Organic Garden Preparation

Garden preparation starts with a good location which is essential for an abundant and beautiful garden.

Garden Location

Growing your garden is a great symbiotic relationship between the earth and its ability to provide for us.

To begin, I suggest making a list of your favorite vegetables and flowers to determine the best soil and sun conditions for each.

When you set up your garden area, you will need a minimum of 6 or more hours of direct sun a day for a successful crop. Some of the cool weather crops like broccoli, cabbage and lettuce can tolerate some shade especially in the heat of summer so if you have some shaded areas plan to plant these shade tolerant plants there.

Most fruits and vegetables and many ornamentals prefer a full sun location, so section off the garden to accommodate the various needs of your flowers and produce.

I will be able to guide you from soil testing to harvesting with a month by month plan for various types of plants and vegetables. Did you know that January is the best time to order seeds and start working on your garden?

Most people assume that warm weather indicates gardening season, but preparing your garden early in the year makes for a very successful crop! Planting your garden can’t be any easier with a little pre-planning with my garden planning guide.

Garden Plan

Whether you are planting one garden container or a homestead farm, it is always good to start with a garden plan. Make a list of what you like to eat, what you would like to grow and how much time and energy you have for your garden. A garden shouldn’t be neglected, so make the time to water, fertilize and remember weeding is essential.

Be realistic and don’t try to grow more than you can handle because it is better to have a manicured, productive garden than a big weed patch. You should also decide if you want to plant in a garden pot, a raised bed or a traditional garden bed.

Draw a simple plan or check out one of the many computer programs available to get a good visual of your garden. This year I started using an online garden planner and it has been great fun and so neat and clear. It also offers lots of information on what to grow in different climates and soil conditons and what your garden plants need to be beautiful and productive.
Try out the free garden planner for an easy to use garden layout.

If you need a little more help in chapter 8 of my garden guide, I give details for planting 30 of the most popular vegetables. For example, by planting spinach and lettuce near each other, in two week successions you will be helping both plants grow due to their similar needs in soil and sun.

Soil Test

Before you start digging, consider having the soil tested or use a sample soil test kit for best results. These tests will give you an indication of nutrient levels, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, the mineral content, PH level (acidic to alkaline) and how much organic matter is present. With such an analysis and garden planning, amendments can be tailored more precisely to your garden soil. Soil test kits can be found at your local nursery or hardware store or several county extension offices offer a soil-testing service for a small fee.

Garden Beds

Whatever type of garden layout you prefer, I can help you build the best raised beds or dig great garden beds with these easy garden methods which will save you time, energy and money. If you are in your garden center or local nursery, I highly suggest buying only organic fertilizers and pesticides that provide healthier alternatives and tastier food.

With many different types of garden products available on the market, it is essential that you know what you are putting in your garden and the risks that various fertilizers an pesticides present. There are many organic fertilizers I suggest that are less expensive and they also save you and your family from poisonous chemical levels!

Raised Beds

Raised beds are an easy form of garden preparation and I prefer this type of bed for beginners and smaller gardens. Put together a rectangular frame with 2X8 or 2X10 lumber (any wood will work), but I suggest using cedar for a long lasting garden bed. Don’t use anything pressure treated as the chemicals leach into your soil and vegetables and have the potential to harm or damage your food.

If there are grass or weeds growing in the area, it is best to use a garden fork to dig them out and put them in your compost pile. Loosen the underlying soil for deeper rooting and fill your raised bed frame with worm castings or potting soil from your local garden supply center.

For an easier method, you can put down a layer of cardboard or newspaper over the grass or weeds and then fill your raised bed as described above. Healthy garden plants need nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and some trace minerals to grow strong and produce and abundant harvests.

It is a good idea to use a soil test kit to find out exactly what your soil needs; but for most soils and climate conditions, my easy planting formula can successfully be used .

Old Fashioned Garden Beds

For larger planting areas, old fashioned garden beds will work best to produce many different types of produce. Dig, fork up or roto till garden beds 6-12 inches deep, three feet wide and as long as you want them.

Garden beds are best if you are going to use the aid of a roto tiller in your garden and they work really well with the cover cropping system. You do not need to invest in lumber or take time building the frames which is not bad for a small garden, but be aware that this can become a huge project in a large garden.

Fall Garden Preparations

The best thing to do in the late fall is to prepare your soil for spring planting.
The three best enhancements I suggest for your garden are cover crops also known as green manure, sheet composting and making compost piles.

Green Manure (cover crops)

Green manure is a cover crop that covers the soil during the dormant winter months and adds the important nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium as well as organic matter to your soil. My favorite cover crops consist of Austrian peas or Vetch to fix nitrogen levels, and I have also used oats or rye for increased cellulose and organic matter.

Plant a fall/winter cover crop by digging or tilling your garden area and spreading seeds using various legumes and grains suited for your climate. Rake the seeds in, lightly covering them and wait for the rain.

Sheet Composting

Sheet composting is another method that keeps your garden soil covered for the winter and prevents erosion. The nutrients that leach
out of the sheet compost end up in the garden beds. If I don’t cover crop, I like to sheet compost my garden soil in the fall.

I add three to eight inches of straw, barn manure or other supplements to the garden beds or garden area.
You will learn more of my tips on making great compost in lesson five coming to you soon!

Garden Containers

You can be creative or involve children in your garden by using other containers from a simple 12” plastic garden pot, a wine barrel cut in half or a pair of old shoes.

Pick a container large enough for the plants you have chosen to grow and add water, soil and nutrients accordingly.

Nutrients and Soil Conditioners

Developing your soil is one of the fundamental organic garden principals so add as much compost, earthworm castings and organic materials as you can. This will increase drainage in heavy clay soils and will help to hold nutrients in sandy or well drained soils.

When preparing your garden beds, I suggest choosing organic nutrients that also add organic matter to your soil.
If you need to feed your plants later in the season liquid nutrients used as foliar feeding or watering in as teas is a good supplement.

This part of garden planning is quite extensive in terms of composting, foliar feeding and changing pH levels.
For a more indepth look at the layers and amounts of each essential nutrient see chapter 6 of my book. There is ample information for essential nutrients that benefit gardens. My experience and suggestions provide stronger harvests and healthier food from the earth, that you can’t find in a grocery store.

Planting

After you have tested the soil and determined your gardening plan, you’re now ready to plant your garden seeds or transplant your garden starts.

Know your region and climate and choose seeds that are adapted to your area and the time of year you are planting.

I also suggest buying organic seeds if possible, and you might want to try open pollinated or heirloom seeds for a greater variety. Open pollinated and or heirloom seeds are essential if you would like to save your own seeds.

Success or Trial and Error?

Gardening is all about good instructions or trial and error to see what garden basket

works best in your soil and what you enjoy growing the most.

The best advice I can give you starting out is to talk to the local experts or you can use my book for a quick reference guide in starting your garden. We look forward to growing together over the next few weeks!

I hope I can save you lots of time and trouble with this gardening course and coming next is one of the most important chapters. I will share some of the common mistakes that many gardeners have made, including myself.

"A smart man learns from his mistakes, a wise man learns from the mistakes of others"

Thomas Jefferson

Have a Great Garden Day!

farmer dave

For more detailed information see my chapters on

“organic garden preparation"