Thursday, April 28, 2016

Let’s PLAN a GARDEN...


“Planting a garden, even a small one, allows for a greater degree of self-reliance. 
With the right information and a little practice,
 individuals and entire families can enjoy the many benefits of planting and tending a garden.”  
Provident Living LDS.org

            
Illustration by Julie Notarian

I learned to garden at the feet of my Father.  Many an hour was spent watching him gently sow seeds in our backyard garden, then waiting diligently for them to sprout. Work always comes before the harvest... a life long lesson he planted deep within my heart. 

Bill and I began our gardening adventures too many years ago to count with a large plot of land and rows and rows of veggies of all varieties and beds of strawberries and vines of grapes. We irrigated the trenches between the rows to provide the life-giving water that would grow the food that would feed our many children. It also fed the weed seeds. The weeds grew faster than the veggies and required more work than you can even imagine. It was the price we paid to have "fresh from the garden" food delivered to our dinner table.


That was way back then.
Thankfully much progress has been made in gardening over the years.
Once your garden is built, there’s little work…and best of all, no weeds! 

Here is what we do now:

RAISED BED GARDENING

We’ve been using this method for 15 years… bye-bye weeds. 
It is genius.
Here's what you need to know...

Illustration from Almanac

LAYOUT   In terms of bed size, 4 feet is a common width and will enable access to the garden without stepping into the bed. Length isn’t as important. Plots are often 4 feet wide by 8 feet long or 4 feet wide by 12 feet long. This will be determined by the area of your garden. Depth should be 6 to 8 inches deep.
BOXES   Boxes can be built from wood, vinyl or even cinder blocks. If using wood, do not use railroad ties (toxic) and be cautious of untreated lumber (chemicals).. We choose redwood as it is more durable. Build as many boxes as you will need for the amount and type of plants you will grow. You may wish to add one foot grids across each box.
AISLES   If you plan to have more than one garden box, separate them to form walkways. Aisles can be made from grass, brick, stone, mulch or any other material that enhances your garden plan.
SOIL   Don’t dig up or use your native soils!  Simply place your box on the level ground and line the bottom of your box with a good weed fabric. Fill the boxes with 1/3 blended compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 coarse vermiculite. This mixture is also sold complete in one bag.This soil mixture is best for optimum growth and no weeds. Yes... no weeds. :) 
SPACE   Depending on the mature size of the plant, grow 1, 4, 9, or 16 equally spaced plants per square foot.
PLANT   Make a shallow hole with your finger. Plant two or three seeds in each spot. Cover, but do not pack the soil. After sprouting, save the best one and snip off the others. Don’t over-plant, plant only as much of any one crop as you will use.
WATER   We use a drip system that is connected to our automatic sprinklers. Simple to install. 
HARVEST   Enjoy the fruit of your labors.
Some content gathered from Mel's Square Foot Gardening.

Consider the following as you create your Garden Plan:

The garden site you choose should be relatively level and near your kitchen door. Think Kitchen Garden. 
Just a few steps from clipping fresh herbs and gathering fresh tomatoes for dinner.

Most veggies are sunlight lovers, they require 6 or 8 hours of sunshine on a daily basis.

Proper depth for planting seeds is approximately four times as deep as the seed is thick.


Gardening in Containers

Illustration Mother Earth News


If you don’t have room for a traditional garden plot, you can plant vegetables and herbs in containers that fit on driveways, balconies, roofs, and even window sills. This activity can be interesting and rewarding for adults and children alike. The following link provides useful information about gardening in containers:  Gardening in Containers



All content created by Carolyn Bush | Copyright © 2010 - 2016 All Rights Reserved
| This Grandmother's Garden | Highland, Utah, USA

2 comments:

  1. So glad to see you back on the blogosphere! I agree that raised beds are the way to go. My veggies have done so much better when in raised beds than in the ground!

    ReplyDelete

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