I Can’t Grow A Garden, and Other Gardening Myths

One of my fondest memories growing up was helping my mother tend to her garden. She grew collard greens and tomatoes. Today, I have continued this tradition with my children. They get excited every year when Good Friday approaches since that’s when we traditionally plant our vegetable garden.

The benefits of gardening are countless. From saving money, to eating freshly picked food at their peak, to knowing your food is organic and not full of pesticides, to loading up on foods full of vitamins and minerals that are good for you–you just can’t beat gardening.

There are myths of gardening that I’d like to dispel today that may have kept you from gardening in the past. Hopefully this post will give you the confidence and spark that you need to eat fresh at home.

Myth 1: You have to have a lot of space to garden.

Living in Southern California we are known for having small yards. At my house we have small raised gardens, which are about 4×8 feet each. My husband and I made them ourselves following instructions from a blog. We also followed the instructions from a book called “Square Foot Gardening.” I’ve grown many types of tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, strawberries, and zucchini in our square foot garden.

At gardening stores, and online you can find hydroponic kits where you can grow 20-80 plants in one vertical container! I’ve seen these on small patios at apartments, and even in someone’s front yard. Large pots also work well if you live in a place with a concrete back yard, or if you just have patio space.

Another option if you have a lack of space is to use your patio cover. You can grow things like strawberries and tomatoes in a hanging or even an upside down container attached to the roof of your patio cover. Instead of letting your small tomatoes “climb” up using a cage, they will hang down. Remember the commercials of those upside down containers? Well, they actually work.

Myth 2: The weather is too bad to grow anything where I live.

You don’t have to have an outdoor garden. If the weather is severe (hot or cold) where you live you can always have an indoor herb and tea garden. Mint (my favorite), chives, basil, rosemary, oregano, and parsley can all easily be grown indoors. Just use small pots or even old cans. Give them good soil, light, and water. Once they grow you’ll have access to fresh herbs for your meals anytime. You can also have fresh mint for tea!

Myth 3: I can’t grow anything. I have a brown thumb.

Don’t sell yourself short. If you can remember to feed yourself and your husband, you can grow something.

Here are 8 easy to grow vegetables:

Potatoes

Strawberries

Squash

Cucumbers

Tomatoes

Lettuce

Zucchini

Bell Peppers

What myth has held you back from starting a garden?

Have a Fit Day!

Annett @FitWithAnnett

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Annett Davis

Annett Davis is an Olympian in Beach Volleyball. She loves great food and helping people get healthy over at GetFitWithAnnett.com. Her favorite topics are marriage and anything fitness related. Being married to her soul mate, Life Coach and author Byron Davis for 16 wonderful years, Annett loves being a homeschooling mom of 2. She blogs over at FitMomsFitKidsClub.com, and inspires kids to grandmas to get in shape for life in her private accountability groups.