Very little is better than having fresh produce at your fingertips and knowing precisely what you put into your body. Eating fresh produce in season provides all the essential nutrients and the best flavor. Produce purchased at a local supermarket is convenient and reasonable if it is the only available source. What if you could grow those fruits and veggies you enjoy so much? You would be surprised at the taste difference between purchased and homegrown produce. A big reason for this difference is that commercial growers must pick the produce earlier in the plant’s development to ensure it remains unspoiled when it reaches the consumer. Growers often spray the produce with additives so it does not spoil quickly. When you grow your produce, you can let the fruit ripen entirely on the plant and develop more decadent flavors. You have more control over what your plant is fed and how it grows, which, in turn, guarantees that you will receive the maximum benefit your body will gain, not to mention your taste buds will enjoy.
What do you like to eat?
Planning a garden can be overwhelming when you consider all the different ways to grow produce. No one wants to waste their time growing something they will not enjoy eating, so let’s start by making a list of the produce you typically purchase at the grocery store that you would like to have at your fingertips throughout the growing season. Do you want a salsa garden, an herb garden, green beans, or potatoes?
Now that you have your list, consider the space available for planting. Is your goal to grow fresh produce only for eating during the growing season? Is it to grow enough to eat fresh and preserve for the winter months? This will help you determine the amount of space you need and the time you will spend caring for the area. There are several ways to grow the produce you enjoy, including in-ground, container, and raised bed gardens.
Things to consider when deciding on your location:
Ground Preparation
Soil Type – Soil vs. Dirt
Water Source – How to Best Water Your Soil
Does the area you want to utilize receive full sun for most of the day, or is it shaded? Will it be a brand-new plot, or has the area been a garden bed in previous years and just been allowed to go fallow? If used previously, the ground will take less labor to prepare for a new garden bed, but you must focus on weed control and soil nutrients. Testing your soil for the pH levels and available nutrients can be done before you start preparing the garden plot. To learn more about how to do this, you can read my article “Soil vs. Dirt” here, which will give detailed steps and the products that can be used. However, if the location you want to use has yet to be prepared, focus on removing grass and weeds, checking soil pH levels, and evaluating available nutrients will be the first step. Considering these factors, having the proper equipment and tools to prepare your garden bed will be essential. A rototiller, garden hoe, and black tarp will make the job much more enjoyable and less back-breaking.
In the past, when starting a new in-ground garden bed, I marked out the area I wanted and then covered it with a black tarp. This is a form of solarization, which you can learn more about here. I typically leave it for a few weeks to ensure it kills the grasses and weeds. There are many types of tarps available, but here is the tarp I prefer to use https://farmplasticsupply.com/grain-and-silage-bags/bunker-covers/8milsilage. Once I have killed off the area, I like to rototill the plot a couple of times, cross-hatching it to ensure the dead grass and weeds are thoroughly tilled in, allowing it to mulch the area and give back to the soil the nutrients found in them. Once that is finished, I will tarp the plot again to ensure that any weed seeds still in the soil have been brought to the surface and killed.
What about the availability of a water source?
It is well known in farming communities that rain-watered crops thrive, grow stronger, and produce a higher yield. Now, obviously, we humans do not have control over the weather, so there are times that we must water our plants from another source. When deciding on the location of your garden bed, consider how you will water the plants in dryer times and if you will need to purchase hoses and sprinklers. I have used sprinklers to water my gardens for many years and have gotten good yields from my plants. As my garden beds have grown and I have had to deal with some of the challenges of overhead watering on a larger scale, I have decided to switch to a drip irrigation system. Whichever type of system you choose to use, you will have an easier time watering when necessary if your water source is close to your garden beds.
“A garden is a love song, a duet between a human being and Mother Nature.” – Jeff Cox
Basic Plant Requirements
Testing your soil before you choose your plot will tell you if you need to add amendments or fertilizers before, during, or after planting and possibly throughout the growing season. Knowing before planting allows you to avoid potential problems with your plants’ growth. Ensuring the soil has the proper nutrients will allow your plants to thrive and make your gardening experience much more enjoyable.
What country area you reside in will determine which plants will grow and when to plant them. It is heartbreaking to plant that struggles or doesn’t even grow, losing valuable time and potential produce. (I’ve been there too many times.)
Let’s discuss the different hardiness zones. The zones are determined by the length of the day, the number of light hours in the day, and average temperatures throughout the year.
As you can see from this map, the states are color-coded by each zone, determined by temperatures. For example, I reside in northwest Indiana, and my hardiness zone is 6a. I will make sure that when choosing plant starts, I understand that to have a successful season, I need to ensure that I only choose those plants that can withstand the temperatures and daylight hours we receive. Let’s say my zone only has a short growing season, but I want to plant corn, which takes several months of warm weather to produce well; I may have a poor harvest if I get one at all.
If you decide to sow your seeds directly into the soil (direct sow), the seed packets typically have a similar map on the back and maturity dates. Some packets also indicate the months in which the seed can be planted based on the hardiness zone. If you are interested in starting your own plants from seed, my article “Is Starting Plants from Seed for Me?” may help. In that article, I discuss the pros, cons, and how-to’s of starting your own plants from seed before transplanting them into the ground. You will find some good resources to help you get started should you decide that method is for you.
Regardless of your chosen method, I cannot stress enough the importance of purchasing your plants and seeds from a reputable company. Make sure you can begin strong with fresh seeds and hearty plant starts.
Now that you have asked the big questions and decided which plants to grow and how and where to grow them, the real fun can begin.
Visit my resource page for additional resources on the next steps. There, you can access plant lists, tips and tricks for planting confidently, recipes for your produce, and many other resources.
