Local Experts Show You How to Grow Vegetables

With the start of summer this week, the New York Botanical Gardens launched the second season of its Edible Garden programs. The NYBG is perhaps the most prominent of several botanical gardens that are adding vegetable gardening education to their missions and offerings. In turn, the botanical gardens’ efforts are part of the larger local food and homegrown food movements. The health and financial benefits of growing your own vegetables are fairly obvious, but the idea can be intimidating. Don’t worry. There is plenty of help available.

•  The NYBG opened in 1891, and includes 50

       gardens and plant collections on 250 acres of land in the Bronx. It includes wetlands, rose 

       gardens, virgin woodlands, and an archive of more than 7 million botanical specimens.

       However, 2009 was the first year for a set of programs and gardens focused on vegetables.

• This year’s series of programs run through October’s harvest, and includes daily demonstrations, festivals, celebrity appearances and the perfectly groomed Martha Stewart Culinary Herb Garden (talk about intimidating). Experts will be on hand each day to teach home gardeners how to grow dinner.

• The Atlanta Botanical Garden has a new $2 million edible garden this year. The temperate Southern gardens will produce vegetables all year, and show visitors how to landscape with herbs and vegetables.

• Here in my town of Fort Collins, Colorado, the Gardens on Spring Creek is significantly expanding its edible garden this year, teaching volunteers and visitors about growing veggies in the Rockies. The gardens also will produce thousands of pounds of food this summer for local food banks.

In addition to botanical gardens, you can also get advice and help from your local cooperative extension office. Here is a directory of offices around the country, where master gardeners and other experts can help you make your garden grow. Another way to learn about growing your own food is to volunteer on an organic farm. Here are directories of volunteer opportunities in the U.S. and around the world.

Finally, if you just can’t figure it out for yourself, hire a professional.

Blog by: Steve Graham