Vegetables, a growing trend in this year’s gardens in the Okanagan

With a lot of extra time on their hands, some people have been getting them dirty….in the garden.

Lettuce, carrots, beets,” said Kelowna Garden Club president Marilyn Degraw about some of the things she is getting ready to plant.

Gardening is nothing new for Degraw.

“I came from a farm in Ontario, I’ve been gardening as long as I can remember,” she said.

Degraw moved from Ontario to Kelowna five years ago.

And while she is still relatively new to the Okanagan, she has been putting down roots in the community as the garden club’s new president.

But now because of COVID-19, Degraw is putting down root vegetables.

“We bought a 10 pound bag of potatoes and we are planting it all around in the beds by the flowers.”

Degraw planning to “spud-sidize” the family food chain.

“Food is short and you never know what to anticipate in the future,” Degraw warned.

Perhaps that’s the reason so many people are moving away from azaleas and planting peas instead.

It’s a growing trend, pun intended.

“This whole zone is what I call a food forest,” claims Curtis Stone pointing to various fruit trees in his backyard.

Stone is the author of The Urban Farmer, a comprehensive guide for anyone wanting to grow vegetables for market.

For the last decade Stone has been telling people to grow their own food.

Stone’s advice is straightforward and simple.

“Just get started,” Stone said.

According to the urban farmer you don’t even need to dig up any earth.

Instead Stone suggests building raised garden beds.

Put them right on top of your grass, no digging or nothing,” Stone said.

Then Stone suggests lining them with cardboard and filling them with soil; add fertilizer and plant your favourite vegetables.

Both Stone and Degraw say you will harvest more than just food.