Grow Your Own Fruits and Vegetables!

May 18, 2017

Growing your own garden can help you and your family save money and eat more fruits and vegetables! You can grow edible plants in your yard, in a pot, or anywhere you have space. Most plants just need a bit of water, some sunlight, and enough soil to grow into beautiful, food producing plants. Here is how you can get started this spring:  

Garden

Image Source: https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/photo-gallery/

 Purchase seeds or plants.

Did you know that you can purchase edible plants and seeds with your EBT/SNAP Benefits? It's true! You can purchase any edible plant or seed from SNAP retailers and farmers markets. Click on the Ecology Center link to find the nearest farmers market near you -->Ecology Center

GrowGardens

Image Source: https://www.snapgardens.org/

According to the USDA, "For every $1 dollar spent on seeds and fertilizer, home gardeners can grow an average of $25 worth of produce. Growing food from seeds and plants makes SNAP benefits last longer, allowing recipients to double the value of their benefits over time."

Learn more about purchasing edible plants and seeds with EBT/SNAP Benefits here.

FarmersMarket

Image Source: https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/photo-gallery/

When choosing plants, try choosing plants that grow well during April. Here's a couple of fruits and vegetables you can look for: Beets, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Melons, Onions, Peas, Peppers, Potatoes, Spinach, Squash, Tomatoes, and Watermelons.

CSA27-023
Image Source: http://bit.ly/2pyY4RB

Reduce the amount of salt you use by growing your own herbs!

Herbs are perfect to grow at home and can be planted in small containers. Use them to give your meals extra flavor without using salt. Here are some ways you can use herbs in your meals:

 

Herbs

 Image Source: Eat Healthy, Be Active Curriculum


By Christopher Deleon
Author - Nutrition Program Educator
By Emily Harris
Editor