1) Observe your space
- Where is the sun / shade? (watch the patterns during the growing season throughout the day)
- How is the land sloped? (south faces warmer & sunnier than north – use to your advantage!)
- Is it windy? (plant some trees or shrubs to act as a windbreak!)
2) Think about what you like to eat and see!
- plant some of your favorites!
- choose varieties that are suited for your climate (local garden stores usually specialize in these!)
- plan plantings that compliment each other (grow sunflowers as a trellis for pole beans!)
3) Soil is the start
- work soil in spring only when it begins to dry (not when soggy you’ll lose important soil structure!)
- add Organic Matter!
- add Organic Matter!
- add Organic Matter!
(in the form of COMPOST from kitchen scraps! in the form of manure complete the cycle!) - do not forget – your soil is LIVING!
4) Water is essential!
- overhead sprinklers work, but -can encourage some plant diseases – can be wasteful of water resources!
- try drip-irrigation (an easy way is in the form of soaker hoses -cheap, yet effective!)
5) Plant wisely
- rotate the place where you plant things each year (discourages some plant diseases!)
- use mulches (leaves, straw, clipping) or plant cover crops between rows (will discourage weeds!)
- plant cover crops in winter (crimson clover is nice – adds Nitrogen, can buy seed in bulk for cheap!) to protect soil from erosion to add nutrients back to the soil!
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