If you’ve been reading my column, you know by now that food is a major theme in my writing. I love cooking, and I care about the food I buy. I’ve written columns about cooking for others, “Celebrate Valentine’s Day with cooking” and “Turning the table into a tradition”, as well how to eat frugally in “Conscious eating on a college budget.” I’ve also reviewed my favorite cooking blog and cookbook in “Cook Creatively with ‘Smitten Kitchen.’” In several of these articles I’ve discussed how important is to know where your food comes from, and what better way is there to know this than to grow the food yourself?

Gardening is what we’re here to talk about today. I’m currently taking a gardening class (Horticulture 122: Hands-on Home Gardening — I highly recommend it!) and have just started my own herb garden with a few veggies thrown in for good measure. My friends and I recently planted our garden in our apartment since we are always using fresh herbs in our cooking. Gardening can save you a fair amount of money in the long run, has pretty low start-up costs and guarantees freshness.

There are plenty of resources on gardening tips and plans for beginning your own garden. As a novice gardener myself, I’m still figuring out what the best methods are. However, for herbs, peppers, flowers and vegetables like lettuce, spinach and other micro-greens only a bit of soil and small container are needed.

Currently our garden is potted in assorted mugs, mason jars, tin cans and egg cartons. Basically, you need any container large enough to support the root system of whatever you are growing. As far as soil goes, I suggest buying an organic soil specifically labelled for starting seedlings — we found our soil and seeds at Lowe’s here in Ames.

After that, all you need is sunlight, water and patience. Herbs generally require more water than most house plants. They should be watered daily, keeping the soil moderately moist all the time. I suggest using a spray bottle when starting seedlings simply because it’s gentler on the new plants.

As I mentioned earlier, there is an abundance of blogs and articles dedicated to gardening, especially indoor home and apartments gardens. Here’s a short list of several articles I’ve found to be helpful when starting:

“Upcycled Edible Container Gardens” talks about how to begin your own upcycled container garden, giving suggestions for containers you can use. This article also highlights what plants are great growing in containers.

“Food Cures You can Grow at Home” lists nine herbs you can grow at home with descriptions of nutritional value and medicinal uses.

“How to Grow Your Own Garlic Chives”, “Growing Celery From Discarded Bottoms” and “How to Grow Green Onions in a Jar” describe what is perhaps the easiest method for regrowing vegetables — simply placing them in a clear jar with water and watching them grow. “17 Plants You Grow From Kitchen Scraps” lists even more veggies you can do this with.

“Grow Your Own: Winter Lettuce and Microgreens” and “Windowsill Sprouting My Way Through the Winter” explain how to grow your own sprouts and green, which are great for salads and sandwiches.

Finally, “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme: 3 Ideas for the Last of Your Herb Garden” gives you ideas for how to store and save extras from your herb garden.

Gardening provides you with the opportunity to literally get back to your roots and connect with nature. Even plants potted indoors provide aesthetic beauty and value. Plants literally can brighten up the atmosphere of a room. Gardening lets you connect with nature, even in the smallest ways.

Space may be a concern, and that’s understandable when you’re living in a dorm room or a tiny apartment. But herbs and flowers don’t need that much space, and if you lack the space for a big vegetable garden, get involved with a community garden. I was recently informed of the ISU Student Organic Farm, which is a campus club the supports a community farm. To my knowledge, you can join as a member and weed on work days, after which you can take home fresh produce. To learn more about this organization check out ISU Student Organic Farm.

Growing a garden or a single plant is something you do. You will earn a tangible reward, whether it’s the beauty of a plant, the savory taste of a homegrown herb or the crisp bite of vegetable you have raised.

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Kristen Daily is a junior in English from Orange City, Iowa.