How to Start a Garden

Because it is in the mind before it is in the earth, a garden can be started at any time of year. Learning, planning, dreaming, and designing a garden can brighten long winter days. Gardens come in endless varieties, with infinite possible crops and a wide range of purposes, so it’s easy to start any type of garden. Here’s how to start a garden.

Different Types of Gardens

There are many different types of gardens, and the kind of garden determines how you will start it. Here are some of the most common types of garden:

• Vegetable garden -This type of garden is usually seasonal, focused on growing plants for food.
• Flower garden – Flower gardens can be planted with flowers that bloom all year.
• Herb garden – There are a wide variety of herbs, and some are annual while some are perennial. Many herbs are hardy and will grow for years in the right conditions.
• Bird or insect gardens – Many people choose to grow gardens specifically to provide food or habitat for birds, bees, butterflies, and other wildlife.

Planning Your Garden

Some things to consider before planting your garden include:

• Location – Most plants, especially vegetables, require several hours of sun per day. You may also want to consider soil drainage, wind protection, and other factors that affect the health of your plants.
• Size – Starting small is wise. A growing garden absorbs a fantastic amount of time and energy.  Small is better at the beginning. Your garden length may vary, but four feet is a good width. All the plants can be reached from outside the garden bed without stepping on and compacting the soil.
• Types of plants. Choose the types of plants best suited to grow in your climate, with your sun and water conditions. It’s always a good idea to mix different types of plants: flowers, for example, will attract beneficial pollinators to your vegetable garden, while some herbs will deter insects.
• Plan your planting. Plan your plants from tallest to shortest; you don’t want taller plants casting shade on the smaller ones as they grow. Tallest plants on the north side of the garden in the northern hemisphere and on the south side in the southern hemisphere. Establish some easy-to-reach areas for quick-growing plants that will be harvested earlier, so you can re-seed those parts of the garden.
• Plan for the future. A few more things to consider are: will you go on vacation during the growing season? Who will look after the garden if you are unavailable? Unpredictable weather will affect the garden. Too hot, too wet, a late spring frost, or an early fall freeze; any or all will impact the harvest. Does your region have problems with water access or restrictions? Plant drought-tolerant varieties and conserve water as much as possible. What are the pests in your region? How do you want to deal with them if they show up? Pesticides, herbicides, or natural predators such as ladybugs should be considered.

How to Start a Garden

Once you have a plan in mind, it’s time to start your garden. Here’s how to start a new garden:

Before digging in your soil, check for any buried pipes, septic systems, utilities, etc. Again, your community will have information on who to contact before digging to make sure you can dig safely.

1. Choose a Site for Your Garden

Plants have definite requirements to flourish, so the first consideration is knowing where your garden will be situated and what kind of soil you have. The best location for a vegetable garden is in level well-drained ground that gets 6-8 hours of full sun per day, with easy access to water.

The best soil for a vegetable garden is “loamy” –  a combination of sand, clay, and silt. Loamy soil crumbles easily, won’t hold a ball shape if squeezed, and doesn’t crack or get crusty in hot, dry conditions.

The best soil has a pH of about 6.5 to 7.0. Not too alkaline, not too acidic. This is because the nutrients available in the soil are best absorbed by plant roots when pH is within that range.

If the chosen site doesn’t measure up in one or more of these criteria, it can still yield a beautiful garden. Here are some ideas:

• If your site doesn’t get full sun, choose plant varieties that do well with some shade.
• If the ground is not well-drained, consider building a raised bed.
• If the soil composition has too much or too little of one component or another, soil amendments can begin to correct that, and if the garden goes on for several seasons, the soil will get better and better.
• If the soil is too acidic or alkaline, amendments can be added to shift the pH. Changing pH can take more than one growing season, so keep that in mind when choosing what to plant.

2. Prepare the Site

This can be done in the fall or early winter before the soil is too wet to prepare for spring. To prepare the site of your garden:

• Mark out the dimensions of the future garden.
• Remove whatever is growing there; get down to bare dirt.
• Dig out the sod or root layer of whatever was growing there. Now there’s a layer of bare dirt where the garden will be.
• Using a spade, loosen about 6 inches of soil and pile it on a nearby tarp. That is the topsoil.
• Next, loosen a deeper 6 – 8 inches of soil and pile that separately on another tarp. That’s the sub-soil.
• Add any soil amendments (optional). Depending on the results of your soil tests, add amendments to the soil at this stage. Also, add compost, mixing it well into each separate pile.
• Shovel the topsoil pile back into the garden bed, and smooth it level.
• Next, shovel the subsoil pile into the garden bed, and smooth it level.
• Cover the bed with a layer of cardboard held down by rocks if it’s not yet time to plant. This helps to keep weeds from moving in.

It’s helpful to remove the sod around the garden bed and mulch that area deeply with wood chips or sawdust. That provides a barrier between wandering grass or weed roots and your garden. It also deters pests and gives you a path around the garden for easy access.

3. Plant Your Garden

While you may be impatient to plant your garden right away, it’s essential to wait until the appropriate season to start a new garden. If the weather is too cold, it may harm your plants or seeds. Here are the best ways to plant your garden:

• Purchase living plants. Purchasing living plants from a garden center is a great way to start a new garden with large, healthy, thriving plants. However, this method is also more expensive than growing your own plants from smaller, more humble beginnings.
• Propagate plants. Many plants can be propagated from cuttings. This method is easy and free and also has the advantage of allowing you to clone plants that are known to do well and thrive in your climate, or specifically in your garden. Propagating takes more time than purchasing plants but is a great way to start a thriving garden at a low cost.
• Plant seeds. You can purchase seeds or harvest seeds from existing plants. Seeds are often the best way to start more delicate annual plants like flowers and vegetables. However, seedlings need special care to start life on the right foot, and not all seeds will be viable. It’s best to start seeds indoors and transplant them outside to your garden when they are strong and vigorous.

Conclusion

Gardening is good for the body and mind and can also be a great way to save money on your grocery bill with healthy, organic vegetables from your own yard. Starting a garden is easy, and now you know how.