- 1). Start your soil amendment and planning around the last frost in your area, to get a good head start. The timing may range from mid-April in the south of the state to mid-May in the north. The ideal planting time is one to two weeks after the last frost lifts.
- 2). Prepare a site that gets full sunshine for eight hours every day, for ideal plant growth, flowering and fruiting. Mark off a site that gives you 25 square feet of planting space, for a full garden with many plants. Make sure that the site gets good drainage and is an easy walk from your house; gardens that sit too far from the house are inconvenient and encourage neglect. Never plant in low-lying areas where the vegetables will get still or cold air.
- 3). Dig up the top 4 to 6 inches of soil to break up dirt clods. Lay 1 inch of quick-draining soil and 2 to 3 inches of organic compost over the entire site and use a garden fork to mix the amendments into the tilled soil. This foundation gives your plants rich nutrition, quick drainage and good material for moisture retention. This also treats the soil itself and leads to long-term sustainability in the garden. Add starter fertilizer to the top inch of soil to encourage root growth in your seedlings.
- 4). Plant your favorite vegetables in early spring to give them a long summer growing season. Include veggies like corn, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers, peas, beans, pumpkins, okra, eggplant, carrots, radishes, beets, potatoes, onions, garlic, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collards, turnips, cabbage, asparagus and fruits like watermelon and cantaloupe.
- 5). Water the entire garden thoroughly until the top 2 inches of soil are moist. Spread 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch over the garden to maintain that moisture, and to discourage weeds and pests.
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