Renegade Garden: It’s Not Too Late
By Tyler Harbottle
There’s a certain joy that comes with having a garden. You take control of the source of your food; even if it’s only for a while. Some garden centers have young vegetable plants still available in July, and some plants will grow from seeds to maturity in less than three months with notable examples being corn, green beans, cucumbers, zucchini and basil. A garden is a source of inspiration and personal growth, a way to express yourself, or a way to heal. It may not seem like you’re doing much, but you’re resisting the powers that be.
A community can come together around a garden. If one is willing to be a social butterfly, they will quickly find that they aren’t the only people who share this interest. Exchanging knowledge will lead to more gardeners, who plant more plants, who take more carbon out of the atmosphere. If you’re not as much of a socializer, you can easily plan a garden around the various foods you seek to cook for yourself and know that this too is a great endeavor.
I myself only have an apartment at the moment, but using inexpensive cloth tote bags and potting soil has left me with three tomatoes, three peppers, several onions, a little bit of garlic and more than enough mint; all somewhat hidden and set aside for my agricultural use. In total, I’ve spent roughly $50 on a garden that has the potential to produce $60-100 worth of groceries in the form of chili, salsa and pasta sauce, as well as mint tea. Even if it doesn’t live up to its full potential; every meal can potentially take a few dollars away from one of the surprisingly few conglomerates who control the majority of American food. This is an act of resistance.
It’s never too late to start a garden, but if one wishes to grow seasonal vegetable plants outside this year, there are only a few weeks left. If you miss this window of opportunity, growing plants inside is fairly straightforward as well. Similarly, fruit trees and bushes will always take to soil better in cooler weather such as early spring or early-to-mid-autumn. If the outdoors makes someone happy, they should utilize their outdoor areas to be a source of joy and stress relief. Shared joy builds communities and gives meaning to small acts of resistance. Small acts of resistance add up to positive societal change.
