Simple Steps to Starting a Garden:
Learning to garden is tricky, but these simple steps to starting a garden will help!
I come from a long line of farmers and gardeners. And I can only imagine they are in heaven looking down and shaking their heads! I can hear it now, “Oh, my goodness! It doesn’t have to be this hard!”
There may even be some eye-rolling. But I keep trying. And I keep learning. Here are some of the things that I’ve learned along the way.
Following these simple steps to start a garden will make the process less overwhelming.
Make It Manageable!
We are single moms with a million things to do, but we still manage to put the laundry away. Don’t go overboard!
Find a very functional place. It may be a 4×4 spot, a balcony tomato, or a borrowed plot in a friend’s or family’s yard! (You can negotiate to give them some of the produce.) That’s okay!
Choose the Right Place
You will need a place that gets a lot of sunlight. I chose the south side of the house for this reason.
A vegetable garden requires approximately 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Also, if possible, choose a place out of the wind. Wind can destroy plants, especially young plants.
Taking a Good Hard Look at Dirt.
As much as I love getting my hands dirty, dirt is difficult! There are three different types of soil; most soils combine elements of two or more types.
Determining your soil type is crucial. I will condense this information and include links for further study.
These soils include clay, sand, and silt. You can obtain a soil test from a hardware or garden store, or take it to your local county extension office.
When you know what type of soil you have, you can amend or improve it by adding specific nutrients.
For example, my soil is sandy loam. It is primarily composed of sand, but also contains clay and silt. Due to this, I need to add organic matter, such as peat moss, to improve my soil.
My friend out east has clay soil. This soil is heavy and very difficult to dig and work. She ended up creating raised beds and using large pots.
Here is a link with more in-depth information:
3 Main Types of Soil (gardenguides.com)
Another matter to consider regarding soil is its pH. Soil pH is the alkalinity or acidity of the soil.
Most plants do best in a pH range of 6 to 7. I recently received alkaline topsoil. Alkaline soil means I must amend the soil significantly to have a healthy garden.
Epic Gardening has a great article on this!
How To Lower Soil pH Or Raise Soil pH – Epic Gardening
This step can be tricky, but preparing the ground is essential for your gardening success! Here are some additional links to assist you further.
Create a Boundary That You Can Maintain.
Creating a boundary will help you maintain your garden. It will help the kids to know where they cannot walk. I keep explaining this to them. However, I must be honest: curiosity and distraction are not helpful in this area. But at least they are out in nature!
Consider Growing Seasons in Your Area and Your Zone
Every region has a specific zone. In some zones, gardeners can plant two gardens or, even better, grow plants year-round, such as winter vegetables.
We have a shorter growing season in the Mountain West, where I am. I need to buy vegetable seeds that have faster maturity.
You will also need to consider this if buying perennials (plants that return year after year). Here is a link to zones in the United States.
Consider a Food Forest.
 A food forest is a system in which you grow food that returns year after year. This system allows fruit trees, bushes, herbs, and vegetables to return yearly.
It’s a great idea if you have the room, and there are numerous excellent online resources to gain information.
Choose Plants and Food You Love to Eat.
I have learned to plant more of what we will love and less of what we like, but not in abundance.
We grow a variety of crops, including pumpkins, potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, asparagus, onions, and peppers.
I love squash, but 38 bags of frozen squash, not so much.
Consider Raised Beds or Container Gardening.
We are single moms with colossal time constraints! This method might work best for you.
And this way, you can control where it is, the type of dirt used, and the weeding needed. This is a well-written article from The Spruce:
15 Raised Bed Garden Design Ideas (thespruce.com)
Here is a link to bag gardening from Nutrena Scoop from the Coop:
Upcycle your empty feed bags #2 – Garden Planter Tutorial | The Scoop from the Coop
Throw In a Few Flowers That You Love!
Every year, I grow fancy Morning Glories! My mom loved Morning Glories, which is nostalgic for me. I also grow four O’clocks because of my Great Aunt Dee. She had a beautiful garden full of 4-o’clock flowers!
In Conclusion.
These are the things that I have learned with experience. I hope these simple steps to starting a garden will give you food for thought and a place to start! It is okay; that is a little chaotic and messy! Taking that first step is a big enough accomplishment!
You may find additional information on this site here:
Winter garden preparations – Gardening (singlemomoutwest.com)
