And please remember....Gardening is weather dependent. Soil conditions, seed, transplant availability and timing as well as your garden's specific microclimate all affect your choices and results from season to season.
Feel free to email us with any questions you have so we can add the most common questions to this FAQ.
What if I want to do most of the gardening myself?
Go for it! We are here to help you enhance your family's food security whether you need us a little or a lot! You may want to look at our Custom Garden Installation, Garden Coaching, Seasonal Services, or just remember us for occasional custom services.
What size garden do I need?
Every family's needs are different, but vegetable gardens can be incredibly productive. Rosalind Creasy, author of many books on edible landscaping and a contributor to Mother Earth News, wrote in the December 2009 edition (pp 31-35) about her experience in 2008 with a 5'x20' border area next to her lawn. She planted 2 tomato plants, 4 bell pepper plants (variety colors), 4 zucchini, 4 basil and 18 lettuces (12 romaine and 6 buttercruch). Keeping careful records, within one month, she had harvested 230 individual servings of salad. One day in late August, she harvested 48 tomatoes, nine peppers, 15 zucchini, and three handfuls of basil. Overall, from April to September (5 months!), that 100 sq ft had yielded produce valued at $746.52. She had harvested over 238 lbs of vegetables... that's a lot of marinara sauce!
To supply all the vegetables a person 'should' eat, eating seasonally and staying out of the grocery produce aisle, figure 500 sq ft per person. If you want to have extra to can or freeze, plan to double that. The secret is to eat what is in 'season' while it is fresh, can lots of tomatoes for sauces and soups and grow whatever herbs are in your cabinet that our climate will allow.
For example, consider spaghetti for dinner. The sauce will need tomatoes, basil, oregano, onions, garlic, salt, pepper and perhaps some fennel (the secret ingredient for Italian sausage). With a garden, so far all you've bought is the salt and pepper. To bulk up the sauce you can use meat (locally and sustainably raised!) or a variety of chunky summer vegetables, zucchini, yellow squash, yellow or red or green peppers, sweet banana peppers, perhaps winter squashes (Marina di Chioggia, Padana, Lunga di Napoli) or greens that grow all winter here like Kale, Chard and spinach.
A garden can be as simple as a few herbs and a tomato plant in a pot or as elaborate as Versailles. Start one and grow as your skills and tastes develop!
What if I want to do most of the gardening myself?
Go for it! We are here to help you enhance your family's food security whether you need us a little or a lot! You may want to look at our Custom Garden Installation, Garden Coaching, Seasonal Services, or just remember us for occasional custom services.
What size garden do I need?
Every family's needs are different, but vegetable gardens can be incredibly productive. Rosalind Creasy, author of many books on edible landscaping and a contributor to Mother Earth News, wrote in the December 2009 edition (pp 31-35) about her experience in 2008 with a 5'x20' border area next to her lawn. She planted 2 tomato plants, 4 bell pepper plants (variety colors), 4 zucchini, 4 basil and 18 lettuces (12 romaine and 6 buttercruch). Keeping careful records, within one month, she had harvested 230 individual servings of salad. One day in late August, she harvested 48 tomatoes, nine peppers, 15 zucchini, and three handfuls of basil. Overall, from April to September (5 months!), that 100 sq ft had yielded produce valued at $746.52. She had harvested over 238 lbs of vegetables... that's a lot of marinara sauce!
To supply all the vegetables a person 'should' eat, eating seasonally and staying out of the grocery produce aisle, figure 500 sq ft per person. If you want to have extra to can or freeze, plan to double that. The secret is to eat what is in 'season' while it is fresh, can lots of tomatoes for sauces and soups and grow whatever herbs are in your cabinet that our climate will allow.
For example, consider spaghetti for dinner. The sauce will need tomatoes, basil, oregano, onions, garlic, salt, pepper and perhaps some fennel (the secret ingredient for Italian sausage). With a garden, so far all you've bought is the salt and pepper. To bulk up the sauce you can use meat (locally and sustainably raised!) or a variety of chunky summer vegetables, zucchini, yellow squash, yellow or red or green peppers, sweet banana peppers, perhaps winter squashes (Marina di Chioggia, Padana, Lunga di Napoli) or greens that grow all winter here like Kale, Chard and spinach.
A garden can be as simple as a few herbs and a tomato plant in a pot or as elaborate as Versailles. Start one and grow as your skills and tastes develop!
We want to grow organically... can you do that?
We can use certified organic seed, amendments and other inputs and 'practices' for appropriate services on your property. Unless you go through the protocols for your property to be certified, we cannot say that your garden is 'organic' since in 2002, the federal government restricted the use of the word to it's certified producers.
We can use certified organic seed, amendments and other inputs and 'practices' for appropriate services on your property. Unless you go through the protocols for your property to be certified, we cannot say that your garden is 'organic' since in 2002, the federal government restricted the use of the word to it's certified producers.
Why are there holes in my produce?
Because there are bugs that like your food as much as you do! We'll use many methods (or teach them to you) in order to minimize pest damage. We'll do some farmscaping, which includes trap crops, companion planting, and attracting beneficial insects. We'll also use mechanical controls, sticky tape, and the introduction of beneficial insects, among others.
Because there are bugs that like your food as much as you do! We'll use many methods (or teach them to you) in order to minimize pest damage. We'll do some farmscaping, which includes trap crops, companion planting, and attracting beneficial insects. We'll also use mechanical controls, sticky tape, and the introduction of beneficial insects, among others.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF!
No matter where you start, you'll need to consider the following questions before we meet to discuss your garden. Think about your existing or potential garden, your lifestyle and food habits......
What are your Favorite Vegetables?
- Do you want the kids to have a garden of their own with quick growers (radishes) and favorite treats (pumpkins or sunflowers)?
- Do you plan to can or otherwise preserve food for another season?
- Do you wish to donate fresh produce to CASA or another organization?
Your Garden Site...
- How much area do you have available to plant?
- Remember to maintain access to outbuildings. Is there a path across your yard? You might want to avoid that area for a garden.
- Are there large trees shading the area? How much sun does the area receive each day? We recommend at least 6 hours of direct sun for most vegetables.
- How about a space for a compost area?
- Is your landscape formal or rather casual? What style of garden do you want for your vegetables? A vegetable garden can be quite 'formal' with maintenance and wise plant choices. How about herbs? Some are more sprawling than others. A casual garden is more easily maintained, but you may want it out of view from the street.
- Is there access to the garden area for a truck?
- Do you have fencing? How wide is the gate? Is it locked? Will we need to call ahead for weekly service?
- What about water? Is there access close to the garden? Do you have an irrigation system that might need to be moved or recalibrated? You must water when needed, as directed, to help your vegetable garden reach it's potential.
- Do you have pets in the yard? What are their names and how happy will they be to share their space? With a person? With equipment? With vegetables?
- Does anyone in the family have allergies? Or other special concerns we might need to know about?
- If you plan to practice Four Season Gardening, frost and freeze protection will be your responsibility unless we have made specific arrangements for us to provide that service.
INSTALLATION
INSPIRATION
MAINTENANCE