The process of developing a basic plan is very important when it comes down to having a gardening experience that is both productive and enjoyable. Almost any experienced gardener will tell you that most beginning gardeners will bite off more than they can chew on their first attempt. The problem with this is that they cannot keep up with the demands of the garden and as a result they become discouraged while the garden becomes a weed patch. Consequently the two most important factors to consider during the planning stages are:
These are two things you will need to think about every time you make a decision regarding your plan for a vegetable garden. Other things you must consider are your last frost date(when is it safe to set out your plants), how many frost free growing days do you have, and whether or not you have enough rainfall to grow a specific crop without having to irrigate. The Accuracy Project is loaded with good information on these subjects, and I would certainly recommend that you take advantage of this valuable resource.
Most people think of a vegetable garden and think of one large area, but this is not always the case. I have seen
people create very attractive and productive gardens in much the same way many folks would plant flowers. You can break
your garden down into smaller modules and incorporate them randomly into the landscape. These smaller modules will yield as
much as would be expected from a conventional planting of the same size while also being a little easier to maintain.
Some of the important things you must remember if you decide to use this style of planting are sunlight requirements,
water requirements, and protecting your plantings from wildlife(squirrels,rabbits,deer,etc.). You do need to consider
these requirements in a conventional(single garden plot) garden but it gets a little trickier when you spread
your garden around in smaller modules.
Now that you have decided what style of garden you are going to plant(patio pots or boxes. modules incorporated into the landscape or a single plot), it is time to measure your available space and start putting your plan on paper. It really is enjoyable to be thinking about what you are going to plant in your garden. Make a list of what you want and stick to it. It is okay to add a couple items to your list but if you have really given thought to the list it will be disappointing to delete an item. It usually takes me about a week or two to come up with a list of what I intend to plant in my garden and then it will be changed a little as my plan develops. The most important tool you can have for this is a good seed catalog or access to an online garden supply house. If you do not have access to a computer at home you can go to the local public library and get online to order a free catalog from any number of reputable suppliers. While you are there you may want to check out a book on vegetable gardening. Make sure you get one with lots of illustrations as they will really help you decide how you want your garden to look.
My First List
We plant small items like onions beets and radishes in small beds instead of rows. We rake the topsoil from
the walkway around the bed into an
area about three feet wide and however long we decide is required for the number of plants we need. If the seed
supplier says to allow for 3 inch spacing between plants then we plant the maximum amount of plants in the bed
based on this recomendation. This is much more efficient than planting a long row of something like onions and then
having to leave a two foot wide walkway down the side of the row.
Well, now you have a really good start on your garden plan. Hopefully you are making a list, ordering a seed catalog, trying to find a gardening book that appeals to you and measuring your available space to come up with just the right size garden to occupy the time you have allotted to this project.
P.S.the next time you are at Home Depot, Lowes or Wal-Mart, go to the garden center and talk to someone about applying lime to your garden area. If you cannot find anyone with good information just browse around until you find a bag of lime and read the recomendations on the back of the package. You may even want to consider getting a pH test kit to check your soil to see if you even need to apply lime.