It is time to Garden

The time has come to get into the garden and get dirty. It is time to do the tilling, rowing, planting, watering and waiting. Now that spring has truly come the garden is ready to go.

Many people start their seeds and plants indoors before it is time to plant outside. This gives the plants a head start on the growing season. The set up is fairly simple but the process does have a learning curve. You need containers, plant grow lights, a stable surface, water and patience. This is a good method for people in the city that want a garden on the porch or roof. If you are going to do that you must be sure to give the little plants proper care. They must have more light and warmth than you think. You must give them water but not over water and drown them. The little plants that start indoors are very fragile and must be carefully introduced to the sun and outside a little at a time. If you take them out too soon or for too long at one time, they will be unable to handle the transition and they will die. We have not had much luck with starting plants indoors, we find it best for our farm to wait a bit longer and just plant outside. For areas with short growing seasons, starting plants indoors is a must.

First comes the tilling, several times to get the dirt soft and smooth. You want to get all the lumpy clods broken up to get that fine, loose dirt that plants like. You want to get the rocks out of the garden rows so that the plants do not have to fight the rocks for space. The better the soil is prepaired the easier it is for the baby plants to prosper.  You can find all the tools and supplies you need at your local feed store or Tractor Supply.

Next you make rows so you can have something that resembles an organized garden. If you like, you can use several different patterns. We like straight-ish rows for most of the plants but some we use the block pattern. The straight rows are for thin line plants and the ones that need something to run on. The line plants are the corn, cabbage, kale, onions, etc. the ones that look so nice in straight lines. The peas and tomatoes need to have a support to run on. For this you can use tomatoe cages, wire mesh, old fence or just twine line. As long as the plants have something to grab hold of and climb on, they will be happy.

Now comes the fun. You now are ready to plant your seeds or baby plants. Each plant and seed require different planting depth, how far into the dirt to plant them. Most seed packets come with instructions for this on the back. You can buy plants and seed packets at just about any store, garden center or feed supply. If you buy plants it is just as simple as digging a hole and putting the plant in it and covering it up. If you buy seeds you have several options as how to handle them. You can make a whole and drop a seed in. Or you can use seed tape. Seed tape is what it sounds like, a roll of thin mesh with seeds already in it. This makes it easier to just make a trench and lay the tape in and cover with dirt. You can buy seed tape at Tractor Supply or many garden supply stores. If you have the time and patience you can make your own at home with just water and strips of paper towel.

To make your own seed tape you will need paper towel or toilet paper, water and a small sponge. All you do it lay out the paper, fold it in half, then unfold it. You next place seeds about 1 inch apart along the paper divide. You carefully fold the paper back onto itself to hold the seeds in place. Then you use the sponge or your finger to lightly dampen the edges and between the seeds. Do not wet the seeds, just the paper. You now have little pockets with seeds in them. You leave the paper out to dry and when dry, roll them up to store for later use. When we make our own seed tape we save empty toilet paper rolls and use them to roll the tape onto after it is dry. You can them put the rolls into a box or whatever you are storing them in for safe keeping.

Whatever method you use, it is all about getting the seeds or plants into the ground and covered with dirt. The plantlings need good soil, water and sun. This can be a fun, family day. It makes things easier, faster and more fun with help. Traditionally, planting is supposed to be a task and toil but we quite like our garden and tending to it.

All plantlings need water to grow so be sure to water regularly. We normally water the garden weekly if it does not rain and several times a week during the worst of the summer heat. There are many different ways to water: the traditional water hose, soaker hoses, bottle waterers, in ground water systems. It does not matter which way you water just pick the one you like best and be sure to keep they plants well hydrated. Some plants require more water than others. Check your plant instructions or consult a gardening guide book if you are unsure.

Now that you have planted the seeds or plants and now that you are watering regularly, comes the hard part, the wait. You prep the ground, you lovingly plant and you carefully water and now it is up to the seeds and plants themselves. You give them the best start and the best support you can and now they grow. At this point it is easy to over pamper but do not. These plants must be able to make it on their own. If you over pamper or keep them inside to long, they will be weak and small and not able to stand up for themselves in the big out doors.

When you see the first greeny in the row, it is most exciting. You look and then look again to be sure and there it is. Your first baby plant has come out. Again, water regularly but do not pamper. Soon you will see new plants sprouting everywhere. After the seeds start to sprout you will just need to continue to water and look after them. Weed the rows when you need to but be careful not to disturb the sprouts. Any messing around with the roots and the sprouts will die off.  At this stage the plants are very delicate. Give them water, set up supports for the runner plants and sit back and watch nature do her thing. With in just weeks you will have a whole garden of growing and producing.

You will need to watch for pests that want to eat your produce before you do. There are so many kinds of bugs that get into your garden, it is just best to assume you will have them and go from there. When getting rid of or preventing pest there are several factors to consider. What kind of gardner are you is the fisrt. Are you the organic gardener that will need to use “alternative” pest control or are you the careful gardener that uses “mid level” pest control or are you the whole, no hold barred “chemical” gardener. There are as many ways to get rid of pests as there are pests. You need to decide what kind of gardener you are so you know how to proceed with pest control. We prefer to use preventative and mid level methods on our farm. We like the natural way first, the mid level next and if things get out of hand, we may resort to some chemical control. But remember you are eating the plants you are growning. So anything you put on your garden will be on your food and in your ground soil.

It is easy to find natural pest control in the way of helpful bugs and companion planting. You can find many different chemical controls at any feed store, farm supply and most general stores. If you are not sure what kind of pest control you want to use, do your research before you decide. There is a world of resources online to help you figure out how far you want to go with pest control.

No matter which way you go with pest control, it is a good idea to clean your produce before eating or using it. You want to get all chemical and biological residue off you food before eating it. A good scrub with warm water and mild soap usually will do it. You can of course buy veggie wash but it is not really needed.

It is come time to harvest or has it? When growing a garden you need to know the plants you have and what each kind likes and does not like. You will also need to be familiar with how each type of plant behaves. That is not a joke, plants do behave in different ways. Each kind of plant wants a certain kind of soil either acid or base. They each like different amounts of water, sun and heat. Watch your plants carefull and know what to look for. There is a world of info on when to do what with your plants. It all depends on the plants you are working with. When it is time for your plant to produce, watch it and it will tell you when it is ready. Everyone knows tomatoes will get red when ripe. Many plants have a tell tell sign but some are more understated and you will need to be farmiliar enough with your plant and its behaviors to know when to pick.

Now just harvest and enjoy. We check the garden every morning and every evening to be sure we get our produce as soon as it is ready. There is nothing better than fresh picked produce for your next meal. You do not want to wait a day or 2 before picking as the veg will be getting on in age and the older the veg the less tastey it is. Veg can quickly go from perfect fresh to hard and bitter or even mealy. Still being sure to water regularly and watch for pests, now is the time to really enjoy your garden. You can walk through your garden first thing in the morning and survey the bounty of your season. If you are not that theological or emotional, then just think about all the food you have grown and the money you will save at the grocery store. Take pride in your garden and treat it like the precious resource it is. Not to mention a big, green, bountiful garden will make your neighbour envious. And the added benifit that green plants have on the environment.

No matter what your reasons to feed your family, save money, personal pride, or environmental impact, a garden is a great investment and time well spent. Hopefully, this has given you a new or renewed interest in gardening. Large, small, produce or ornamental the more gardens in the world the better.

Thank you for reading and please be sure to check out our other issues of Out Standing in the Field.