Just a few short years ago, I was proud of myself if I could grow my own basil without it wilting. Eventually, though, I started to feel embarrassed that it was the only thing I was growing. So, I branched out. Last year, our "crops" included tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, rosemary, oregano, mint, Italian parsley...and the trusty basil. I like to grow the things we eat the most, partly because I can't stand buying produce in those little plastic clamshell containers. (Even if they're recycled, they still create a lot of pollution in the manufacturing and recycling processes.) Plus, I can't always find organic produce, so I'd rather grow our own and know that it hasn't been sprayed to the brink of death with pesticides. Last but not least, it's a great lesson for little ones to learn that food doesn't grow in the supermarket. (Added bonus: They seem more likely to eat it if they grow it!)
Even with the occasional snow flurries lately, I can still feel spring on the way, which makes me excited to start growing our own fruits and veggies again. Naturally, I'm all for growing things seasonally and locally, but sometimes, I like to try growing things that don't usually grow in the northeastern U.S. Citrus trees fall into that category, and last spring, I bought three. Meyer lemon (pictured above), seedless lime, and mandarin orange. By late spring, we should have some of our first Meyer lemons ripening. Not enough to make lemonade every day, but enough to spritz on fish or slice for salads, I think. Since the citrus trees I bought are dwarf varieties, it was (relatively) easy to drag them into the house at the first sign of frost. I can't wait to drag them back out onto the deck once spring is here to stay.
Your turn: What did you grow last year? Successes? Failures? What's on your planting agenda this year?
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