By Norman Winter
Tribune News Service
Friday, Jan. 14, a news flash came across my phone, saying: "A major food shortage is coming again in the United States." That headline coupled with what we are seeing in the places we shop is enough to cause a level of anxiety.
Deep down we have the feeling that we should grow some of our own food. You may be thinking you want to but don't have room for a garden, or your HOA will not let you. I assure you that the vegetable garden has become urbanized and revolutionized over the past few years for a couple of reasons.
The first is thanks to great new varieties of tomatoes, peppers, herbs and even berries that fit today's garden to perfection. The second reason is thanks to Brie Arthur, a visionary horticulturist and author of "The Foodscape Revolution: Finding a Better Way to Make Space for Food and Beauty in Your Garden." I'll explain the importance of the foodscape in a minute.
Whether it is in rural areas, historic districts or the newest neighborhood, garden plots have gotten smaller. Even the well-known community garden projects that display raised beds or boxes are a far cry from the farm-type plot of our grandparents' era.
This small garden concept is not just here, but in Europe as well. I follow several UK gardeners on Instagram who refer to their garden as their allotment. An allotment is roughly 300 square feet, which may seem like a luxury in today's modern neighborhoods. All of this has led to a host of new, compact vegetables. Tomatoes are, of course, first when it comes to popularity with those wanting to grow edibles.
Determinate or semi-determinate varieties are typically recommended for caging and their easy fit into a controlled garden space. The award-winning Tempting Tomatoes Garden Gem is a prime example. Then there are new patio varieties like Tempting Tomatoes Goodhearted, another award winner from Proven Winners, and Patio Sunshine, which opens the door even wider, enticing everyone to grow some even if it is in a container or hanging basket.
Tomatoes aren't the only varieties going compact. Proven Winners has peppers like Fire Away Hot and Heavy, Amazel Basil and Pesto Besto basil that will entice you to hone your culinary skills. The plants that really found favor with daughter-in-law Sarah and the princess Emma Grace are the award-winning strawberries Berried Treasure Red, and Pink. They have taken the new urban vegetable garden by storm with beautiful flowers and tasty fruit.
Once a child participates in growing vegetables and fruits, he or she will also want to partake in the eating of their crop. No way will the children pass up eating Proven Winners Dragon Tongue green beans. Consequently, this child becomes the gardener of the future. So whether you are a parent or a grandparent, get them started.
In many allotments, community gardens and small modern neighborhood private plots, the garden is constructed on raised beds and enclosed or separated from lawn areas with wood or rocks. This not only gives you the best in drainage and aeration, but keeps the encroaching grass out. I even bought an interlocking kit at the grocery store.
But as Brie Arthur points out in "The Foodscape Revolution," it is precisely the raised-box bed that homeowner associations want to limit to the not-seen area of the backyard. So the front yard goes unused for growing produce. Imagine, on the other hand, a beautiful flower bed with the yellow fruited Tempting Tomato variety Patio Sunshine partnered with Unplugged So Blue salvia. Think what you can do with red tomatoes or peppers. Now you get the idea.
You are probably wondering what to grow. Easy answer is, just grow what you like to eat!
(Norman Winter, horticulturist, garden speaker and author of "Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South" and "Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden." Follow him on Facebook.
Tempting Tomatoes while incredible in a container would partner well in a foodscape with flower like Unplugged So Blue Salvia. (Provided photo/TNS)
Temping Tomatoes Goodhearted produces an absolute bounty of small heart shaped tomatoes. (Norman Winter/TNS)
Tempting Tomatoes Goodhearted is an award-winning tomato looking good and ready in this landscape or should we say foodscape. (Norman Winter/TNS)
This harvest of Tempting Tomatoes Garden Gem while not a slicer are award-wining on taste and performance. (Sarah Winter/TNS)
This small garden plot shows the beauty of flowers and fruit of Berried Treasure Pink strawberries. (Sarah Winter/TNS)