Spring into your Veggie Garden

Last Friday, on March 20th, we welcomed the vernal equinox which marked the first day of spring and a time of rebirth. In Washington, our first lady Michelle Obama celebrated this special day by planting the first vegetable garden at the White House South Lawn since WWII when Eleanor Roosevelt had a “victory garden.” Together with the fifth graders from Bancroft Elementary School, who will help plant, harvest and cook the edibles, Mrs. Obama hopes to educate children about healthy, locally grown organic fruits and vegetables at a time when obesity and diabetes is a national concern. The White House kitchen staff compiled a list of 55 varieties, grown from organic seedlings started at the Executive Mansion’s greenhouses, which include hot peppers, tomatillos, lettuce varieties, chard, black kale, berries, anise, hyssop, Thai basil and even 2 hives for honey.

During these hard times, the White House is leading by example to prove that edible landscaping is not only cost-effective but also a great way to teach America about sustainable practices and alternative methods of agriculture. In the U.S., more money is spent annually on lawn care than the cost of all agriculture put together with an estimated $6 billion. Not only are we spending a shocking amount of money, but lawns also use ten times as many chemicals per acre as industrial farmland. Pesticides, fertilizers and herbicide run-off from our lawns contribute to groundwater and air pollution as well as global climate change. The National Gardening Association estimates that a $70 investment on edible landscaping can yield a $600 profit in produce.

Wouldn’t you rather spend your money on growing your own food? Here in Pasadena, the Dervaes family proves how much you can do with just a fifth-acre of land: On their urban homestead, 350 varieties of edible and useful plants are grown on one-tenth of an acre, yielding 6,000 pounds or 3 tons of produce annually.  And La Loma Development can help with all your edible landscaping needs!

For example, at the Gilmartin’s Residence on Los Robles, we planted an edible food forest with a colorful plant list including a Fuyu Persimmon tree, Kadota Fig, Hass Avocado, Pomegranate, Passionflower, Lemon Verbena, Borage, Mustard, Endive, Globe Artichoke, Pineapple Mint, Chocolate Mint, Lime Mint, Cuban Oregano, Rhubarb, Pineapple Sage, Jubilee Blueberries and more!