Tips for Planning Your Garden

There are many benefits to growing your own garden. You likely know many of them already. When it comes to getting started, it can feel like there are a million things to learn, from when to begin to what to plant and then how to care for your garden and help it grow. We have some helpful tips to get you started with your own garden.

Learning Your Zone

Find out what USDA Hardiness Zone you live in. This guide will help you avoid planting anything that can’t survive your climate. It will also help you learn when to expect your last frost to be so that you can plan your outdoor vegetables, fruits, and other plants.

Additionally, knowing how long your growing season is can help with your timeline for beginning plants indoors or avoiding them altogether.

Choosing Compost

Compost should be cured for a minimum of six months before putting it on your spoil. Fresh manure can contain parasites or pathogens and is too high in nitrogen. Pig, dog, and cat manure should never be used because they can contain parasites that are harmful to humans.

Understanding Soil Quality

Soil quality is more important than fertilizer. Organic nutrients from compost and manure are the best option for your plants. Your soil should be crumbly and accept water easily, while also being loose enough for the roots to get oxygen.

Learn about your soil’s drainage. Because plant roots need oxygen, if your soil is often wet, there won’t be air pockets that your roots need. Well-draining soil is almost always best for plants, and organic materials can help amend your soil.

Pruning Time

Spring-flowering plants should be pruned as soon as their blooms fade. Their flower buds set in the fall on previous growth, so if you prune them in the fall, you remove future flower buds.

Removing old blooms tells plants to grow more flowers because the plant’s life cycle is to flower, create seeds, and then die. Deadheading dead flowers allows the plants to use their energy to grow more flowers, stronger leaves, and better roots.

Watering Properly

One to two inches of water weekly is usually what in-ground plants need in order to grow well. If it is not raining weekly, water deeply once per week instead of watering a little bit every day. A good, deep watering will encourage roots to grow deeper in the soil instead of staying in the top layer of soil.

Controlling Weeds

Hand-weeding and hoeing are the best ways to control weeds in your garden. Take care not to hoe or cultivate too deeply, which can bring weeds to the service and cause them to germinate. Pull weeds early before they go to seed, and use a mulch to prevent weeds.