So if you have never started a garden, or are on your 50th year of gardening - planning is the one thing we all share. A little time up front will help your gardening year begin on the right foot. I am already writing 'to-do' lists and dreaming of the first 'frost free days'! Here we go, my 1,2,3 planning essentials. Remember, these tips are aimed for home gardener's who need to be efficient with their time and just need to know the basics!
- Plan out garden- this can be as simple as a sketch on some paper. It helps to draw out your beds and decide what goes where. Keep in mind that you may want to rotate your crops so that you don't deplete your soil of certain nutrients. Also, crop rotation help ensure you don't proliferate some types of diseases. Here is an online kitchen garden planner you may want to use: http://www.gardeners.com/Kitchen-Garden-Planner/kgp_home,default,pg.html. Also, www.squarefootgarden.com , Mel Bartholomew's Square Foot Garden method, provides a good approach for planning and planting your garden.
- Collect organic materials for beds in spring- Whether you are adding to your compost pile, or finding local sources on manure, it is important to add organic materials to your soil EVERY YEAR. Remember, take care of your soil, and it will take care of you! Keep in mind you can go on online sources like craigslist.com or freecycle.org to find free sources of manure, hay, leaves, etc. I support the making of your own compost, which is as easy as 1,2,3! http://123foodgardening.blogspot.com/2009/11/building-compost.html
- Order seeds and/or decide what plants you will buy- Typically I recommend that new gardeners buy as many plants as they can when starting out. Planting seeds can be tricky because you have to manage the threat of bugs, keep the right moisture level needed for germination etc. Don't get me wrong, planting seeds isn't rocket science, but if this is your first year growing a food garden, give yourself a leg up and start with plants. My master gardener's program sells a wonderful selection of plants, and I have a few local nurseries that provide very healthy plants (note selecting a nursery is important as this impact the variety of veggies you can get as well as an indicator of healthy plants). Obviously I choose not to shop at 'big box' stores for plants- but you can. Seed sources I love include: www.southernexposure.com, www.superseeds.com. and www.seedsofchange.com
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