{"id":32673,"date":"2021-04-02T10:00:05","date_gmt":"2021-04-02T15:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/b48db82f22.nxcli.net\/?p=32673"},"modified":"2022-04-06T14:04:39","modified_gmt":"2022-04-06T19:04:39","slug":"start-vegetable-garden-from-scratch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/start-vegetable-garden-from-scratch\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Start a Vegetable Garden from Scratch"},"content":{"rendered":"

Learning how to start a vegetable garden<\/a> can be one of the best investments for your health you\u2019ll ever make, a source of fun for the family, a way to save money, and an enjoyable hobby of its own. But, if you\u2019re on the hunt for info about how to start a garden from scratch, it\u2019s easy to get lost in the wealth of information online. Our garden start-up guide prunes it down to the essential steps for beginners!<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. Choose a Sunny Location<\/h2>\n

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How to start a garden – step one! The most important ingredient for your garden is sunshine. To have the biggest crops, choose a location that gets 6-8 hours of sun each day. If you\u2019re stuck with part-shade, many cool-season crops\u2014like carrots, beets, spinach, broccoli, and others\u2014won\u2019t mind 4-6 hours of light. Besides the sun, your ideal spot should have easy access to irrigation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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2. Create Garden Beds<\/h2>\n

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If you\u2019re starting a garden from scratch, it usually means converting a piece of your lawn into a new garden or building raised beds<\/a>. If you’re not sure how to start either kind of garden, or what the benefits are, we’ve outlined a few for you below. The choice, in the end though, is all yours!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Raised Beds<\/h3>\n


\nBeginner gardeners have to ask themselves whether they want raised beds or a garden right in the ground. Raised beds boast being more ergonomic, offer better protection against rodents and weeds, and have a tidier look. You can purchase them pre-made, or if you’re in the mood for a project, do a quick search online to find DIY planter box plans!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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In-Ground Garden Beds<\/h3>\n


\nIn-ground gardening has a long tradition of simplicity, better water retention, more square footage, and a cheaper start-up cost. Many people dig up sod with a spade to create a garden bed. It\u2019s a reliable way to remove grass, but this method requires hard work. The easiest way is to smother grass with a few layers of newspaper and a 2 inch layer of mulch. The bed will be ready for planting in about 3 weeks and the best part is that your garden will already be mulched!<\/span><\/p>\n

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3. Prepare Your Soil<\/h2>\n

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If you just filled in your raised beds with rich, black soil, you\u2019re set to go. But if you start to dig up your lawn and find it has excessively sandy or clay soil, there are a few different ways that you can amend it. The most important is to add in about three to four inches of organic matter like a rich compost.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once you have acquired your compost and spread it across your new garden, till it into the soil with a garden fork or rototiller. Once your plants are in, adding a layer of mulch around them will also help cool your soil, retain moisture, and suppress weeds.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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4. Choose Your Crops<\/h2>\n

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With the hard work over, now it\u2019s time for one of the best parts of learning how to start a garden for the first time: choosing your crops. Let each family member choose their favorite vegetables. The seed package tells you how many growing days are required for each one. Keep in mind that our frost-free season extends from May 15th to October 15th.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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5. Sow Your Seeds<\/h2>\n

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Once you\u2019ve tilled the soil with a garden fork and smoothed the surface with a rake, you\u2019re ready for the good part\u2014sowing seeds. As a beginner starting from scratch, you may be wondering how deep to start them, how far apart, and in what arrangement in the garden. The seed package tells you the proper depth and spacing. Here are a few arrangement tips:<\/span><\/p>\n