Garden Inspirations
Its January and its time to start planning the spring and summer vegetable gardens. For the seasoned gardener this can start with the seed catalogs that are arriving in the mail. Looking at new varieties and old favorites, dreaming of spending time in a lush, beautiful garden. For the new gardener this may seem a little intimidating and overwhelming. So if you are the latter, here are a few simple questions to help get you started.
How much space do I have to grow? This will determine what style and methods to use. Square foot gardening, companion planting, successive plantings, raised bed gardening, raised row gardens, and no till gardens are only a few.
What vegetables will you and your family eat? Plant what you like to eat. Don’t plant broccoli if no one in your household will will eat it. Growing vegetables you like will help keep you motivated and keep you on track with maintenance. Identifying what to plant will answer sun and shade preferences , heat and cold tolerances and water requirements. Once you figure out what you want to plant then you can begin mapping your garden.
How much work do I want to put into maintenance? It easy to see a beautiful lush garden and imagine your garden looking great. Be aware that your garden will take time and effort to maintain. Preparing the soil, planting, watering, weeding and pest management can be overwhelming if your are not prepared for it. If you don’t have a gardener to maintain it, then be realistic in your expectations. The size of your garden will help determine how much time you will spend in your garden. A small kitchen garden may take 1-2 hours a week while a larger garden may require in excess of 5-6 hour a week.
In summary, planning can help you have a successful garden season whether it be a small kitchen or potager garden or a larger harvest garden for preserving. Hopefully, thinking about these questions will help you get started planning for your spring and summer gardens.
Happy gardening from Your Garden Sage!
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