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Gardening may help lower grocery costsSince we all have to eat, lowering grocery costs isn't always easy to do--unless you try gardening, that is. "Growing our own food may be one of our best defenses against high grocery costs," commented Samantha Snyder, Horticulture educator for the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Service. Even though there may be a small outlay of costs for a novice gardener who must stock up on seeds, shovels, and fertilizer, gardening is an exercise that will just keep on giving, year after year, Snyder said. "Once you learn to garden and you have the equipment you need, you can grow food every year," Snyder explained. You can grow so much that you not only supply your own family with fresh fruits and vegetables, but your neighbors and friends as well." Many cooks have already found that growing herb gardens in their flower beds and backyards can offer them a year-round supply of fresh herbs, many of which cannot be purchased in local markets. Those same people are now seeing that a garden spot may pay off as well, Snyder reasoned. "Even if you live in an area where your soil is not favorable to growing a garden, you can still harvest fruits and vegetables in a raised bed garden," Snyder stressed. "People are always amazed at how much they can grow in a relatively small spot." Apartment dwellers may find that they can harvest a substantial crop from containers, Snyder said, and anyone with an ideal gardening spot could grow so much that they end up at a farmer's market selling their extra. "Beginning gardeners are often surprised at what they can grow with minimal input," Snyder explained. "That's why so many people are hooked once they start gardening." Snyder advises the beginning gardener to stock up on available "Fact Sheets" from the OSU Cooperative Extension Service, which are available online at www.osuextra.com or from the Oklahoma County Extension Office at 930 N. Portland. "After you educate yourself," Snyder said, "you're ready to pick out a garden spot and get started. There's still plenty of time this year to get a garden growing." Snyder advises the beginning gardener to follow these simple rules for a successful garden: --Sample the soil and have it tested. (All county OSU Extension offices can test soil.) --Apply fertilizer after the test results have been returned in the recommended amounts and manners. --Use recommended varieties and plant them according to directions. --Thin out plants when they are small so that they will have room to grow. --Use mulches to conserve moisture, control weeds and reduce fruit rots. --Avoid excessive walking and working in the garden when foliage and soil are wet. --Keep the garden free of weeds, insects and diseases. --Wash and clean gardening tools after you use them. --Rotate crop family locations each year to avoid insect and disease buildup. --Harvest vegetables during the cool hours of the day. For questions about gardening, contact the Oklahoma County Master Gardener hotline at 405-713-1125. 9/8/08 Date: 8/29/08 Advertisement
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