How to Start Your First Garden

My friends often comment on how beautiful my flowers are in my garden and how luscious my vegetables look. They also comment that they wouldn't even know where to start when it comes to gardening. I tell them all they need is some dirt, seeds and a strong back. But kidding aside there is a little bit more to it than that.

First you need to pick a good area for your garden. It should be an area that has good drainage and gets at least eight to 10 hours of sunlight a day. You should have the soil tested by either using a soil testing kit or taking samples to a soil testing office. When breaking the ground for the first time it is good to have it plowed by small tractor with a plow on the back. Once it is plowed under, a small rototiller can be used to break up the clogs. It is at this time that you will want to add any coarse sand, organic compost, fertilizer, and other nutrients to the soil based on what the soil testing revealed.

Once you have your garden area ready, it is time to decide what you want to plant. You have probably already been thinking about this so you may have some plants in mind. A good way to decide is to either buy a good book on growing garden plants or check one out at your local library. A good gardening book will tell you everything you need to know about growing plants in your garden. It will provide a cornucopia of information, such as planting depths, plant spacing, how to care for the plant, where to plant, companion planting, diseases, and much more. The backs of seed packets also provide planting information, but a new gardener needs more information that what these provide. Seeds ordered from a seed catalog or on-line usually come with planting guides. These guides provide a little more information than a seed packet, but I still think you would get more helpful information from a good gardening book. Most state universities also have county extension offices that have plant hot lines manned by Master Gardeners where you can call and get expert gardening advice.