This year marks the 80th anniversary of WWII ending and what better way to remember than to try one of America's most popular trends from both world wars by growing a victory garden?

Rohrer's 1943 catalog cover. Notice the Garden for Victory logos at the top. 

In the year 1917 the European continent had been completely embroiled in war for the past 3 years. Although the United States had continued its tradition of not taking part in European affairs constant provocation by Germany forced the US government to enter into the conflict. Due to the massive amount of supplies needed for the war effort it meant that food and other necessities would be rationed to American civilians so that the US military and its allies would not be deprived. 

This would mean that Americans would have to deal with a lack of necessities such as food in their day-to-day lives. A businessman named Charles Lathrop Pack proposed the idea of victory gardens so that Americans could still enjoy fresh produce while also reducing their impact. The government quickly adopted the idea and it became very popular. Victory gardens were so popular in fact that during the second world war they made a return for the same reasons.

Victory gardens created a generation of gardeners and many people kept their gardens going for years after the wars had ended, some people today even recall their parents and grandparents maintaining their victory gardens. 

What is a victory garden?

A victory garden is a compact garden that offers a wide variety of edible plants for your home pantry with enough volume to feed an entire family. Victory gardens come in every size from 15ft by 15ft all the way up to 120ft by 90ft - which really isn't a compact garden anymore! The most common size for victory gardens was 50ft by 25ft, as demonstrated by the diagram below.

The total area this plot takes up is 1250 square feet. That number seems pretty large but this plot can easily be cut down to a smaller size or broken up so it can be put in 2 spots rather than one. This plot also accounts for the space inbetween rows so that you can walk between rows which is important for maintenance of your crops.

What should you plant in your victory garden?

The point of a victory garden is to plant a high variety of vegetables to supplement trips to the grocery store. With that in mind you should really focus on planting things you and your family enjoy eating. 

If you would like to model yours after the vintage diagram above, here is what we recommend planting for each crop:

Corn: Honey Select - a real standout favorite to those who have tried it. Honey Select's triplesweet flavor makes it a perfect addition to any meal or great by itself too. 

Broccoli: Castle Dome - For those looking to save space this is the best of both worlds, large half circle heads with a compact, open plant. 

Cabbage: Golden Acre - Our top-selling cabbage seeds. You will love making homemade coleslaw with this variety!

Swiss Chard: Bright Lights - Sometimes compared to rhubarb for its appearance but Swiss chard is its own thing! The leafy green tops are edible and go great in salads or soups.

Bush Beans: Jade - Top producing green bean with great flavor. No trellises needed for this bush bean, just cut off any runners and enjoy!

Kale: Kaleidoscope Mix - This one is from our Container Collection which is always a great choice for compact gardeners! This mix features Dwarf Blue Curled, Lacinato and Red Russian varieties to hit all of your kale needs. 

Beets: Detroit Dark Red - One of the most classic varieties of beets available today. Prolific red color with nicely sized beets and a taste you'll love. 

Lettuce: Gourmet Mix - A mix of multiple types of lettuce so you get a wider variety for the limited amount of space you have, and so you don't have to choose multiple packets!

Tomatoes: Mortgage Lifter - A customer favorite in our store, Mortgage Lifter is a hearty beefsteak heirloom tomato. Great for snacking and sandwiches, sliced or diced.

Onion Sets: Stuttgarter onions - A seasonal speciality from the Netherlands available at Rohrers in the spring. Known for its strong flavor and its ability to store well. 

Lima Beans: Dr. Martin - A Lancaster county favorite. Dr. Martin lima beans are known for their impressive size and incredible taste, other lima beans pale in comparison. This is an heirloom variety as well. 

Spinach: Olympia Hybrid - A classic spinach and one of our top sellers for a good reason.

Peas: Penelope - Local favorite and a top producing sweet pea.

Carrots: Rainbow Blend - A vibrant mix of carrots in different colors all with great flavors. Our customers especially love the red and purple carrots they get from this mix. 

Radishes: French Breakfast - This is a more mild tasting radish with a long shape marked by its white tip and red body.