Planning A Garden
“Population will increase rapidly, more rapidly than in former times, and ‘ere long the most valuable of all arts will be the art of deriving an comfortable subsistence from the smallest area of soil” ~ Abraham Lincoln
Whether you are an experienced gardener or this year will be your first try, you should have a plan. An experienced gardener may have square foot and yield calculations that are perfect for feeding the family throughout the winter. A first time gardener may only know that he or she would like to begin providing homegrown fruits and vegetables for their family.
No bit of advice from any of the gardening books may bring success. Gardening involves experimentation, successes, and failures. It is this that makes gardening so gratifying. Coming up with a garden plan for you and your family will initially involve some research and thought, but experience will provide the best advice. Keep in mind that what works well for others, may not work well for you. Location, climate, and experience are important factors to consider when seeking advice.
The First Questions
There are a few things that should be asked when planning a garden. Which vegetables would I eat? Which foods will my family enjoy? Which foods would I actually use when cooking? Make a list of fruits and veggies that you use most often or that your family enjoys.
Once this list has been made, move on to the next series of questions as follows from John Jeavon’s book “How to Grow More Vegetables”:
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Which vegetables grow well in your area?
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When does your main planting season start?
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When are your first and last frosts?
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When are your periods with and without rain?
Most of these questions can be answered with little effort and you may already know the answers. A local gardening center may easily provide you with the most accurate information. Information on climate and frost dates may be found through your local extension service too.
Garden Plans
If you have never grown anything, including a house plant, starting small would probably be the best option. As with anything, be careful not to overwhelm yourself and don’t set yourself up for failure. If failure is the first experience you have with gardening, you will be less likely to try again.
There are many options available for those who wish to start small. Growing herbs in window boxes or pots may be an option. Container gardening is a great way to try this out. Tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, and herbs are great container plants.
However, if you are comfortable “diving right in”, it is suggested that a first year garden should be no more than 100 square feet. This will provide you and your family enough room to grow the basics and learn as the season progresses. A garden of this size would provide you with enough space to try growing some of your favorite fruits and veggies.
Consider spacing and maturation of the vegetables when you plan the space for your garden. This information is found on the back of the seed packs or on the starter plants that you may choose to buy. Along with spacing, be sure to plan enough room to access your garden. You will have to periodically weed, mulch, water, and harvest your crop. Be sure to leave enough space for these activities.
Suggested starting vegetables would be lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, beans, peas, beets, and peppers. These are the easiest to grow and the lettuce, spinach, beans, and peas mature quickly enough that you can plant again after the first harvest. Herbs are another option and easy to grow. Basil, rosemary, lavendar, oregano, and cilantro are common herbs that are easy to grow.
Whether this is your first gardening adventure or you are expanding your plans after many years of experience, the rewards of growing your own food are many. Providing the food that ends up on your table is not only very tasty, but gratifying. By growing your own food, you are doing something very positive for the environment: reducing your footprint through gardening is only the beginning.