Let’s Get This Garden Started!
I am a Master Gardener and 6 months of the year I live for my garden.
Well, that is not entirely true.
BUT growing food is one of my favorite things to do.
I have been growing our groceries for years. The more I learn about our botched food system, the more encouraged I am to continue digging in the dirt.
Did you know that many of our vegetables are radiated? You know, the ones that are sold at most groceries or supermarkets – they are radiated.
Irradiation extends the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables and kills some bacteria. But there are some problems with this process.
“Irradiation damages food by breaking up molecules and creating free radicals. The
free radicals kill some bacteria, but they also bounce around in the food, damage
vitamins and enzymes, and combine with existing chemicals (like pesticides) in the
food to form new chemicals, called unique radiolytic products (URPs).”
Source: US Government Accounting Office. The Department of the Army’s Food Irradiation
Program –Is It Worth Continuing: PSAD-78-146. Washington, DC 9/29/78, pp. 27-28. Also
David R. Murray, Biology of Food Irradiation, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1990), p. 74-
77 source
As if it is not bad enough that our vegetables are-
- Grown in other countries.
- Picked before they are ripe.
- Shipped across the world (literally).
- AND Stored for weeks.
THEY ARE ALSO RADIATED.
EXPERT TIP: Organic Labeled foods cannot be radiated.
I am convinced that if we are buying fruit and veggies from a store, we may or may not be eating fresh fruit and veggies – we are eating the “idea” of fresh fruit and veggies.
This totally works me up.
So, listen, people:
GROW FOOD.
Growing a backyard garden is more than just a way to eat better. It is a better life!
- It is fun
- It is good for you
- It is exercise
- You will get fresh air (really important to health)
- You will learn life skills (self-sufficiency, man)
- Your food will be local, seasonal and fresh
- You will save money
- AND you will not eat radiated food
Today, I thought we’d talk about Plans and Preparations for growing your best garden ever. If you have a good beginning, you will be set up for success.
There are so many little things that will affect the success of your garden.
Additionally, if you get a few things RIGHT you can expect bushels of food.
PREPARATIONS FOR YOUR BEST GARDEN
7 Things To Do Before You Dig
First and foremost, you will need to select the right spot for your garden.
If you are putting in a garden for the first time it is important to find the right location.
ONE: 8 Hours of Sun
In order to soar, a vegetable garden will need 8 hours of direct sunlight (or more). There are a few plants that will be happy in the shade (like lettuce) but they are very few.
TWO: Slope & Geography
Put your garden in a level spot that is well drained. You do not want to put a garden at the bottom of a hill. This area would be overly damp and not drain well.
THREE: Near a Water Source
Watering will be an important factor for success. Be sure you can reach your garden with a hose or irrigation system.
FOUR: Soil Quality
Prepare your soil for gardening. This can be accomplished with compost, lasagna garden style, turning over the grass, or top dressing.
A soil test can easily be done these days right in your home giving you results in minutes instead of weeks. Purchase a little soil analyzer and follow the instructions.
I used a Burpee 2 in 1 Soil Analyzer. It will tell you the PH level of your soil as well as the fertility.
Neutral soil is a 7 on the PH scale. Anything above 7 is considered alkaline, anything below is acidic.
If your soil is too alkaline or too acidic the plants cannot absorb the minerals from the soil. Think of it as a locked box. If the PH is off the minerals are locked tight in the soil and can not come out.
For most vegetables, you want your PH between 6.0 and 7.5. Some veggies can thrive in more alkaline, others in more acidic soils, but in general, if your soil is neutral (around 7.0) vegetables will be happy.
Totally cool.
Another interesting little nugget is that it is easier to raise PH than it is to lower it. If your garden is around 5.5-6 you can boost the ph with some ash from the fireplace or some lime.
If your PH is too high it is difficult to lower it. Lots of organic matter will bring it to neutral – but you will need an abundance. Adding sulfur to soil is another way to lower PH.
I tested 3 different beds and they were all pretty neutral.
I also tested the fertility and they were all in the “ideal” range for nutrients.
If you are considering adding compost or manure to your garden, there are a few things you want to be aware of.
All manures are not the same
Some manures are very hot (these will burn your plants and their roots) others are cool manures.
The lower the ratio of Carbon-to-Nitrogen – the hotter the manure is.
Here is a Carbon-to-Nitrogen scale (numbers are approximated since manures will vary slightly depending on diet) –source
- Cow 25-1 (from grass-fed cows)
- Horse 20-1
- Sheep 15-1
- Hogs 12-1
- People 10-1
- Poultry 7-1
Chickens have the hottest manure of all. Grass-fed cow manure is not very hot.
Generally speaking, the stinkier the manure, the hotter. If you put chicken manure directly on your garden (with plants) you will probably burn the plants.
Diet plays a big role in the “heat” of manure. A grass-fed cows manure is so mild it can be placed directly on the garden and worked into the soil fresh from the field.
Because chickens and hogs eat a diet high in bugs, grubs & grains (they can not live on grass alone) their manure is much hotter.
FIVE: Plant in the right season
If you planted your tomatoes in Kentucky in April, they would probably all die. Not because you are a failure of a gardener, but because they cannot withstand freezing temperatures.
Furthermore, if you plant lettuce and spinach in the heat of the summer, the plants will most likely wither, turn brown or bolt.
Plant cool season crops in spring and fall. Plant summer varieties after the threat of frost has passed.
SIX: Chose Varieties that grow in your area
Know what grows in your area and stick to that. I have tried to amend beds, change the soil and even shade plants in order to grow something that belongs elsewhere. Every time I try, I fail. Vidalia Onions grow in Georgia, celery grows where it is cold (Michigan), and citrus fruits grow in tropical climates.
Visit a local CSA or farmers market to see what is being grown in your area. Chances are if they can grow it – you can too!
SEVEN: Size Matters
Plant a garden that suits your life. Be sure it is not too large or too small.
If you find yourself wanting to be in your garden more, but not having anything to do, it is time to expand. If your garden is somewhat out of control and you do not have time to take care of it, you should probably downsize.
It is important to stay on top of the weeds, water when needed, and harvest fruit when it is ready so be sure the size of your garden is manageable.
Lastly, the closer the garden is to your home, the more you will enjoy it. If you can see it from the house you will spend more time in it, you will tend it more often and probably eat more fresh food.
Take the Next Step
Want to cultivate your garden skills? Ready to ditch the supermarket and grow groceries?
The GROW YOUR OWN – Organic Gardening Class will teach you how to build healthy soil, chose the right crops, fight common problems and grow your most successful garden ever.
Taught by myself (Candi Johns, Master Gardener), this class is not the usual “talking head” you usually see on YouTube. Participants will join me in my garden and learn exactly how I grow almost all of my ingredients. Videos are conversational, not scripted. Events are real-life, not staged. The garden is legit. The food is bountiful.
You too can grow your food! I will show you how!
Happy Gardening!
XO,
Candi
