Living in the burbs means you aren't in the intercity but you aren't rural either. Can't have animals but you can have a garden. Square foot gardening in raised beds will produce more than just on flat ground. If you don't have a garden yet, now is time to start preparing for next spring. So many people think you can just go buy a package of seeds, take it home, dig up the ground a little, rake it and plant your seeds, give it a good dose of water and in a few months FOOD.

Wrong!! Most full time gardeners know it takes 2-3 years to have a good garden because it takes that long just to learn what the heck you are doing, and to make your dirt SOIL. I make a joke that I am older than soil and younger than dirt - not all get it. You need to learn the difference if you are hoping to keep your family alive on what you grow. So you made raised beds and you filled it with perfect Miracle Garden soil (spent a bloody fortune doing that too) so you think it is all good. The bag states it will feed your garden around 3 months, then what? You have to have a good compost pile/bin/bag going at all times. Always. When there isn't any more fertilizer it is the compost pile that will keep your soil happy and healthy and allow you to grow tons of fresh food for your loved ones.