At our retirement "patio home" I have exclusive use of our 650 sq. ft. enclosed patio. My "garden" consists of a couple dozen large container planters. I grow tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, zucchini, onions, garlic, some herbs and spices.
Part of the enjoyment is harvesting seed for the future. Our tomatoes come from seeds of the fruit produced from seeds given to us by an old Italian friend, who brought those seeds here from his family home in Italy. The first good cucumbers are always reserved for next year's seeds, same with the bell peppers. Our zucchini is now in its 20th generation or so. Lettuce, cilantro, dill, oregano, and others regularly yield seeds for coming years.
We regularly share produce with the neighbors, and seeds find new homes every year also.
This being Colorado, not much goes outdoors until early May. March and April produce seedlings indoors. A day or so prepping the planters with composted manure, a half hour in the mornings and again in the evenings for watering and cultivation, then start enjoying the results in late June until about Labor Day.
Three grocery stores within a couple of miles. A 20-minute drive to the farm markets. I could probably eat just as well for the same (or less) time and expense, but it just isn't the same as growing your own goodies.
Southern Colorado is a semi-arid environment, meaning that about 2" less annual precipitation would put us officially in a desert. Past 20 years have been an extended drought cycle, so there are additional challenges that make me appreciate the results even more.
Just a bad year all around...'cept for the black eye peas. They always do well no matter what.
Larry
