Mid-May is the perfect time to plant your garden. It’s well beyond the last freeze date so it’s safe to plant it now.
Growing vegetables like cucumbers and beans is fun to watch. Children will be more interested in eating those veggies when they’ve been involved in growing them. They grow fast and can be picked in no time.
If you have a finicky vegetable eater, let them help you plant the garden. Getting children involved in planning and planting helps to keep their interest in vegetables.
If pizza is a favorite in your house, why not grow a pizza? Here are some possibilities for tasty toppings.
Tomatoes: Plant early short-season varieties as well as later varieties to ensure delicious vine-ripened tomatoes into the early Autumn.
Peppers: Plant a variety of colors of sweet bell peppers (orange, yellow, purple, red, green) and if desired, a few of the hotter varieties (jalapeno, chili, habanero)
Herbs: Sweet basil, oregano, parsley, thyme
Once you have decided on what you want to plant, now it’s time to prepare the soil. Contact your local extension office for more information on planting and preparing the soil. Some vegetable thrive in small places other needs more room. Choose your gardening spot with sunlight in mind. If you do not have room, think about planting containers instead.
Here is a recipe to make once your tomatoes and herbs are ready to be harvested. It uses day old bread or English muffins.
Easy pizza
1/4 mini baguette or Italian bread (split lengthwise, or 2 split English muffins)
1/2 cup pizza sauce or 1 thinly sliced garden tomato
1/2 cup mozzarella or cheddar cheese (part-skim, shredded)
1/4 cup green pepper (chopped)
1/4 cup mushrooms (fresh or canned, sliced)
Vegetable toppings (other, as desired, optional)
Italian seasoning or chopped fresh basil, oregano and parsley (optional)
Toast the bread or English muffin until slightly brown. Day-old bread works great. Top bread or muffin with pizza sauce or your freshly grown sliced tomato, vegetables and low-fat cheese. Sprinkle with Italian seasonings or chopped fresh basil, parsley and oregano as desired. Return bread to toaster oven (or regular oven preheated to 350 degrees). Heat until cheese melts. Serves 2. Enjoy!