A backyard harvest
Apr. 23—A small backyard garden can be many things: a food source for your family, a new hobby to occupy one's time or a means to brag at your next cookout as guests compliment the quality of produce used.
But for those just embarking on their cultivation journey, the task of starting a garden from scratch can be an intimidating one. For the uninitiated, the North Alabama Agriplex offers tips for laying the groundwork that will lead to a healthy harvest.
According to Executive Director Rachel Dawsey, those without access to a tiller will benefit mostly from a raised bed or a "lasagna" garden.
And while it may be easy to grab a bag of topsoil from the shelf, Dawsey recommends crafting your own mixture following the advice of Mel Bartholomew in his book "Square Foot Gardening" where he describes his "Mel's Magic Mix."
Equally as important as having the right type of soil is choosing the right plants. While the allure of heirloom tomatoes may be great, Dawsey recommends opting more disease resistant varieties, such as Bella Rossa or Parks Whopper, to ensure seeing the fruits of one's labor. and for those with their hearts set on heirlooms, the Martha Washington hybrid offers many similarities to an heirloom but is able to ward off the numerous Alabama tomato diseases.
Other spring vegetation recommendations include: Flash or Champion Collard Greens, Bodacious or Obsession Sweet Corn, Tigress or Magda Zucchini as well as almost any variety of pepper. Although, despite their popularity, Dawson recommends staying away from the thicker skinned bell peppers in favor of their thinner skinned brethren such as banana or sweet lunchbox peppers.
Further educational resources are available via the North Alabama Agriplex's Youtube channel.
The Agriplex will be hosting a Spring Plant Sale Saturday, April 23 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Members of the Alabama Master Gardeners group will be offering clippings and starters from their home grown plants for sale to the public.
