Blog

April 24, 2023

Bringing Food Home

It's Not Too Late to Build a Bed by Larissa Hannan

I am positive that I am one of many walking around town with a renewed sense of energy and life now that I have started my seedlings. Something about mixing my soil, blocking and sowing tiny seeds just jumpstarts spring (after resisting the urge to plant too early for the past few months)!

Recently, I had attended a meeting in town and someone said “I had planned on starting my own vegetable garden this year, but I think it's too late!” I was shocked! And I also reflected: does the excitement of those who currently garden sometimes create unrealistic expectations on those just beginning? The fact of the matter is this. We can start our journey to gardening whenever we wish. I immediately pulled up the MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association) seed calendar I always refer to (see the digital LCN issue on March 6 for more information) as well as the Maine Cooperative Extension page to show off some of my go-to resources. The Extension has a four-part learning series on building raised garden beds available publicly for new or returning gardeners to take advantage of. This is the series I rave about when someone tells me they want to start small and have a raised bed!

Despite gardening fans all over the place talking about hardening off seedlings and getting cold-hardy plants in the ground, do not let this discourage you, ever. If you have not started your beds yet, consider making it a project over the next month! If you have yet to plant some seeds inside, consider trying to grow at least one vegetable and then lean on your local producers to purchase seedlings closer to the end of May. My unsolicited advice this week is to embrace the urge to want to garden but find a way to make it work on your timeline!

And for all of you veteran gardeners, please reach out to our team at Healthy Lincoln County to participate in the Grow-A-Row program! This initiative allows for you to donate vegetables from time to time and is flexible and convenient for all backyard growers. You can email GrowARow2023@gmail.com to reach our amazing volunteer, Debbie, to learn more.

Be sure to check out the Maine Cooperative Extension page to learn more about building beds, native plants, knowing when and how to weed, getting your soil tested, safety tips, and so much more: https://extension.umaine.edu/gardening/resources/