Ok, so with the world in an upheaval I've decided to start to plan something positive. I've really been down with the state of the world, family sickness and hardships, and money woes and I'm sure many of you have been too. I'm itching for winter to end and the snow to melt and have that feeling of spring newness and still struggling for some sort of revitalization to get me moving and on plan with my weight loss goals. I'm having trouble finding anything positive these days and have not been doing anything.

I've decided to give myself a healthy food challenge...by starting a garden. I'm really trying to be careful with money at the grocery store, be careful about what goes in my mouth, broaden my horizons etc. My mother has been an avid gardener for years - but I think it will help teach me some added respect for my food if I grow it myself and do the work myself (not to mention the positive meditative results that can come from gardening ) So thus my garden has begun. I sent away for my seeds, which with shipping cost me about $40. (I have a lot of space and some help so this was a lot of seeds) I got some advice from my mother and chose things that are happy in my northern climate. I'm really going all out...though I have a pro on site to help me if I start killing my kale!

SO I was wondering....is there anyone out there in our 'club' that is a gardener or is thinking about it....I thought I'd create us a thread where we can share ideas, progress and then maybe fun healthy recipes when things start to grow? I know it's totally crunchy, but hey, I'm totally a crunchy person and I thought it would be helpful to find something really positive in food instead of the negative that I usually feel about it...and hey if fresh produce isn't positive food then I don't know what is. I thought if I was looking at enjoying something fun and positive with food then other people here might be interested too

So, anyone out there with a field of greens or a tomato plant in their window?

I am planning on growing lots of tomatos, which is all I can do cause I live ina subdivision. But my inlaws put out a garden and I want them to grow me some green beans, i will pay for them. Oh and I want all fresh garden veggies too!!! You could start a group on here, but I belong to a great site where you can swap seeds and plants, and ask questions, share ideas, etc. You should check it out! Go to www.plantswap.net/forum and see if you like it!!!

I was on the phone last night with a girlfriend confirming that she's coming in about a week to build me my container garden (4x8 raised beds). I'm doing her taxes in exchange.

We have a family of four, and I was our only wage earner until I was laid off about 6 weeks ago. We'd planned to start a garden this spring anyway since we had just bought our first home last April and the yard is perfect for it.

We plan corn, potatoes, beans, pumpkins, tomatoes, onions, carrots, herbs and lettuces and more.

I figure at this point it will serve the additional purpose of giving me something to do besides bemoan the fact that there are seemingly no jobs out there in my field. Heh.

I really really want a garden, but it would have to be a container type garden as my yard slopes and the ground is very hard with clay. My only problem...how do I keep the deer out of my garden while still keep things looking nice for the HOA? I'm not sure they'd appreciate me building a huge fenced lot in the middle of the yard. Any ideas?

We have a lot of limitations as we live on a beautiful piece of property, 5 acres, but most of it is protected wetlands so we can only plant certain kinds of plants in our yard due to runoff...so I'm with the other ladies here, hoping to do a bit of container vegetable gardening if it all works out!!

Yes I am an avid heirloom gardener. My space is very small so I use the Square Foot Gardening method. You can google that if you are interested; it's really neat and it works great. I also compost heavily. I try to eat most of what I grow raw ~ much better that way. I generally stick to salad vegetables. One day I plan on having an extensive garden but can't do that here in town.

I do a garden every year! I love, love, love it!

Raspberries, Rhubarb, Tomatoes (several types), and Spices are standard for me. I also like to mix it up with squashes, peppers, etc.

If we are talking flower garden there are things you can plant that deer general won't eat unless they are starving.

As for veggies... obviously fencing is the best option to keep deer out. However, I looked into it online and they gave the following info:

"There are many deer deterrents, and effectiveness varies largely upon how quickly your particular deer adjust to them. It's typical for many techniques to work for only a few days. Some common deterrents that are spread around the plants include:
mothballs
thorny branches
hair
decaying fishheads
blood meal
garlic
fabric softener
repellent sprays
processed sewage
repellent plants "

----I knew a friend who used hair to keep rabbits and other animals away. After family haircut they would collect the hair and spread it around the outside of the garden.

We use blood meal. You can find it at garden centers. Sprinkle all around the garden and down the middles. You have to reapply it when it rains. Also repels rabbits. Works pretty good for us.

I know last year I had a ton of flowers but I don't know if I can grow veggies in windowsill boxes. If they would be viable, I would.

I'd LOVE to have a garden, but we're renting our house and hoping to move sometime this year. I'd hate to put all the effort into a good garden only to move away and leave it...

I'm planning on using the Square Foot Gardening method to do a small garden - mostly salad veggies. This will be my first year trying it.

Daimere, you can totally grow veggies in window boxes. When we were living in an apartment, that's how we grew carrots, onions and peppers. You can also grow potatoes in a deep container (one of those "big" tree containers" works best in my experience.

I have 2 aerogardens which are growing herbs. I also have a very shady container outside of our fence. Whatever I plant may get eaten but not really too concerned, just want to try it.

I love to garden. I live to garden. Up until two years ago I had an acre garden. It was a lot of work but we harvested the majority of our yearly food from it. Now that I have gone back to college, including summer classes, the acre garden has become a pasture for our milk cow and the new smaller garden is now raised beds throughout the front, side yards and orchard. The raised beds are done in the square foot design as so many of you have mentioned. My sons built the boxes for me. This year my sons are going to help me keep up with the garden, hopefully we can still pull off raising a lot. Container gardens are a great idea. I have known people with very little yard that still raise an amazing amount of garden. Apartment dwellers have to be a little more creative but still have some options or there may be a community garden they can join. Raising healthy food is a wonderful thing to do. The more I read about what is done to the food in the stores the more I want to raise my own.

Have fun
Candace