‘ignorant’ or ‘foolish.’ I would call them more ‘progressive’ or ‘independent thinkers.’” Inexperienced gardeners may worry where to start. “You can really start with whatever you want,” Heeren said. “But if you’re looking for the easiest produce, tomatoes are more basic. Carrots and radishes are good, too. “They are the least maintenance.” Heeren said that commitment is key and talking to an experienced gardener will help you in the long run. “The best advice I received once is ‘all a young gardener needs is an old gardener’ – meaning the best you can do is ask advice from someone who has made the mistakes already,” he said. Limited space can intimidate young adults to shy away from gardening. Generally, young adults do not own their own homes. They live in apartments or have roommates. “Space isn’t an issue. You can work around space,” Heeren said. There are several strategies anyone can buy from a local store to garden in a limited space environment. An “earth box” is basically a mini mobile garden-made-easy that you fill with soil and water accordingly. (Visit EarthBox.com for more info.)
According to Heeren, the local band The Ditty Bops recently toured with an earth box in their van, growing vegetables and eating their produce “just to prove they could do it. Just to prove space shouldn’t prevent anyone from gardening.” An “elevated garden” (or a raised garden bed) is an aboveground garden; basically a wooden box. (You can buy them in various sizes, or you can build one yourself to save money. Visit EarthEasy.com.) Whether you’re looking for a way to save money on food, a cheap recreational activity, or that pleasant “Look what I did!” feeling, consider gardening. “Again, it’s the sustainability,” Heeren said. “It’s a good feeling to be independent and have your own produce to enjoy.” Or another way to look at it: the fruits of your labor. The Rock Garden Tour airs Thursday nights from 8-10 p.m., on 94.5 KCFS (USF’s radio station), and Sunday nights from 1011 p.m., on SDPB Radio. Or visit www.RockGardenTour.com
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