The outbreak has sparked a desire among people — many for the first time — to grow their own.
Creating a victory garden now can be, as it was during World Wars I and II, a shared experience during hard times. Americans were called on to grow food in whatever spaces they could. The victory garden movement began during World War I. There was nothing more valuable than self-sufficiency and working a little land, no matter how small, and harvesting your own produce was the way to achieve just that. Victory gardens came back to prominence during World War II when newspapers and magazines documented national gardening initiatives.

Today there is a renewed interest. Some may be new gardeners recently unemployed, or working parents at home with kids in need of outdoor activities. Others are gardening enthusiasts who never had the time before to really practice their skills. Urban community gardeners are also accelerating production to feed families who have lost income and kids who no longer get meals at school.

Gardening skills were once passed on from generation to generation, but farming became more industrialized and so did we.

Why have gardens when you can buy it at the Grocery Store? Now there seems to be a renewed interest and need to connect to the land, which includes gardening, preserving and cooking at home.

If you have an empty flower bed, raised flower bed or designated area for an outdoor garden keep these things in mind.

Pick a sunnier spot. Most veggies will need 6 to 8 hours of sun per day.

Before planting, add a soil conditioner (Bumper Crop) to the planting area.Make sure you have some kind of irrigation (watering capabilities)

Don’t forget to start flower seedlings. Flowers not only add beauty to the garden but they add needed diversity and attract lots of beneficial pollinators. Good choices for easy-to-start flowers are zinnia, calendula, cosmos, nasturtium and sunflowers. (to name a few)

Whether it's out of a concern about food access, or just a new hobby to keep people occupied while quarantined, community gardening is booming. Whatever your reasons are for starting your Victory Garden Van Bourgondien Nursery is here to help. We carry all you need to make a start. We are in this together!

Happy Victory Gardening!