The Great American Seed Up event returns to Phoenix

The Great American Seed Up event is returning this year on October 1st and 2nd in Phoenix. It’s a popular “pop up” seed bazaar offering dozens of vegetables, herbs, beans, greens, grains and flower seeds available in bulk format, sold at a dramatic discount. Also, during the pandemic, 20-million people joined the ranks of American gardeners. We spoke with Greg Peterson about the seed up event and the benefits of gardening.

Since the pandemic, there has been a huge increase in urban farming. “We have never been so busy as we have in the past year and a half,” Peterson said. He added that it is a lot less environmentally costly to grow food in a backyard.

When starting, Peterson said the most important thing is to have the placement of the garden in a correct place. “The placement will either have your garden be successful or not.” A southern exposure in a garden receives sun all day. Peterson recommends not to place a garden on the north side of a backyard.

“Soil is the single most important thing you can build to grow food.” There are five components of healthy soil: dirt, airspace, organic matter, water, and everything that is alive in the soil.

The Great American Seed up is a solution to local seed shortages. The seed up event features 80 different types of pollinated seeds. There are free online classes for people to be more versed in seed growing.