And now after the horrific attacks on September 11 and America's subsequent war on terrorism, it's time for Americans to show our resolve, stand united and preserve our freedom in a show of patriotism not witnessed since World War II.
It's time to plant Victory Gardens once more. During World War II, countries asked their citizens to help in every way they could, one of those being the planting of Victory Gardens. The call for Victory Gardens was promoted for both self-reliance and to supplement commercial agricultural production. Produce eventually was shipped to our troops around the world, and were used to feed families, friends and neighbors. The emphasis was placed on making gardening a family and community activity. Instead of being viewed as work, it was seen as a fun pastime in addition to being a national duty.
Planting your own Victory Garden today obviously won't mean extra food for our troops. And while there's nothing wrong with flying our flag to show patriotism, planting vegetables can be a fun and useful family and community activity. As an aside, I was in a local hardware store the other day and the customer in front of me was buying 15 American flags for friends and family!
This isn't the best time of year to be planting vegetable gardens, but we're lucky to live where we do. Our mild winter climate makes growing many cool-weather vegetables possible. Most row crops do well here throughout winter. We're talking about lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, kale and Asian vegetables like bok choy. You can also plant garlic, asparagus, artichokes and more.
Make sure to supplement your soil well before planting. After a long, hot summer, soils need to be replenished with organic compost, mushroom compost, peat moss, redwood soil conditioner and the like. If possible rototill these amendments into existing soil or even hand dig. You can plant vegetable seeds or buy already-started transplants from nurseries. Make sure to protect young seedlings from snails, and water when needed.
History often repeats itself. Victory Gardens are a prime example of how we can learn from the past. Obviously, none of us want a future filled with uncertainty. However, when times get tough, perhaps the ability to grow our own little Victory Garden will bring you and your family comfort. Victory Gardens are simply, symbolic and very patriotic.
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