April 2016 — Real Estate & Home Builders Guide — Page 13E
Improve your home and diet
with a vegetable garden
By Metro Creative Connection
little later than others.
It is less expensive to start seedlings
indoors and then transplant them to a
garden when the time comes. Seeds can
be started three to four weeks before
they would be put outdoors. Many vege
tables are planted outside in April or
May, but definitely after frost conditions
have waned. Read seed packets to know
exactly when to plant or consult with
the nursery where you purchased estab
lished seedlings. You also can visit The
Garden Helper at www.thegardenhelper.
com/vegtips to find out when to plant,
seed depth and how long it takes plants
to reach maturity.
Vegetable gardens can become central
components of outdoor home landscapes.
Not only do gardens add aesthetic
appeal, but also they produce fresh fruits
and vegetables to enjoy throughout the
season.
P
lanting a garden can add aesthetic
appeal and functionality to a
property. Vegetable gardens can
transform landscapes while putting
healthy and homegrown food on the table.
By growing their own fruits and vegetables,
homeowners have total control over what
foods can be harvested, and they can ensure
sustainable, safe practices are used to care
for the plants.
Vegetable gardens can be compact or
expansive, depending on how much space
is available to cultivate. However, ¿rsttime
gardeners may want to begin small so they
can hone their skills and experiment to see
which plants are most likely to thrive in
their gardens. Expansion is always a possi
bility down the road.
Choose a location
Spend some time examining your land
scape. Vegetables generally need ample
warmth and sunlight to thrive, so ¿nd an
area of the yard that gets several hours of
direct sunlight per day.
A sunny spot is good, but you also want
a location with adequate drainage so your
garden does not succumb to Àooding or
fungus during and after heavy downpours.
Don’t place the garden too close to rain
gutters or near a pool, where splashout may
occur. Select a location that is isolated from
pets so the plants are not trampled and cats
and dogs do not relieve themselves nearby.
Discover why
over 17 million
homeowners
trust State Farm .
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Decide what to plant
When deciding what to plant, consider
what you eat and how much produce the
household consumes, then choose vegeta
bles that ¿t with your diet. Some vegetables,
like peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, and
squash, produce throughout the season.
Others, such as carrots and corn, produce
one crop and then expire. Plan accordingly
when you purchase plants or seeds, as you
want enough food but not so much that it
will go to waste.
Choose three to four different vegetables
and plant them in the garden. Select vari
eties that require similar soil conditions, so
that you can adjust the pH and mix of the
soil accordingly. This will serve as good
practice, particularly the ¿rst year of your
garden. After you have mastered the basics,
With your new home comes new responsibilities – like protecting your
new investment with the right amount of homeowners insurance.
That’s where we can help.
Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. ®
CONTACT AN AGENT TODAY.
Dan Ceniga, Agent
1704 SW Frazer Ave
Pendleton, OR 97801
Bus: 541-276-3182
dan.ceniga.b739@statefarm.com
you can branch out into other produce.
Know when to plant
Many of the foods grown in vegetable
gardens, including tomatoes and peppers,
are summer vegetables, which means they
reach peak ripeness after the height of the
summer season. Pumpkins, brussel sprouts
and peas are planted to be harvested later
on. These plants may be put in the ground a
Stan Henderer, Agent
33 SE Dorion Avenue
Pendleton, OR 97801
Bus: 541-278-0880
stan.henderer.lo18@statefarm.com
statefarm.com ®
0907508.1
State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, State Farm General Insurance Company, Bloomington, IL