Kinghorn Gardens

The New Victory Garden

May 12th, 2009

Victory Gardens were first planted by ordinary citizens during World War I.  The government encouraged people to plant these herb and vegetable gardens in order to  lessen the mounting pressure on the American food supply.  Thousands of people participated by planting gardens in their own backyards, producing nearly forty percent of the nation’s food.  Not only did this alleviate some of the pressure, but it also gave ordinary citizens a way to actively participate in the war effort.

During The Great Depression, herb and vegetable gardening was also used as a means to help the nation.  Under FDR’s New Deal, organization was brought in the form of community gardens.  Funded by the government, workers raised vegetables to feed the hungry.

Perhaps it is time, once again, to look toward vegetable gardening.  Everyone can benefit from the savings made by growing our own herbs and vegetables.  Not only is this a cost-effective alternative, but also a healthier choice.  We can re-invent The Victory Garden to suit the needs of today.

Here are some tips to help you plant your own Victory Garden:

• Keep it Simple!  This means keeping it small, the bigger the garden, the more time it will take.
• Try Containers.  If you only want a couple of plants, but don’t have the room, try growing herbs and vegetables in troughs or containers.  Remember, containers dry out quickly and will need to be watered more often.
• It is far worse to over water than to under-water the plants.  You can easily give dry plants a drink of water, but you can’t dry out wet plants.
• For successful plants, pick cultivars that are proven, older varieties are still around because of their successful fruit production.
• Help to avoid foliar diseases by watering at ground level.
• Harvest your fruits and vegetables in the morning, when they will have the highest water content.
• Share extra crops with friends and neighbors!