Starting a New Organic Garden
For the first time gardener it seems like a lot of work and skill will be required to develop a good and bountiful harvest. What I will do for you is to break it down into a short list of steps to follow to go you on the go.
There are a few steps to first put some thought into before you start to buy your plants. Fist of which will be, is the garden for fruits and veggies or is it for flowers. This is important because the amount of sunlight can have a dramatic effect on your outcome. If at all possible try to place your garden in an area that allows you to view it. Your ability to see it even when you are not working on it will help you stay motivated and it will also help you see the fruits of your labour (so to speak). Although you can plant in a completely shaded area you will be very limited on your plant choices. For most vegetables and flower beds at least 6 hours of sunlight should be given to them for best results.
Once you have figured out where you want your garden the next step would be to lay it out on the ground. You could use a hose or a rope or even a can of marking paint from the hardware store. Whatever method you use take into consideration the amount of foot and animal traffic you get in the area.
Next step is soil prep. I know this is not the most fun part of the job but it is the most important part to have a beautiful Organic Garden. The first part to look at is the ph of the soil. Somewhere between 6.2 and 6.7/6.8 is an acceptable range for the bulk of the plants and flowers for the average garden. If you are not sure the ph is usually found on the plant tag. To find out the ph of your soil you can usually find a nursery in your area that will test your soil for a small fee. You should also perform this test before you put lime on your lawn in the spring. Too much acidity in the soil can contribute to your lawn dyeing.
Depending on weather you decide to remove the existing lawn/weeds that are currently where you want your garden, this will dictate when you should decide to start on your new garden. If you remove them use a spade shovel to cut the ground and pull up the sod bit by bit. If you decide to till in the existing sod make sure to do it in the fall so the organic matter has a chance to start to decompose during the winter. Most likely you will see some grass in the spring and summer start to sprout up due to this method so I would recommend either removing the sod completely or smothering it.
Removing all the sod and hauling it away is a lot of backbreaking work so if your soil is already in good shape as far as the ph is concerned you can always take the easy route and build on top of it. First lay out eight to ten layers of newspaper on the ground where you want your garden. Next wet it all down and turn it into a thick pile of wet newspaper. Once the paper is good and wet, cover the paper with six inches of good quality soil. Over time the newspaper will break down and the grass will have become sufficiently smothered.
The next step is to decide whether or not to use mulch. There are numerous types of mulch to choose from. There is organic mulch like chipped bark, shredded leaves or straw. These mulch types give multiple benefits to your soil like good water retention, helps discourage weed growth, and keeps the soil cool. There are also examples of non organic mulches like plastic sheets that help keep the soil warm for warm season crops. Whatever your mulch choice is make sure to lay it right after planting and keep some distance from all plant stems to avoid rotting them. This also helps deter moles and mice.
Now that that is done, it is time to start planting. To give your plants the best fighting chance, water them thoroughly the day before you intend to plant them. An ideal day to plant is on a day when it is cool and overcast. Do not take them all out of their pots at once. Take them out one at a time as you put them in the ground. When you take them out of their pots their roots will probably be tightly compact. Tease the roots out gently before placing it in the hole to ensure good root growth through the soil. Bury them to the same depth as it was in the pot it came from. Too deep and you can get stem rot. Too shallow and the roots can dry out. When you cover up the root do not press down on the soil. Normal water flow from the surface will do this naturally. Once in the ground make sure to water well, one to two inches per week depending on conditions and heat. Let your plants do the talking here. If they wilt a little at high noon that is to be expected but if this happens in the evening then there is something wrong.
I hope this post helps you take the right steps to start your own garden from home. Who knows not only may you enjoy it but if you are really good you may even be able to make some money at it as well. If you are interested in finding out all sorts of little tips and tricks to increase your harvest and maybe make a little money on the side try some of these links out and see if you can bring your harvest to the next level.
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