Garden Goals. What are your goals for your garden? Do you want to have enough to eat fresh plus can or freeze some produce for winter? Do you just want to eat a salad everyday this Spring? Or do you just want to feed your family and cut down grocery bills? Once you determine your gardening goals, you can go from there.
Location and Space Needed. You need a sunny location. The space depends on how much you want to grow and your gardening goals. You can have a garden as small as a patio garden with some vegetable plants in pots to a large garden with several different varieties of tomatoes, peppers, and so much more.
Planting Time. What is the best time to plant seed for what you want to grow where you live? To help you determine the best time to plant seeds or plants, you might review a Plant Hardiness Zone Map. For example, Northern Indiana is in Zone 5. When looking on the back of seed packets, most say when the best time to plant those seeds by going off of the Plant Hardiness Zone Map. When soil is at a certain temperature, some seeds can be planted. For example, lettuce, spinach, peas, broccoli, and cabbage are all cool season vegetables and grow best in cooler temperatures. These are some of the first vegetables you can get planted. They are ready then before the hot summer temperatures start as they don't do as well.
Soil. It is important to know what kind of soil you have. You can do a soil test by purchasing a kit. This will help you determine if you need to amend your soil for what you want to grow.
Planting Time. What is the best time to plant seed for what you want to grow where you live? To help you determine the best time to plant seeds or plants, you might review a Plant Hardiness Zone Map. For example, Northern Indiana is in Zone 5. When looking on the back of seed packets, most say when the best time to plant those seeds by going off of the Plant Hardiness Zone Map. When soil is at a certain temperature, some seeds can be planted. For example, lettuce, spinach, peas, broccoli, and cabbage are all cool season vegetables and grow best in cooler temperatures. These are some of the first vegetables you can get planted. They are ready then before the hot summer temperatures start as they don't do as well.
Soil. It is important to know what kind of soil you have. You can do a soil test by purchasing a kit. This will help you determine if you need to amend your soil for what you want to grow.
For clay soil - add sand, compost, or peat moss
For sandy soil - add aged manure, compost, peat moss, or sawdust
For silty soil - add coarse sand, compost, or manure mixed with straw
Time. What kind of time do you have for your garden. Gardening takes time and we all have busy lives. Are you going to be able to take care of the garden? When mid-summer rolls around and the garden is in full swing this will require more weeding and watering in these warmer months.
Have Fun. Gardening is fun, relaxing, and very rewarding. Have fun setting out garden trinkets like this sign. If it doesn't feel like a chore you will have no problem taking care of it. Enjoy planting and taking care of your garden and you will soon be relishing your garden's bounty!
Now head out to go stock up on garden seed and supplies you will need.
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