“Gardening is a way to take your food supply into your own hands.”
That simple phrase really stuck with me. So, when I finally got a place of my own, I knew exactly what I wanted to do: start my very own Victory Garden.
What is a Victory Garden?
So, what’s a Victory Garden, anyway? The term dates back to World War II, when the U.S. government encouraged folks to grow food at home so more resources could go toward the war effort. Fast forward to now—with grocery prices through the roof and supply chain hiccups popping up left and right—it just makes sense to bring that idea back. Growing your own food gives you a bit of control, saves you money, and hey, it’s actually pretty rewarding.
Now, I’m not aiming to be completely self-sufficient over here (still love a good farmers market run), but gardening felt like the perfect balance: saving a little cash, eating fresh, and knowing exactly what’s going into my food. If that sounds like something you’re into too, here’s how I got started.
Step 1: Planning Your Victory Garden
Like anything worthwhile, gardening takes a little planning. If you’re figuring out how to start a Victory Garden, begin by finding your planting zone. This tells you when to start seeds and which crops will thrive in your area.
I’m in Kidron, Ohio (Zone 6A), so our last frost usually falls around late April to early May. That’s when most of the planting magic can begin. If you’re not sure about your zone or frost dates, Lehman’s has a handy Garden Planner that makes things way easier. This can help you find your average last frost date, when to plant your crops, and if you need to sow indoors.
Step 2: Starting Seeds Indoors
I kicked things off in March by starting onion seeds inside in little planters. Once the last frost passed, I moved them out into the garden. I chose to use a raised bed in the backyard—mostly because it gets a solid 6 hours of sunlight and raised beds are a dream when it comes to keeping weeds out and controlling the soil quality.
Step 3: Building Your Raised Bed
I’ll be honest—raised beds take a good bit of soil. To save money, I layered the bottom of the bed with leaves, twigs, sawdust, and even some old stepping stones I had lying around to help block weeds. On top of that, I added a mix of garden soil—four 40-lb bags and a few smaller ones for good measure. It was a workout, but totally worth it.
Step 4: Time to Plant!
With the bed ready to go, I got planting. I packed 32 plants into an 8×4-foot bed—four kinds of tomatoes, yellow onions, green peppers, a mix of herbs, and some peas. You can grow whatever works for you. That’s the beauty of it—your garden, your rules.
One tool I absolutely couldn’t live without? My Hori-Hori Garden Knife. This handy tool helped with each step, opening soil bags, put the bed together, and dig perfect holes thanks to the inch marks on the back. I didn’t think a knife would be such a key player in gardening, but trust me—you want one of these.
That’s where I’m at so far! Next time, I’ll be sharing how I keep my garden going strong with natural pest control and other tips to maintain a healthy setup. Stay tuned, and happy planting!
