Tuesday, April 21, 2009

All it takes is dirt

Water and a bit of patience:

Michelle Obama has put a vegetable garden on the grounds of the White House. Sales of seeds and plants are soaring. And pro-garden groups are churning out studies that show huge paybacks on investing in a home garden. The nonprofit National Gardening Association just produced a study -- sponsored by ScottsMiracle-Gro Co. -- that found the average family with a vegetable garden spends just $70 a year on it and grows an estimated $600 worth of vegetables.

George Ball, chairman and CEO of seed giant Burpee, can rattle off the savings for dozens of homegrown crops. Green beans will generate $75 worth of crops for each $1 you spend on seeds, Mr. Ball calculates. Even the lowly potato will generate $5 of spuds for each $1 you invest in seeds.

A woman who had moved to Southern California made us laugh when she called our growing season relentless. We are able to plant all year around. But water will be a questionable resource from now on out. Too many people, drought, and global warming will change all that.

It was in the nineties yesterday. In April, fergawds sake.

5 comments:

Sorghum Crow said...

We had snow flurries last night, in April fergawds sake. Mostly rain though. All my plants are indoors. I've started a bunch of seeds, optimistically including hot peppers and okra. This weekend I may even put peas and potatoes actually in the ground.

(why do all the word verification words sound like characters in a fantasy novel? Jontapar, indeed!)

Anonymous said...

80s here in Berkeley yesterday, and supposed to be similarly warm today. It's actually pretty comfortable, not too humid or anything.

ellroon said...

I'm sweaty and it's only 9:30 in the morning. I refuse to turn on my air conditioner in April!

When are we going to start building our houses underground?

Steve Bates said...

Yep. It's 81°F in Houston right now, predicted 85 before the afternoon is over... in April, fer Dawg's sake. Houston is somewhat cooled by breezes from the Gulf of Mexico only 50 miles away; I'd really hate to be in Dallas right now.

["clocke" ... what someone's going to clean?]

ellroon said...

We better get our June rains or I'll write a stern letter to somebody....