6 Reasons You Should Start a Vegetable Garden

Growing your own vegetable garden has so many benefits and rewards. And in case you're not yet convinced, here are a few:

Fresh food Instead of buying produce that has been traveling the country (or world) for weeks, you can eat your veggies within hours of picking, when taste and nutrition are at their peak.

Safe food You know where your food has been, what's been applied to it, and who's been touching it.

Economical Food No question about it, you can grow your own food for less money than it takes to buy it.

Improved Diet Studies show that families that grow their own vegetables and fruits eat more vegetables and fruits.

Exercise Have you started working in your garden yet? Then you know what I'm talking about!

Stress Reduction Research tells us that the physical work of gardening, combined with the fresh air, and the satisfaction of seeing your garden grow, are good for body, mind, and soul. Gardening gets us out of the building, out of the car, out of our busy, harried lives into a place that has its own rhythm, its own time.

So if you haven't made the decision to start a garden, I encourage you to give it a try. Container gardens are every bit as satisfying as a big plot in the back yard, as are community gardens; so if you have a little patch of sunshine somewhere, plant a garden in it!

Next time we'll look at some ways to nourish and protect your garden safely. Happy gardening!

Things being what they are, many of us will being spending more of our time in our own back yards this summer. We're planning "staycations", entertaining at home, and enjoying low cost weekends in town. Here's an idea that will make your outdoor living at home extra special. Plant a fragrant garden.

Think how wonderful it will be to sit on your patio in the evening, or stroll through your garden in the morning, inhaling the sweet and spicy fragrances of everything growing around you. We often think of our gardens only in visual terms, but scent adds an extra richness and luxury to your landscape. So here are some things to consider when planning your own fragrant garden.

Location

Plant your fragrant plants where you will most enjoy them- close to or on your patio, porch or deck, or along a garden path. If possible, shelter them from winds that will whisk the scent away. Planting in a courtyard or against a wall will keep the fragrance close.

Keep in mind that the leaves of many plants are fragrant when touched or crushed. Consider planting them at the edge of walkways, where contact will release the aroma. Some can even be planted on paths, and will survive light foot traffic, delighting passersby with scent when stepped on.

Time of day

If you use your deck or patio in the evenings, look for plants that release their fragrance late in the day. If you enjoy your morning coffee near an open window, or like spending your days outside, plant accordingly.

Season

With some research and planning, your garden can be rich with fragrance almost year round. There are flowers, shrubs, herbs and trees that will keep your garden aromatic through the seasons.

Nighttime Scent

• night scented stock
  
• Nicotiana
  
• Four o’clocks
  
• Moonflower vine
  

Fall & Winter Fragrance

• Nicotiana
  
• Four o’clocks
  
• Moonflower vine
  
• Autumn Clematis
  
• Evergreens such as fir, spruce, juniper

Fragrant herbs. Most herbs are fragrant. Here are a few I love:

• Lavender
• Lemon Balm
  
• Mints
  
• Scented Geraniums

Of course, I've left out some obvious fragrant delights like Lilac, Roses, and others. I knew you'd remember them on your own! What are some of your favorite fragrant plants? Share!

Dependable Daylily

Hemerocallis is the scientific name for the daylily, but whatever you call it, this perennial has so much to offer, it should be included in any garden. So what is it that makes the daylily such a "must have"?

• It comes in many colors shapes and sizes.


• It will tolerate a wide range of conditions


• It thrives with very little care, and are drought tolerant.


• It is resistant to disease and pest problems.


• It produces the most exquisite blooms, each one lasting only one day.

You are probably most familiar with yellow and orange daylilies, but that's just the start. There are lilies in every hue, and shades from pale pastels, to the deepest reds.

While daylilies will tolerate poor soil, you'll be rewarded for giving it the best conditions you can. Here's how to have a happy daylily:

• Plant in full sun, or mostly sunny locations


• Plant in well drained soil.


• Improve your soil with compost before planting.


• Once plant is established, use a balanced fertilizer


• Mulch to retain moisture, and keep down weeds.

Since I am an undiscplined gardener, I get a huge return on my inconsistent investment! I have about a half dozen varieties in my yard, that is one of mine at the top of this post. It is a Viette daylily, the Viette's have been growing and hybridizing daylilies for 3 generations. You can see some of their beautiful hybrids at their website: http://www.viette.com.