I have never tried planting a garden. The house I live in used to be my grandparents (on my Mom’s side) way back when. I remember that they did successfully grow some vegetables in the back yard. I’m hearing about more and more people growing or planning to grow their own vegetables. The folks at Burpee have shared some information and suggestions with me, which I am in turn sharing with you. Happy planting!
Get Ready for Garden Ready Vegetables
According to the National Gardening Association (NGA), 43 million U.S. households plan to grow their own fruits, vegetables, berries, and herbs in 2009. That’s a 19 percent increase from 36 million in 2008.
And while 54% of gardeners in a recent NGA survey said they were gardening to save money on food bills, respondents also cited food safety and taste as other factors.
But for the many families who were not able to start their seeds indoors this winter, garden-ready plants offer a last-minute chance for fresh garden variety herbs and vegetables.
Garden-ready plants are simply transplants grown from seed that are mature enough to be planted in the ground after the threat of frost has passed in a gardener’s locale. Some gardeners opt to start their vegetable gardens from transplants because they waited to long to start seeds indoors or because they prefer the convenience of starting with transplants in the spring.
Vegetable transplants can be found everywhere from local garden centers to mail order companies like nationally recognized W. Atlee Burpee & Co (www.burpee.com). For folks who want basic varieties, garden centers are a great place to shop. However, newer and often times more unique varieties can only be found via mail order supply companies.
Regardless of what types of vegetables gardeners purchase or where they purchase them, they can be assured that growing them at home will be worth their effort.
According to a recent cost-analysis study conducted by Burpee, folks who grow their own vegetables will see a 1 to 25 return on their investment. So for every $50 you spend on a vegetable garden, you’ll see a return of $1,250 in homegrown produce.
Money-savings aside, vegetable gardening offers lots of other benefits. Long-time vegetable gardeners will tell you that the flavor of a homegrown tomato is beyond compare to a store-bought type. Plus, when you grow your own food, there is peace-of-mind that the food you are serving you family is safe — free from pesticides and contamination.
For the many families planning to grow their own fruits and vegetables this season, here are a few edible varieties available as garden ready plants via www.burpee.com.
NEW - Burpee Exclusive - Sweet Seedless HybridTomato - The world’s first seedless tomato!
We’ve come to appreciate seedless watermelons and virtually seedless cucumbers – now the world’s first seedless tomato!
Beyond the lack of seeds to digest, this tomato is first rate for taste. In fact, precisely because there are no seeds to store the sugars for later use, all the sweetness is immediately available for you to enjoy in every rich slice. This is a totally new tomato on every level – the perfect balance of flavor and sweetness, meat and gel, solid firmness and juiciness. And to top it off, the indeterminate plants have a full package of disease resistance to ensure plenty of healthy yields.
Medium size, 8-10 oz fruits. 68 Days.
NEW - Burpee Exclusive - Sweet Pepper Pinot Noir Hybrid
Fruits blush to shades of citrus, berry, and cherry red.
Like its namesake, this attractive sweet bell shows a tremendously broad range of impressions. Light green when young, the large blocky fruits blush to shades of citrus, berry, and cherry red, displayed simultaneously for a beautiful bouquet. Firm, thick walled fruits are crisp and very sweet, with a clean refreshing aftertaste, produced on highly adaptable plants that set in cool weather as well as in hot, humid conditions.
70 days.
NEW - Burpee Exclusive - Hot Pepper Ristra Cayenne Hybrid
This super producer yields impressive numbers of foot-long fruits.
They start off a lovely lime green then ripen fully to bright crimson red. Exceptionally thin walls make the harvests excellent for stringing into large “ristras” for quick drying. Then snip one from the bunch when ready to use and crumble into a pot of chili or bowl of salsa. Chop or slice thinly and eat fresh too. Strong plants hold fruits high for easy picking.
70 Days.
NEW - Basil Cardinal
A beautiful standout in the herb patch and ornamental bed.
At first glance you’ll think this is a celosia, with its heavy, tightly packed blooms glowing in cardinal red. A closer inspection reveals that tell-tale scent, rich and heady with a touch of spice. Strong, deep burgundy stems hold the flowers above the smooth, bright green leaves, ensuring a vibrant show throughout the summer even as you continue harvesting fresh leaves. A beautiful standout in the herb patch and a flavorful addition to the ornamental bed.
Ht: 24-30″. Annual.
WIN IT!
One winner will receive some Burpee garden gloves and several packages of Burpee seeds.
HOW TO ENTER. (MANDATORY)
To enter visit the Burpee vegetable seeds and plants page and take a look at all the vegetables you can grow with their seeds and plants. Then return here and leave a comment on this post telling me one vegetable you wish you had planted in your yard. There is one catch - your answer can’t be the same as the answer before yours.
BONUS ENTRIES - LOTS OF THEM!
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1 - Blog about this giveaway, including a link here.
1 - Place my button on your blog.
1 - Visit HereAndThere.US (my Mom) and leave a comment on any post (except a giveaway post) there. Then return here and leave a comment on this post telling me one thing you read or learned on my Mom’s blog. (That’s two comments you need to leave for this bonus entry, one there and one here.) Unlimited entries for this method of entry.
Leave an additional comment for each entry you qualify for. You must have completed the first entry according to the instructions to be eligible for any bonus entries.
THE SMALL PRINT.
US addresses only please. This contest will end on Tuesday 06/09/09 at 11:59 pm est. If you’ve entered any of my giveaways before then you know that only comments containing all of the requested information will be eligible for entry. The winner must contact me to confirm they wish to receive the prize within two days of my email notifying them they’ve won. Good luck to everyone! Members of my own family are not eligible to win but are still welcome to leave a comment.
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.
