Mar 13 2009
Garden the Right Plot
Mail order seed companies are reporting a forty percent increase in seed and
plant sales this spring. Community garden plots across the country have “No
Vacancy” signs out before the season even starts. Seasoned gardeners are eager
to return to their well used garden plots. Determined growers are dropping in
seeds at unprecedented numbers, not only because of the dim economic outlook but
the eagerness to control our own food supply.
Let’s get off on the right foot. Some serious mistakes can be made before we
ever drop the tiller tines in the cool earth. Choosing a suitable spot to grow
involves planning. To begin, full sun is best for the most productive vegetable
plot. Competition from nearby tree roots that hog all the nutrients and water
will seriously affect the productivity of food crops. Soil must breath, so if
water doesn’t soak in or drain away soon plants die for lack of oxygen.
Most of us can’t choose soil type. The best is a sandy, loam; light, crumbly and
rich with organic matter. If you are faced with clay or sandy soil, over time
almost any soil can be improved by working in leaves, manure, old hay or
homemade or purchased compost. I cannot begin to “cook” all the compost I need
so I purchase composted cotton burrs each fall to till into the soil.
The depth of soil is also a factor in selecting a garden spot. If you can only
dig five or six inches and hit beddrock, better move someplace else. Shallow
soil drys out quickly and heats up to punishing temperatures by mid-summer.
Once you have chosen your gardening spot, decide how much land you need. My
veggie garden measures 50 by 50 feet or 2,500 square feet. It sounds like a lot
but a long row of blackberries and asparagus and strawberries take up over half
of the area. If this is your first garden, start small. Remember, a smaller,
well maintained garden will feed you better than a large, weedy mess that is out
of hand by early summer.
