Laura Kenny, RD, CD
Congrats on deciding to plant your first home garden! Whether you are aiming for stress relief, improved eating, cheaper organic products or just a healthy hobby, home gardening can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Along with proper research and knowledge, starting a garden requires enthusiasm!
Check out these simple steps to get started and achieve optimal results:
Location: At least six hours of sunlight and well-drained, level soils are important factors in deciding where to put your garden. A garden should be located away from trees and shrubs, not only because of shade but also because they compete for soil moisture and plant nutrients.
Ideal Soil: The ultimate garden soil is deep, loose, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic (pH of 6.2-7.0) and has lots of organic matter. Organic matter (compost, peat moss, manure, and decayed ground bark) mixed with tightly packed soils will improve drainage. It is best to complete a soil test before getting started.
Plant Selection: The Indiana Vegetable Planting Calendar provided by Purdue University Cooperative Extension Services can provide the time frame and ideal planting conditions for each crop. For first time gardeners, it is recommended to use plants that have already been started. To avoid a frost that can lead to plant death or suboptimal production do not plant the garden too soon.
Water: Water your garden generously once per week with a 1-inch application. The best time to water is early morning or late afternoon. Try to avoid watering between 10 am to 2 pm to prevent burning your plants.
Think Size: Your garden’s size depends on the kind and amount of vegetables desired, land availability and your time commitment. A manageable size garden is 100 square feet.
Create a Map: Make a garden map so that after the growing season you will know where not to plant fruits or vegetables the following year. Yearly crop rotation helps cut down on the spread of disease.
Keep the Beneficial Insects: Over 90% of insects around gardens are harmless. To keep beneficial insects around, limit or eliminate pesticide use and include flowers and/or herbs in your garden.
Transplanting: If you purchase already started plants, you will need to gradually introduce them to the outdoors. Start by setting them outside in the shade for short periods of time 7 to 10 days before planting.
For more information and resources on Indiana Gardening check out Purdue Extension Garden Tips and Hoosier Gardener.