a Ball Canning Book (runs about $4 or $5) and read it from cover to cover. It is slam full of tried and true canning information! You'll love it!

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  2. Psyched to have found your blog and thank you for the follow as well! I grew all sorts of veggies/herbs in containers on my deck for the first time last year and can't wait to double that this year. Will def follow along as you grow from seed as well.

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  3. Great Challenge, Kim and I'll take you up on it. I feel like I'm cheating tho...I already grow year round! I do want to extend some of my plants season's tho (year round peppers and lettuce)...and I'm working on a hoop house and aquaponics...so for sure those things WILL be a challenge.

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  4. VP - I'm going to order that book today. Thanks!!

    J - Glad to have you on board! I'll be growing herbs in containers for the first time this year. I've always grown them in my raised beds but then don't have any plants for over winter. I actually digged up a parsley plant and have been snipping away at it all winter :) I look forward to see what you plant this year and hopefully will get some pointers on container gardening!

    Lynda - So happy your joining me! I don't consider your advanced experience as cheating. I see you as a vast source of helpful knowledge for those of us that are winter-growing challenged :) I look forward to see your hoop house and how the aquaponics goes. I've actually been rather interested in what that really is. Let the games begin! :)

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  5. I'm thinking of indoor gardening as well. A couple of years ago I grew lettuce in a window box under grow lights. It wasn't much but it was something. It will be fun to see what you come up with.
    Judy

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  6. Hi Judy, Thank you for the follow! I didn't have great success with lettuce last year which is why I'm planting a LOT of plants this year. I look forward to seeing what you plant as well!

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  7. Welcome, welcome! So glad you're joining the challenge. And welcome, Lynda as well!

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