How to Plant a Victory Garden

Victory Garden Poster

Victory gardens are enjoying a revival. Victory gardens were popular during World Wars I and II. People planted home gardens to provide their own fruits and vegetables. These gardens of vegetables, fruit, flowers and herbs were planted in backyards, public lots and in containers. Today victory gardens are planted by people who want the taste and fun of homegrown vegetables. Some victory gardeners are thinking green. They want to avoid field crop contamination, fuel shortages and global warming from mass-market produce. Whether you do it for the fun, flavor or the plant, you can enjoy a victory garden. Here are easy tips to make you a successful victory gardener.

Things You'll Need

• Soil
• Seeds
• Plants
• Water

Instructions

1. 

   Stake out a small section of your back yard for a garden. A victory garden does not require much room. You can plant flowers, vegetables and herbs in one small area. Keep the rows far enough apart that you can walk between the plants for weeding and harvesting. Use plant stakes to make the garden grow up instead of spreading across the plot.

2. 

   Scatter vegetables and fruit plants among the flower bed. This saves space and the labor of maintaining a garden plot. Tuck a bean bush or compact tomato plant among annuals and perennials. Use a currant bush or rhubarb plant for perennial landscaping.

3. 

   Use a plant container for a porch or balcony. Containers are wonderful for herbs such as chives that can be used for mild onion flavoring. Compact cherry tomato plants, peas and beans grow in containers. Stake them up for taller growth but be sure the plant is not too large for the container. Make a mixed container of flowers and herbs for a fun and fragrant miniature garden.

4. 

   Grow exotic herbs or vegetables. If you have limited time or space, grow only heritage or favorite veggies that are not commonly available. Specialty herbs and beans are fun to grow and a small space provides enough for a season.

5. Seek advice from local gardeners and plant centers. Get help on finding plants for your climate. Check seed packets in local garden centers. They give the days from seed to maturity and the zones where the seeds will successfully grow. Use these as a guide. Do not buy seeds or plants when you are traveling unless you are sure they will grow in your region.

6. 

   Be a victory gardener without a garden. Share a neighbor's garden chores in return for a crop share. Shop at a local farmers' market or fruit stand. Join a buying club or cooperative. Sometimes called community supported agriculture or CSA, these groups connect local farmers with urban consumers. Farmers haul their fresh or organic seasonal produce directly to the neighborhood group

7. 

   Harvest your garden with no regrets. The out-of-pocket cost is sometimes a little more than imported market vegetables, but the flavor of a fresh-picked tomato from your own garden, still warm from the sun, is priceless.