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Bargain Garden Don't let the economy affect your green thumb  Image courtesy istockphoto Is the recession taking away some of the green you spend on your green thumb? Not to worry. There are a variety of no- or low-cost ways to bring flowers and edible plants into your garden and home. "If you're looking for plants that will give you a lot in these tough economic times, get the herbs," says Karl Gercens, horticulturalist at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pa. "When I go to the market, I expect to pay $3 or $4 for a small packet, like eight ounces. That's a lot of money. If you grow these yourself, you're going to save yourself money." Parsley, chives, basil and rosemary are best to plant as seedlings after all danger of frost has passed in a container or in a backyard with sandy loam soil, Gercens says. As most of these herbs are Mediterranean natives, they appreciate full sun and heat. If you don't live in a warm climate, put them against a sunny window facing either south or west. Water them when they just start to wilt, or when the tips get a little soft. "The more intense the sunshine, the richer the flavor is going to be," Gercens says. "Their flavor comes from aromatic oils inside the foliage, which can get diluted from watering too much." Another recession-busting garden goody are microgreens, or vegetables that are harvested shortly after sprouting. Woody Brundage, a member of the Indoor Gardening Society of America Metropolitan Chapter based in New York City, says microgreens can be sunflowers, alfalfa, lentils, broccoli and even radishes. The process is simple: Clean a plastic or aluminum pan, sprinkle half an inch of vermiculite, toss in some seeds and wet it down, but not too much. Because they don't need much sun, you can even put them on a kitchen table and watch them grow. "They'll become small plants in a week or two and you can eat those sprouts," says Brundage. "They're rich in healthy nutrients and ideal in salads, soups or stir fry." For a bigger appetite, Gercens suggests planting squash: "Just six seeds in your garden will supply you with enough vegetables to feed a family for the entire summer and have some left over for your freezer." Pattypan (or white) and yellow crookneck are two popular varieties of squash recommended by Gercens, who suggests giving them a warm spot in your garden in rich-well drained soil with some compost. They will grow virtually anywhere in the country, Gercens says. For a little inexpensive color in your garden, consider a visit to your neighbor. If they have flowers you like, ask if they would be willing to share a few so that you can scatter their seeds in your garden. Two of Gercens favorites are Nigella (Love-in-a-mist), which blooms in the spring, and Verbena bonariensis (also called Purpletop), which attracts butterflies and hummingbirds as it blooms nearly all summer. "Shake the seeds off the plant, onto the ground," says Gercens. "They'll germinate underneath other plants. They'll even grow between a gravel pathway." If you want to repay your neighbor's kindness, consider sharing a flower from your garden. Gercens says hosta, daylily and iris are perfect for dividing. "Just get the shovel, cut the plant in half, lift it from the ground, plant half of it back in the hole you just opened up and give the other half to a gardening friend," Gercens says. |
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