Thank you vendors!

The Blue Ash Farmers Market doesn't just happen! Thank you to our amazing vendors, musicians, volunteers and awesome patrons for joining us all season! We appreciate all of your hard work and commitment, vendors! We are so thankful for all of the support and the community! We value every single one of you and are grateful that you decided to spend your Wednesdays with us. We look forward to seeing you in May 2023!

• Apples
• Beans
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cantaloupe
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Collard Greens
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Endive & Escarole
• Grapes
• Kale
• Leeks
• Leafy Lettuce

• Mustard Greens
• Onions
• Parsnips
• Peppers
• Potatoes
• Pumpkins
• Radishes
• Raspberries
• Spinach
• Summer Squash
• Sweet Corn
• Tomatoes
• Turnip Greens
• Turnips
• Watermelon
• Winter Squash

Create a Kitchen Garden

Growing fresh, edible plants at home while reducing waste is possible with a tiny kitchen garden. Plants can be grown in any location with some sunlight and in any container (earthen pots, plastic pots, recycled bottles, take-out plastic containers, tetra boxes, etc.) with holes for aeration.

Step 1: Location

Choose a location that receives at least four to five hours of direct sunlight when establishing a kitchen garden at home (on a window sill, balcony, terrace). Grow items on walls, fences, and trellises in a sunny area to maximize vertical and horizontal space. Make sure the window grill is sturdy enough to support the weight if you intend to plant veggies on it. Keep in mind that when plants and containers are watered, they become heavier.

Step 2: Decide on a nutrient-rich soil

Get the correct soil mix for a flourishing kitchen garden because the nutrients in the soil affect how healthy the vegetables and fruits grow. Compost, coir peat, and natural manure should be added to the nursery soil in addition to the usual soil. Cow dung is another option. The coconut husk-derived coco peat is crucial for controlling soil temperature and moisture retention.

Step 3: Select the appropriate planters or raised beds for your home's kitchen garden

Little area is needed for kitchen gardening. You may grow a kitchen garden in containers. In contrast to tomatoes, potatoes, ginger, and brinjals, which require a large container, greens can grow in small pots or hanging baskets. Vegetables grown in pots have the benefit of being placed where they will receive the most sunshine, which is advantageous if you have a small amount of room. In pots, it is simple to grow carrots, herbs, peppers, potatoes, radishes, salad greens, and spinach. Make sure the containers you choose are the right size for the plants you intend to grow; for instance, potatoes require a deeper pot than coriander. If the natural soil is poor, raised bed gardening is an excellent technique to cultivate veggies.

• Grow ginger from the buds on ginger: Ginger may be kept in a sunny area and is able to grow under the soil if it is buried approximately two inches deep. Choose ginger that has numerous bumpy nodules (sprouts) at the tips (these are the buds). Sprinkle just a half-inch of potting soil above the ginger and add one or two inches below. Regularly water the plant in your kitchen garden at home. It is ready to be collected after the leaves have dried up after six months.

Step 6: How to water your Vegetable Garden

For the kitchen garden in your home, always use a watering can with a mild sprinkler. Although plants require regular watering, too much water can harm them and also wash away soil nutrients. Check the soil's dampness by pushing on it with your fingers, and then water the plant as needed to ensure that it receives the right amount of water.

Step 4: Start seedlings in your home kitchen

Always start your kitchen garden with a herb or microgreen and plenty of leaves for a balanced salad. Nutritious micro-greens can be grown, including wheat grass, radish, fenugreek, beetroot, and spinach. In fewer than 14 days after germination, edible vegetables and herbs are harvested as micro-greens. They are nutrient-rich and have a pleasant taste.

Step 5: Expand your kitchen garden at home with vegetables

• Put some fresh mint in a glass of water with a sturdy green stalk: Every day, the water is changed. A few days later, little white roots begin to emerge. Place the stem in a pot after removing it from the water. Make sure the pot has openings for water to drain. Put the container in a bright area and give it regular watering. When the foliage gets bigger, you can start harvesting for food.
• Seeds for fenugreek and coriander: From the seeds that are sold in the market, coriander can be cultivated. Divide the seeds into two portions before planting. So that each seed has room to grow, distribute the seeds equally. Similar to this, you might scatter many seeds and then cover it with dirt. Instead of planting it in a container, plant it in a tray, which will provide your kitchen farming more space for sowing. Put the container in the path of the sun.

Step 7: Harvest

Urban farming or organic kitchen gardening not only provides fresh, pesticide-free food to homeowners, but the activity itself has therapeutic benefits. The main advantages of having a kitchen garden at home are the fresh, healthy veggies it may produce without the use of dangerous pesticides. The benefit of kitchen gardening is that it helps the environment by reducing the amount of waste that is disposed of in landfills. Our well-being is positively impacted by kitchen gardening because it is a calming hobby that will provide enjoyment throughout the winter.

2023 Farmers Market

The 2023 Blue Ash Farmers Market application is open! We are looking for dedicated vendors to join our market. The market will run every Wednesday from May through September from 3:30-7pm. Please fill out an application at www.blueash.com/farmersmarket. 

Contact Donna York at dyork@blueash.com for more information about the Blue Ash Farmers Market.