Grow a Vegetable Garden

April showers bring May flowers...and veggies! No better time than now to start planning your vegetable garden. What a wonderful way to always have organic, fresh vegetables on hand for meals and snacks! You can have antioxidant-rich, colorful veggies at your fingertips if you take a little time and prepare a produce garden.

Benefits in planting your own vegetable garden:
•Easy way to relieve stress
•Eat healthier
•Eat organic
•Encourage better nutrition for your family
•Extra exercise
•Excellent way to enjoy the warm weather
•End up with various fresh, organic vegetables for home cooking

Space should never be an excuse. You can use a large area or a small area of your yard. You can also plant seeds in pots placed on your deck, balcony, patio, or window sill. However, if you are a first-time gardener, the process may be overwhelming. Consider which vegetables you and your family like to eat, then narrow the list down to the easiest and most productive varieties.

Remember, your garden needs three key ingredients:
1) Sunshine for at least 6 hours per day
2) Water
3) Good soil

Nutrition education should start both outside in your garden and inside your kitchen. Teach your family the fundamentals of healthy food preparation and heart healthy cooking. Children who learn how to cook are more likely to eat more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes than their non-cooking counterparts. So what are you waiting for? Decide what organic vegetables you want to plant and go to your local seed store.