Perhaps the biggest trend for 2017 is that what we mean by "the garden" is changing! The old locations: the annual bed, the perennial border, the foundation (side-of-the-house planting) -- all of these are still here, of course, but for a new generation of gardeners, the garden may mean the row of houseplants on the windowsill, the trough of lettuce and radishes on the balcony, or the collection of herbs in big planters scattered around the back patio. For still others, it's the mushroom kit growing merrily in the office cubicle while sprouts germinate on the kitchen counter.
And it's not just about more container and indoor gardening. This spring will see the continued emphasis on food crops. For suburban gardeners, this may mean clearing a section of sunny lawn to make way for tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and squash. For the urban gardener, it may mean growing in a community garden or even breaking ground in a vacant lot as well as putting raised beds on the balcony and at the top of the driveway. The 2017 gardener is growing much more in far less space than ever before.
Vegetables are seldom grown all by themselves these days. Flower and herb companions dot the food crops of most American home gardeners, and what a good thing that is -- they help attract the butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds that pollinate the crops and produce bigger yields. Pollinator gardens along the edges of the property, in alleys and vacant lots, are the wildflower gardens of 2017, and aren't we lucky to have them!
And when the harvest begins to arrive, preserving the crop is more important than in previous years. Traditional canning, fermentation, drying, freezing -- all the ways that fresh produce can be kept for consumption right through winter -- are being practiced by the American gardener.
All of these practices serve the one overriding trend of 2017: year-round (or 365-day) gardening. From houseplants to container crops, urban homesteading to lawn substitution, American gardeners are finding ways to keep green things growing in their homescape every day of the year. And that is a trend that may just become permanent!
We do not buy or sell genetically modified seeds or chemically treated seeds. Also, we offer a wide selection of organically-grown seeds and OMRI-listed garden products. At Park, quality comes first!
With proper tending, a 2 oz packet of Bush Beans plants 25 feet of row and yields 20 to 30 pounds! That is $40 or more saved at the store! Learn more about the cost benefits of growing your own garden.
Your community garden can be as formal and organized as you want, but you may want to start the first season with just a few committed gardeners and a couple packets of seed.
