(Diabetic) *kitten* Up in the Garden

I love gardening, but there's not a whole lot I can do in my 4m x 2m paved courtyard. I am studying Botany at Uni though, so I guess that should count for something!
My dad is a diabetic gardener who's trying to get fit. He would be the perfect person for you to be friends with, but I don't think he is on mfp.

As for gardening tips, fork out the extra money for a good fertiliser, it will pay off later. And make sure to keep your plants free of frost. Also, getting locally native plants is great- they tend to die less. And, as always, follow the care instructions when planting.
What are you going to plant?

Good luck!

I did a lot of vegetable gardening when I was younger. It is actually much easier than most people think. The key is to get a bit of knowledge--especially of your soil type (which your local agricultural people will be glad to supply) and go at it. As you acquire more knowledge, you will become much more efficient in raising that which grows best under your circumstances. As an example, you are probably wasting your time trying to grow sweet corn in dry sandy soil. You could enrich the soil and put in trickling irrigation---but that is a lot of work and expense to get a few ears of corn. There are vegetables that LOVE sandy soils (like the root vegetables) and don't require a great deal of water (at the right time) like corn does. Good luck!

Not a gardener but am a diabetic....although I'd love to try gardening veggies someday I stick with flowers because veggies intimidate me! Feel free to add me as I can use all the motivation I can get and love to see how others are doing and encouraging them as well!

Diabetic (Type 2), Gardener, and loosing weight They are all connected! We started our small garden last year (around a 5x5ft square plot, plus flower beds re-purposed), BUT, with the horrible heat and drought we lost 99% of our produce to the varmints (groundhog, squirrels, raccoon, and even a poor hungry deer) ... and we live in the CITY. Our small plot has the potential to produce a lot of 'produce' as evidence by the quite impressive results last year, despite it all being eaten by the animals. I refused to water heavily to make up for the drought, feeling that I wasn't saving any money or doing the environment (or ultimately myself) any good by lots of compensatory watering, but find the whole gardening process quite therapeutic.

We had several varieties of tomatoes (including cherry, grape, roma, and beefsteak), cucumbers (the groundhog LOVED the entire cucumber plant), pumpkin (again, loved by the groundhog), jalepeno, green peppers, orange peppers, okra (ironicly for a plant that typically thrives in the heat, this poor plant suffered horribly last year and only produced 2 okra).

The plan for this year is to repeat planting tomatoes and peppers, hopefully with some protection from the animals with wire frames over them (yes, the groundhog will be able to burrow UNDER said protection). Working on that!

Try planting some peppers or even a roma tomato plant where you would plant a flower - they grow very easily and there isn't a lot of pressure of having to take care of them much, just some good watering or weeding.

Planting some small marigolds in the same flower bed or pot will also help ward off some of the pests (bunnies, and other rodents) and some bugs.

I have a container garden on my deck (the deer, moles and rabbits tear though it if I don't), I am pre diabetic so I am on the diabetic diet and the plan is to lose weigh while getting stronger. You can always read my profile to see if I would be a good add.

Good Luck on the garden and the weight loss

Diabetic Type 2, trying to lose weight, and aspire to garden!

I have been growing a small garden for a couple of years. I love it. We have such a short growing season up here in northern MN, but I still have been succesful. This year I am starting my Toms, Beans and Zucchini from seeds. We cannot plant until after June 15th due to the threat of frost, so I am trying to get a head start. Good luck and have fun digging in the dirt.

Anyone out there trying to lose weight who is also a backyard gardener? I'm Tracy. I'm trying to lose weight and also start a garden. I don't know why I associate these two things together, but I do. Anyway, I've got a small plot of land for a vegetable garden and will be starting it this weekend. Any tips would be most appreciated. Also, anyone out there who is trying to lose weight, start a garden, and who is also a diabetic? Yeah, we need to talk.

You associate them because good gardening equals healthy eating. Your brain and your body are telling you this is a GREAT thing -- so have fun and reap the benefits!

I just planned lettuce in my flower boxes yesterday. I'm also pre-diabetic. I'll send you a friend request too.

Hi, I'm a gardener, type 2 diabetic & I'm trying to lose weight as well. We built a new house about 5 years ago so this will be the first veg garden at the new house.

I am also a Type 2 diabetic and somewhat of a gardener. I haven't lost a whole lot of weight doing it (my hubby does the lifting) but its great exercise. My gardening success attributed to using heirloom seeds only, so that I can re-grow with the seeds I've produced, I also use manure in addition to organic soil. I live in southern Cali so the cold is never a problem. I've had success growing corn, artichokes, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, avocado(tree, broccoli, red/yellow/green bell peppers, pinto/kidney/Lima beans, garlic, onions, squash, plus a whole lot of other stuff. I save my seeds so that I can keep an heirloom inventory of my own!
Good luck to you!

Wow---good for you! You should put up a blog to discuss your success and be a resource for others who want to do the same.

Type 2 here. I've gardened my whole life, literally - I helped my Dad when I was a toddler. I now have a 35' X 70' vegetable garden. My wife takes care of the flowers and herbs.
A garden is great. Will provide you with healthy delicious foods and provide exercise to you as well.