Victory for our time… the garden!

Posted on April 3, 2020 by Peter Comart  |  8 comments

Shallots, peppers, and artichokes growing in garden mats weed barrier

Guest Post by Phil Grime

When many people now are idle or self-isolating at home due to the pandemic, I have a positive idea to consider!

Peter Comart, the founder of Garden Mats, mentioned in his November newsletter that the most precious gift that we can give to others is the gift of time. Well, we can personally benefit with extra time right now by looking to our gardens.

Now is the “perfect storm” of opportunity to plan this year’s garden, whether it is your first or fiftieth. April, when we no longer have winter sports, no snow removal to contend with in the North, and summer activities are still at least a month away, we can plan ahead for a harvest of food grown in our own yards. Considering the possibility of upcoming food insecurity, already evident in some grocery stores, an organic garden is our relief.

Garden Mats has a number of products useful in figuring out your garden, whether for small patio spaces or extensive plots. Garden Mats are designed to provide appropriate distance between various types of plants for vigorous growth, to allow water to pass through and slow down evaporation, to control spikes in soil temperature, and most of all, to keep pesky weeds from competing with plants for valuable nutrients. A weed-free garden certainly is enjoyable to view, as well.

So, get out some paper and sketch your prospective garden layout. Garden Mats has nine options– mats with holes for different sized plants, and mats of varying lengths. Each mat comes in four-foot widths, yet the material can be cut easily to fit your particular space. Remember, too, these mats can be reused annually for sustained value. Simply go to GardenMats.com to order. Their great products generally ship the same day from their Vermont factory directly to your home.

Victory gardens were promoted during World Wars I and II for supplementing family’s food needs and generally to boost morale at home and across the country. Well, we are facing a war of another kind, and we have time on our side. Sadly, many of us have plenty of time now due to job losses which hopefully will be temporary. Many more people are working from home, thus time is not spent on commutes. Also, mandatory self-isolation keeps us from social time with others.

The garden is a great way to productively use our new-found time while enjoying the outdoors of our smaller worlds. Whether you decide to grow herbs, flowers, strawberries, or the full range of veggies, the garden will be a bountiful addition to life when you–and we–need it most.

Stay healthy and safe.

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8 comments
  1. amadamowicz says:

    did You ever sell ‘Seconds’? thanks.

  2. Colleen Garvey says:

    Are you open at the factory or are you only doing online ordering at this time? Is an appointment necessary ?

    • Peter Comart says:

      We are open Saturdays 9-4 or by appointment during the week. We ask people to keep a physical distance, come with a list and pay with a credit card.

  3. Debra Fader says:

    If I order today when will the mats arrive in Maine?

  4. Maja Nyholm says:

    The passion and urgency that inspired the original Victory Gardens are needed today to meet another threat to our food supply and our environment—the steep decline of pollinators. Pollinator decline is an ecological reality of our time, well-publicized in the media, and evident to anyone who gardens or even steps outside during the growing season. It is not your imagination—research studies confirm what we are seeing, or, rather, not seeing.  It is fair to say that we are facing a pollinator crisis. It’s been a long time in the making, but many of us simply have not noticed until recently.

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