I’m kind of gonna break the cardinal rule of blogging and marketing.
You see, one of the rules we learn in marketing is to make lists.
You know what I am talking about; Eight ways to make your child mind, 10 reasons your house is a mess, etc.
Lists catch people’s attention.
List sell (although I am not trying to sell you anything right now).
But I am going to give you ONE big mistake gardeners make and why they feel they may not be successful.
I know this mistake, because I have done it myself.
That one mistake? Lack of planning.
Believe it or not, it really is that time of year; time to start thinking about what you will be planting this year.
I know that it is only January, but spring will be here before you know it.
I actually plant at the end of February (zone 9a), so I start planning in December and start seeds in January. But if there is snow covering the ground and temperatures are in the single digits where you are, you can still plan what you want.
I know that planning your garden space can feel daunting, especially if you don’t know where to start.
But really, it doesn’t need to be complicated.
Sure, there are tons of planning tools on the internet, put it can be as simple as grabbing a pencil and paper and drawing out your space and what you will plant.
If you are just a beginner, and you have the space for a raised bed, then that is probably the best place to begin.
If you live in an apartment, condo, townhouse, consider container planting.
You can’t just go planting flowers and vegetables willy nilly, as fun as that maybe. There are a few things to consider:
Start small. Believe me; planting a HUGE area can get so overwhelming and discouraging. Starting small will help you get familiar with your climate and plants.
What veggies do you like? What will your family eat? There is no point in spending money on seeds and plants if no one eats them.
Plant veggies that are easy to grow and productive. This will help you not get discouraged. Some easy ones to start with could be zucchini squash, peppers, green beans, lettuce, chard, spinach, kale, radishes, and as a bonus Marigolds and zinnias— flowers that discourage pests, attracts pollinators, and adds some color!
Pick a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight. For raised beds, have your rows face north to south.
Map out where the seeds will be planted. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. It can be a rough sketch with pencil and paper.
Know your climate. There are some plants that tolerate heat well others do not. Some need to be planted in the spring others in the fall. Some areas you can plant year round. For those that are just beginning the garden journey, start with a spring planting. Check a farmer’s almanac for when the best time to plant for your area.
Buy high quality seeds. There is nothing worse than buying a pack of seeds and nothing germinates. I have found that seed packets from Walmart or Lowes may just be a gamble. Ordering directly from the seed company is the best way to go. These include Sow True Seed, Johnny Seeds, Baker’s Creek….there are so many others. These companies will oftentimes send you more seeds if nothing germinates.
With just a little prep time, you can be well on your way to a successful growing season!
Want to come out and help plant the spring gardens (2023). Join the waiting list HERE so that you can be sure and be the first to be notified when registration opens up.
Got questions about starting? Or, maybe you would like to take a look at how we do things at Chosen Weeds Farm. Contact us for a tour or attend one of our Open Farm Days starting in Feburary.
