With warmer weather finally upon us, who can resist the urge to plant a little something this spring? If you have a small flowerbed, a sunny patio, or a kitchen window ledge, it’s fun to grow something to nourish your body and soul. Here are a few gardening tips from resident Nutritionist and Herbalist Dawn Welch!
If you’re unsure how to get started, ask advice from your local garden shop about preparing soil that is rich in compost, a wide variety of nutrients, and beneficial organisms to feed your plants and deter weeds. Sowing directly from seeds is the most rewarding early April activity. Choose lima beans, snap beans, beets, chard, okra, radish, and summer squash for early April planting. Late April is ideal for corn, cucumber, eggplant, pumpkin, cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon.
If you’re willing to wait for warmer weather, there are abundant ready-to-plant seedlings available for eggplant, peppers, summer and winter squashes, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes.
Medicine herbs are also rewarding to grow in gardens or pots. Keep anise, artemisia, basil, chives, comfrey, fennel, horehound and lemon verbena close at hand. Most important – and so easy to grow – are oregano and thyme for sore throats and coughs. Grow them all and enjoy in recipes or as simple teas all year round!
by Dawn Welch, Nutritionist. Dawn is available for consultation at Peoples Wellness Center North.