Gardening 101: Start a Garden this Spring

Spring is a time of growth and renewal: following a long, harsh winter, blades of grass are beginning to shoot up from the ground, buds are bursting out on tree branches, and birds are busily constructing nests for their soon-to-be-laid eggs. Everywhere you look, life is starting fresh. Why not be part of it this spring with your very own vegetable garden? Even if you’ve never planted a seed in your life, this how-to can help you plan and grow your very first vegetable garden.

Start Small

It can be tempting to want a vegetable garden that takes up your entire backyard, but if you’re just beginning to garden, it’s best to keep your garden small until you know how to control it. Planting too much too soon is a common mistake made by new gardeners, and can become problematic when harvest time comes and you have way more veggies than you’ll ever be able to use!

Sunny Side Up

Plan your garden in a sunny location, so that your vegetables can get the 6 hours minimum direct sunlight per day that they need. More sun equals a more bountiful harvest and better-tasting vegetables!

Mind the Soil

Good, loamy soil is ideal for planting your vegetable garden. Making sure the soil is properly drained and enriching it with compost will help provide exactly the right amount of water and nutrients to your plants.

Space Out

Pay attention to the directions on your seed packets for spacing requirements. If you plant your vegetables too close together, they won’t get enough sunlight, water or soil nutrients to properly thrive.

Packet Up

Make sure to purchase high-quality seed packets from reputable companies. Also, pay attention to the expiration date on the packets and make sure the seeds are from this year. Seeds that are past their prime are unlikely to germinate, wasting your time and money.

Any gardening tips for newbies? Please share in our comments section.

Happy Garden – Take It Up A Notch!

Ever look at a garden with envy because it just looked so… perfect? Well, not ALL of that is the skill of the gardener, but a few tricks of the trade that really improve the health and looks of your plants! Check out a few of our favorites below and try them out in your garden this spring!

 

1. Cucumbers taste sweeter when planted near sunflowers – Both plants require similar soil conditions and the tall stalks of the sunflowers give cucumber plants something supportive to climb.

 

1. Use crushed up eggs shells as fertilizer – packed with calcium carbonate, the shells work great to enrich the soil

 

1. Water plants with chamomile tea – used to ward off bacterial and fungal infections to prevent young seedlings from damping off (make sure tea is cool before using)

 

1. Plant in odd numbers – planting in odd numbers creates a more natural layout and makes plants look larger and healthier

 

1. Garden by moonlight – experts say planting by moonlight minimizes water waste and causes gardens to grow faster and stronger

 

1. Plant placement – place shorter plants to the south and taller plants to the north, this prevents plants from casting unwanted shadows over smaller crops

 

1. Use cooking water for plants – water you use to cook pasta or boil veggies if full of left over vitamins and nutrients (make sure water is cool before using)

Spring Gardening

It’s that time of year again and we’re guessing you feel slightly over-whelmed with where to start with your garden. Let us help you out! Below is a list of reminders of things you should be looking for when you begin your gardening project.

 

1. Survey the Yard – Take note of clean-up and repairs to be made. Make sure to remove any over-hanging tree limbs and use the mulch from your yard to help boost this year’s gardening soil.

 

2. Order Tools & Plants – Make note of what tools you do and don’t have, order needed tools and order your plants/buy the seeds you plan to use in this year’s garden ahead of time.

 

3. Get Ready To Mow – Service your leaf blower or lawn mower; make sure they are prepped and ready to go. Before mowing, pick up debris around the yard.

 

4. Soil Test – Take several samples from different planting areas to test the pH. Implement dolomitic lime to raise the pH and elemental sulfur to lower it.

 

5. Prepare New Beds – Remove sod or weeks and debris, spread a shallow to medium layer of compost and any amendments over soil and mix into bed about 10-12 inches with spading fork.

 

6. Plant & Fertilize