The Backyard Gardener


Gardening can be as simple as growing a few of your favorite vegetables in pots in your backyard, patio or balcony. A fresh salad mix of organic lettuce, tomatoes, basil, carrots and radishes takes only a few months and re-planting new seeds after harvesting guarantees a year round harvest here in San Diego.

A guide to a simple Backyard Salad Garden:

Cherry Tomatoes: Buy them as small plants or sow seeds directly into the soil. Home grown cherry tomatoes make a great potted plant and the taste is far better than anything you can buy in the grocery store. Vine ripe has its advantages in flavor and color!

Basil: Grow basil right next to the tomatoes to maximize space and take advantage of a great duo companion planting. Eating them together right off the vine is what gardening is all about.

Carrots: Buy seed strips/seed tape for easy planting and pour very hot to boiling water over them when sowing the seeds to encourage faster germination. Carrots are a very rewarding vegetable since they are ready to eat in about 60 days and with so many varieties available it is fun trying out different colors and shapes. Sow carrot seeds every few weeks throughout the summer in full sun. A square foot area can produce 25 carrots.

carrots and radishes

Radishes: Super easy veggie that is ready to eat in 21-30 days after sowing. These come in many varieties and add a great surface color to the garden.

Easter Egg Radishes: Colorful radishes in purple, pink, red and white

Lettuce: Another easy to grow vegetable that prefers partial shade in the hot summer months. This can also be planted with planting strips and has an average 40 days to harvest.

* A link to PLANTING STRIPS / Seed Tape

* A link to unique RADISHES

* A link to some unusual Carrots

All you need is a little space to create a great backyard, patio or balcony garden this summer. Happy Planting!

www.nadiaknows.com

Plant- Grow – Enjoy

One of my Lettuce patches with sunflower and tomato in the background

4 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. Betty
    Jun 07, 2010 @ 19:17:02

    Lovely. I planted my yellow pear tomatoes in a container this year and they are doing much better than previous years in the ground.

    Reply

    • nadia
      Jun 07, 2010 @ 20:30:22

      They do great in containers… I think because we use great potting soil in containers and it gives the tomatoes the right drainage, fertilizer and nutrients it needs. Send me a photo when they are ready to harvest!

      Reply

  2. C.J.
    Jun 08, 2010 @ 21:31:41

    yummy garden! carrots home grown are the best.

    Reply

  3. nancyc
    Jun 09, 2010 @ 21:15:16

    You have a lot of great gardening info heare–thanks!

    Reply

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