When the weather transitions into a warmer season, gardening is on the minds of many who crave the outdoors. It’s the perfect time to begin plans and construction for an outdoor garden.
The Planning Process
When planning a new garden, there are plenty of things to keep in mind. For example, the time of the year in regards to your particular zone is an obvious factor into when planting should begin. Check out the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to find your zone based on geography.
Begin by making a list of plants you’d like to grow this season and develop the list from vegetables or herbs that you typically use. Whether it’s an Italian herb garden or a salsa garden, choose the plants wisely because they will crave your diligent care and attention. Find out if the plants will do well in your zone and how they much produce throughout their growing season.
Consider the space that your yard will allow for an outdoor garden, as well as the elevation and pockets in your yard that would be best to situate it. Measure different spaces around the yard, away from shade trees, and track the sun’s movement in that spot to make sure there will be at least five hours of full sun in that spot each day.
Raised Bed Gardens
First, gather up the materials necessary for the raised bed garden, including timbers, pegs, compost and top soil. Local garden stores as well as the big box chain stores should carry most of these items.
Landscaping timbers typically come in 8 ft. lengths. To build a garden that's 8 ft. x 4 ft., purchase three of the 8 ft. landscaping timbers, and measure one and saw it in half or have the lumber center at a store do it for you.
The garden center should also have sturdy stakes to secure the timbers into place. The store should also sell bags of topsoil and compost necessary to fill in the beds.
After measuring out and clearing out a rectangular 8 ft. x 4 ft. space in the yard, uproot all pieces of grass, weeds and other plants that are in the space, leaving no excess roots, and dig several inches down into the soil. Line the timbers in the space, making sure to measure them precisely.
Hammer the stakes around each corner of the timbers. Line the edges inside the garden with bags, tarp or other impermeable liner, making sure to cut holes around the areas where your plants will be placed and marking that spot with a flag or something that you can recognize easily.
Cover the prepared area with enough topsoil and compost to fill in the area to the edges of the timbers, which will end up being 6-8 large bags of each. Mix the topsoil and compost, breaking down the clumps and combining them both well.
Measure out the space for plants around the areas that you have chosen, leaving enough inches in between each plant to provide room to grow, especially for plants that will vine. Dig individual holes down into the topsoil, compost and ground soil, and place each plant into the ground, covering loosely with dirt and water with fertilizer.
Here are some green living tips for Earth Day and every day. For more gardening tips and information, visit the USDA’s Web site for home gardening.
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