Planting a Garden: A Step Towards Helping Vulnerable Neighbors, Soup Kitchens, and Food Pantries

Gardening is more than just a hobby; it's a powerful tool for community support and social change. This Edible Gardens Inc. article explores how planting a garden can be transformed into a meaningful endeavor to help vulnerable neighbors, soup kitchens, and food pantries. By harnessing the power of gardening, we can contribute to alleviating food insecurity in our communities.

Starting a Community Garden

A community garden is a fantastic way to begin your journey in helping others through gardening.

• Identify a Suitable Location: Look for unused land in your neighborhood that can be converted into a garden.
• Engage the Community: Involve local residents and groups to foster a sense of community ownership.
• Plan Your Garden: Decide on the types of vegetables and fruits that are most needed in your community.

Partnering with Local Organizations

Building partnerships with local soup...

As we head into fall most insects will start to find places to overwinter and be less active in the garden, that being said there are still plenty that will stick around to eat the last of the available harvest before winter sets in! Be on the look out for these fall garden pests to protect your fall harvest, and set yourself up for success next year! If you can stay on top of pest control in your garden and kill the insects before they can find a place to overwinter then you will reduce the number immerging in the spring to snack on you next seasons crops. To control these pests in your home garden the best management is physically removing them and killing them on sight!

Beet Armyworm are a caterpillar that loves bush beans in the fall so pay special attention to these and any cucurbits you may still have in your garden like squash, pumpkins, or melons. The larvae will eat the leaves and even the fruits of your plant as they mature. Be on the look out for the caterpillar but...

Our vision at Edible Gardens Inc. is to inspire edible gardens for every space. We work to achieve that mission everyday by helping home gardeners wherever they are at in their journeys! We will install a garden from scratch or help you better care for the garden you have through classes and mentorship or give you the tools to DIY your own garden! 

We know from personal experience and scientific evidence that gardening provides substantial benefits to human health. A recent study in 2017 showed that home gardening is linked to better social, and emotional health in young children as well as reduction in behavioral difficulties (Richardson et al., 2017). Another study showed the connection between home vegetable gardening and reductions in depression, stress and an increase in ability to handle stress, overall it increased the physical and mental well-being of adults (Machida, 2019; Peeters et al., 2014). Having a garden in your own yard creates a space for you to connect...

Why Eastern Red Cedar lumber?  It's one of the best in our area (Kentucky)!  It rivals cypress and redwood (from California).  It repels insects and is a rot resistant hardwood.  It's used in several outdoor projects for that very reason.  If left untreated it will retain its aromatic properties longer.  Eastern Red Cedar ranges from purples and pinks, deep red, and a violet brown.   The wood can rapidly turn to a silver or grey due to the UV rays and oxygen.  

HERE IS WHERE WE COME IN:

Red Cedar Bed Restoration

Hire us for a yearly refresh to restore the vibrant color to your beds and begin to repel water and harmful UV rays.  This will preserve your lumber's integrity every year.  We will gently sand off the silvery gray top layer, and seal your beds with a our Eco-friendly, whey-based poly protein.  This will help water roll right off the beds so that it doesn't absorb it (which can soften the wood...

It's July in Kentucky and hard to think of fall when the summer temperatures are so hot, and the spring planting frenzy feels like its just over.   However, it is time to start sowing seeds and and thinking about where your fall plants will be tucked into the garden.   Think: carrots, beets, broccoli, cabbage, swiss chard, kales, and many other of your favorite fall fares. The smaller, faster growing greens like radishes, lettuces, spinach, etc will come later.

So where do we start?  First of all, let's just say that there is still time to sneak in a few last minute summer plantings.  Cucumbers, squashes, & green beans can all stand to be directly sown into the hot soil and will mature safely before threat of frost in late October.  

Now let's familiarize ourselves with three plant families: Chenopods, Umbelliferous, and Brassicas.  For edible plants, the Chenopod Family contains beets, swiss chard, and spinach.  July &...

Woohoo!  Is your favorite part of June gardening the garlic harvest?  Mine too!   We've waited patiently as it grew for 9 long months.  We mulched it, overwintered it, plucked off the scapes, FINALLY the bulbs formed, and its ready to come out of the garden!  It's not only exciting because it will be so delicious, but it will also make space to plant something new... maybe pumpkins!

You know garlic is ready to pick when you notice the plant starting to "die back".  Look for yellowing or browning of the bottom leaves.  This in an indication of harvest readiness!

I like to do a "test dig" before popping up all my bulbs.  Pierce the soil with a shovel or harvest fork about 6 inches from the plant.  Go straight down then angle the fork to pop up the bulb.  This will prevent puncturing the bulb.  If you can see and feel well formed cloves, they are ready to harvest.  If the bulb is simply round, the cloves need...

It all starts with a vision, and a consultation. 

Welcome to Kara and Stella’s front yard edible garden!

Kara wanted to garden for years, and especially now that her four year old is interested.  After touring Kara’s heavily wooded property, we decided that the front yard had the best sun, proximity to water, and to the kitchen window.  

Our designs consider not only the space, but the gardener's experience level too.  Her space could have accommodated several beds but as a beginner, we decided to start small. 

Kara ordered two red cedar raised beds sized 8x4x1.  We removed the Pachysandra ground cover, leveled the area, added pea gravel, and flag stone.  We trenched in the black edging and topped the beds with soil, plants, and trellises.  And wowza!  I will say it looks fantastic and I love love love that is in her front yard!  

These beds will be used by the whole family.  Stella, Kara's daughter,...