One of the most gratifying things in life is eating something that you grow yourself. Food grown at home is more nutritious and delicious! You have control over what soil you grow in, and what chemicals are (or are not) used on your food. Growing food without pesticides or insecticides is entirely possible, and is a step up from organic store bought. Organic, store bought foods are often not pesticide free, so growing your own means you can totally eliminate them! We use bug soap, and hand shake the veggies that aphids like. This year we grew broccoli for the first time, and the taste is SO much better than the one at the market.
The SF Bay is one of the few Mediterranean climates in the world. These climates are rare, occupying less than 5% of the worlds land mass. Many vegetables will grow well, but will need to be watered during the summer to fruit. Check out these helpful tips for choosing the foods that grow best in our unique climate.
Here are some quick tips from Harvard Health on growing your own.
- Start small and plant things you’d really like to eat.
- Pick a spot with at least 6 hours of good daytime light and access to water.
- Use contaminant-free soil.
- Consider using a raised garden bed, which allows you to control the soil and nutrient blend.
I know many of you grow your own food, but if you don’t, I hope that this will inspire you to start. Here’s to having your veggies, and eating them, too!!
🙂 Coach Michelle
Our first ever home grown head of broccoli looked like a bouquet!