Things to Consider When Adding a Garden

Spring is almost here. Well, that’s what I want to tell myself, even though we just had freezing rain last weekend.

I’m just so ready to get out into the garden and get some planting done. We had a week of dry weather last month right before the big snow, so we were able to get our garden beds prepared for the year.

Last year I purchased a bunch of compost, but it turned out not to be composted very well. So the garden struggled a little last year. This year the soil looks so much better and I’m really hopeful. I need to add a little more vermiculite and get some peat moss and then we should be ready.

Once the soil is ready, it’s time to plan what to plant. Which has been on my to do list the last two weeks.

If you haven’t garden before and are looking to start this year here’s some tips on things to consider when adding a garden.

Picking Your Garden Spot

When you’re picking a spot for a vegetable garden try to find a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sun a day. Most plants like, tomatoes, beans, pepper, cucumbers and melons need at least 6 hours of sun a day. A spot that faces south is the best area to plant.

If your only option for a garden spot will get less than 6 hours of sun. Try growing lettuce and spinach. Carrots, potatoes and beets also do well with sun from 4-6 hours a day.

Keep the Garden Close By

Try to plant your garden close to the house where you go in and out often. It will help you remember to care for the garden. Our garden is in our side yard, where I go out to each day. It’s easy for me to see if the plants need something since I go out at least twice a day.

Have a Water Source Close By

This is something we didn’t think much about when we planted our garden. Where our garden sits we need a long hose to get to the water to the garden. It’s not hard to do,  but having a water source closer would be nicer. That’s why when we need to replace our water main we will be adding in a water faucet near the garden.

Keep it on the Level

It’s best to plant a garden on level ground. A slight slope is alright but nothing too steep or you might have to deal with erosion. I know our garden area is on a slight slant and when we redo our raised beds we will be making them level. Having even that slight slant can cause some areas to get too much water and others not enough.

Start Small

Starting a garden can go from fun to a whole lot of work, if you start too big too soon. Start a smaller garden first and then add a little more space each year. Gradually adding more garden space can really help in not get overwhelmed with too much work.

I know when we first started our garden we made four small beds. Then we added another one a few years later. Now we have two larger beds, a medium bed and a smaller one. We will be making the two smaller beds into a large one when we replace the raised beds.

Do you have a garden or are you going to plant a new one this year?

[signoff]

Looking for more gardening ideas? Head on over to the gardening page for more gardening ideas and inspiration. 

Be sure to check out my Pinterest Gardening Board.