Summer is the most popular time of year to buy a home and move into it. Unfortunately for gardeners, it is also the peak of the garden season and the time when you harvest the fruits of your springtime labor. If you will be moving this summer, follow these five easy steps and you'll be enjoying homegrown vegetables again in no time!
Pack some plants to take with you
If you are moving locally, this is a piece of cake. You will be able to move your favorite seedlings and plants with you easily. If you know the date on which you will be moving, you can plan to have seedlings ready to put in the ground as soon as you arrive at your new home. The beauty of healthy organic seedlings is that as long as you water them regularly, they will do just fine in their pots and can wait for you to unpack a bit before you get around to transplanting them.
If you have a long-distance move, you will be glad to know that a well-watered plant can be carefully sealed in a cardboard box and will be alright without light for several days. Just be sure to unpack it as soon as you can. I have successfully shipped tomato, pepper and herb plants across the country using this method.
Use container gardens
Container gardens are the quickest, easiest way to get your vegetable garden back into its groove. They can be set up with supplies available at any home improvement store: some compost and potting mix (in order to be organic, make sure the potting mix doesn't contain starter fertilizer), a container of any shape or size that strikes your fancy and some vegetable plants or seeds will do the trick.
Folks who are moving locally can also start their container gardens at their old home and move them to their new one. This adds a homey, familiar touch that can be very comforting.
Use plants that mature quickly
Even if your summer growing season has been cut short by your move, you can still harvest a full summer's worth of vegetables. In order to do so, you will need to plant vegetables that are fast-growing, such as summer lettuces and radishes. In many areas, you can still get a harvest from tomato plants, even if you move in July. It all depends on the length of your growing season and on your choice of a good, early-maturing variety.
Do research about gardening in your new area before you move
If you are moving to a new area, it will be tremendously helpful to do some research about the local vegetable gardening conditions there before you set up your garden. You will want to know about recommended planting dates, the length of the growing season, common vegetable pests, disease problems and soil types in your new area. You can find out about these things from the Cooperative Extension Service in your new area. If you ask the local Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) office in your new county, they will be able to provide you with a soil map that will most likely show what kinds of soil are in your new neighborhood, allowing you to plan accordingly.
Pick your new garden spot carefully
Now that you have your plants and have done your research, you'll probably be very eager to get your new vegetable garden going. Before you start your soil preparation, be sure to take at least a day or two to make observations about potential garden sites. You will be able to learn a lot by observing which areas of your yard are sunny, which grow the best grass and which are high or low-lying areas in your topography. These factors will make a big difference to the success of your new vegetable garden. You will also want to take your neighbors into account. You won't want to site your organic vegetable garden downhill from a neighbor who frequently applies pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
Although you will most likely miss your old home and garden, your feelings about your new place will warm with the addition of a thriving garden.
 | Plants grow in nature without chemicals, so why not let them do the same in your garden? For most garden problems, a natural solution exists. |
 | Organic vegetable gardening give homeowners tasty, nutritious and pesticide-free food. |
 | Commercial potting mixes have a lot going for them: they're convenient, widely available and usually provide a good medium for plants to grow in. What they often aren't is organic. |
All too often, eggplant gets a bum rap. People complain that it's hard to grow, hard to cook bitter tasting and not diet friendly. Not surprisingly, it's not included, or even welcome, in many an organic garden. Are these accusations against eggplant true, or do the gardeners of America owe eggplant a collective apology? |
One of the most important things you can pass along to kids is the love and importance of organic gardening. Organic gardens are free of chemicals and much better for the environment. Organic gardening is a state of mind. |
