Although it really doesn't seem like it, spring is coming. YAY!
As promised, I will share my first experience with gardening this year. Hopefully the adventure will be entertaining and informative. :)
Note: All information will be pertinent to ZONE 5. That is where I live. You can check your zone here. This will be important to choosing what to plant and when to plant it. :)
So here we go!
How do I get started?
Step 1: Determine the space you have.
Estimated time: 10 minutes
Do you have a piece of land to work with? Do you have a patio, but no grass? Do you have a balcony? Do you have a windowsill? ANY of these can become a garden! Allocate a part of this space to become your garden. The amount of space will (obviously) determine what kind of plants you can plant. Don't be discouraged if you don't have much room! Look at this cute herb garden idea:
I recommend measuring the dimensions of your garden, whether it be in feet or in number of tin cans. :)
I have a slightly unusual situation, as the space allocated for the garden is near a black walnut tree. The tree roots emit toxins, so I will have raised beds (an extra layer of soil) to avoid plant homicide. We are all friends here!
P.S. I can't tell you how big my garden is ATM because it's covered in snow...
Step 2: Choose what you want to plant.
Estimated time: 20-30 minutes
There are two things to consider here: what you like to eat and whether you have the conditions to grow it. Here is a guide to how much space different plants need. Don't be afraid to try new things! Veggies that you grow yourself taste WAY better than the ones in the grocery store. Usually. But we will make sure we do it right! Yes? Good.
I will be growing the following lovelies:
- bean chinese red noodles
- tommy toe tomatoes
- German pink tomatoes
- Amish paste tomatoes
- cucumber muncher
- cucumber mexican sour gherkin
- arugula
- lettuce rocky top mix
- butterhead lettuce
- red romaine
- radishes
- beets
- peppers
- butternut squash
- summer squash fordhook zucchinis
- spinach
- snow peas
- Parisienne carrots
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| Don't they look delicious? |
Step 3: Go get your seeds!
Estimated time: varies
Woohoo! You made it to the most fun part! You can find seeds online or in stores. I recommend Baker Creek Heirloom seeds and Burpee seeds. Even if you don't end up ordering online, it's super fun to see all the different veggies that you've never heard of. And some of them look ridiculous (and delicious).
You can also find seeds at Menards, Lowe's, Home Depot, and probably other places too.
Once you have your seeds, keep them in a dry, cool place (like the pantry). Next time I will share info on how to start your seeds!
