This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

California is drying up! It's time to grow you own.

I’m not kidding. You can read all about it. Sunny California is still sunny, but getting bone-dry. Great news for scorpions. For veggies? Not so much. Regardless where you buy your vegetables and herbs—supermarket, corner market—prices for these basic items will be going up very soon. Your fixings for your favorite salads will be more expensive. And they may not taste as good.

So why not raise some veggies and herbs yourself? Eat what you grow! Talk about buying local. Your backyard or basement is getting as local as you can get. And raising salad greens (and most other veggies) is easy. Plant lettuces now, for example, and you will be harvesting 3-4” leaves within the month (just before store prices go through the roof).

Plant some seeds now, in your basement. Read my recent post about “Seeds and Seedlings” to learn how and what to grow now, in the winter. You can create a very simple set up with a single shop light and two trays. Suspend the lights from your basement ceiling (you have an unfinished part in your basement, right?). That’s it. You’re in business.

Find out what's happening in St. Louis Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

I use a five-shelf free-standing resin unit ($25, plus light fixtures, which should not cost you more than $25 each, with bulbs). This is a one-time cost. Some of my units are over 20 years old. Be nice to them and they will last for a whole bunch of years.

This type of unit allows me to grow at least 720 plants within an 18”x36” footprint. That is a lot of production in a very small space. Are 720 plants too many for you? Okay, use larger pots, say 2-3”, and you would still be able to harvest from at least 360 or 180 plants in this same space. Very cost effective. No weeds. No bug-critters. No bunnies.

Find out what's happening in St. Louis Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Do you have more time on your hands? Have a few more bucks to spend and like to work with glue and plastic? Then here are some PVC designs that you build yourself. A single light fixture PVC set-up will allow you to grow at least 72-144 plants, such as lettuces, beet greens, dandelion, spinach, onion sets, and some herbs such as basil.

https://extension.umd.edu/growit/food-gardening-101/pvc-light-stand

When the weather gets warmer (when do you guess that will be?) and it is safe to put your plants outside, consider raising veggies and herbs in containers or a raised bed. Do you have a space in your yard for a 4’x10’ garden plot? Sure you do, just get rid of that high-maintenance turf and start raising some of your own food. If you have at least that much space, consider raising these veggies and herbs (or those listed above) for the salad lovers in your family:

  • 3 - Peppers (bull’s horn, bell, or chili-types)
  • 3 – Tomatoes (cherry or determinate-types)

  • 12 - Herbs (basil, oregano or marjoram)

  • 1-Cucumbers (one hill)

  • 6- Nasturtium (edible flowers with a peppery flavor)

  • 50-Onions (plant onion sets for bunching onions)

  • 12-Lettuces (all types)

  • You will need to provide supports for your tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. I use wooden stakes or wire cages. And that’s it! In small spaces you can grow and harvest almost anything you want.

    And raising your own veggies is a guaranteed way to know what is in your food. No pesticides. No herbicides. No worries about contamination. Fresh and healthy. From your yard to your kitchen. So what’s not to like?

    Questions? Comments? Please post them on this blog.

    We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

    The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?