Garden Planning with the Co-Op

The Co-Op has all your garden needs covered, so dream big this year!

It’s never too early to start thinking about your garden plans this year. Despite what the weather indicates, spring is on the way. What better way to beat the winter blues than by making plans for all the greenery you’ll be enjoying later on? Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, planning ahead sets you up for success.

Mapping it out

A practice many people find helpful is mapping out their garden area with a list of specific vegetables and flowers you’d like to grow later on. Whether you’d like to build a raised bed this year or try tilling a portion of your yard to plant vegetables in the ground, write it all down and visualize the potential.

Are you the type who dreams of a garden in orderly rows, every section devoted to a different crop? Or is your dream garden clusters of flowers, herbs, and vegetables flourishing together? Having an idea of what your dream garden looks like is useful for figuring out all the supplies you’ll need, what your budget might be, and when to get started on building any new structures, amending soil, etcetera. Don’t be afraid to dream big at this stage. Even if you don’t end up using all your ideas this year, it’s a good way to learn more about the types of plants you’d like to cultivate and what their needs are. Come up with a list of all the flowers you love, and all the vegetables you like to eat. Then you can read about their needs, what kind of environment they do best in, and go from there.

Once you have an idea of what kinds of plants you’ll be growing, look at your space and try to imagine where you’ll put everything. Of course, not every plant will be happy in every spot. You’ll have to know the qualities of your garden-to-be.

Sunlight, soil, and water

Part of the planning process should be to determine what the conditions are like in your garden. No matter what size or shape of your garden, there are three essentials: soil, sun, and water.

The Co-Op does one free soil pH test per year for customers looking to amend the acidity of their soil. We can give recommendations depending on the results. Here’s how to take a proper soil sample. Dig 2-3 inches below the surface of the area you’ll be planting in. Using a clean trowel, scoop soil from the bottom of the hole. Transfer it directly to a plastic baggie or clean jar and be sure not to touch the sample with your hands.

If you’re sampling a larger area, take multiple samples from at least 6 different locations a few feet apart from one another. Mix them together in a clean bucket and take a trowelful from that bucket. Use that as your final sample.

Soil testing allows you to amend certain aspects of your soil composition, but there are some aspects that you can’t change about your space. Observe which areas of your yard get the most sunlight. Shadows cast by large trees can obscure light at certain times of day. Be aware that the plants you’d like to grow may have differing light levels. Plant flowers and vegetables with similar light requirements together so they can flourish.

Plants can have different water needs as well. Some need to be consistently moist, while others like to dry out a little bit between waterings. Be aware when planting two in the same space that they have the same needs. It's especially important to monitor moisture levels in your garden when growing from seed or when transplanting seedlings into the ground. Too much water can inundate roots and lead to disease and decay.

Of course, raised beds, planters, and garden beds all provide different environments for growing. Clay pots, for instance, retain soil temperature, but moisture evaporates quicker from them. Garden soil is typically much heavier than potting soil. All these things are worth considering as you plan your garden space.

Making the most of your space

If you’re lucky enough to have a large backyard to spread out in, you can choose the most ideal spots for your gardening. But what if you have a shared backyard with neighbors, a small yard, or just a paved spot or balcony to work with? Gardening in a limited space requires a little more creativity and attention, but results can be just as rewarding if you’re mindful of the plants you grow. Many delicious vegetables and herbs grow great in containers. Plants that grow on a vine are especially suited for small-space gardening, since you just need space for a tall, narrow trellis. Peas, beans, cucumbers, and tomatoes are great climbers. Grab some trellises or hardwood stakes from the Co-Op and get creative.

The benefit of a raised bed or container is its accessibility, and the ability to control exactly what’s in the soil. Some apartment yards or properties in cities have chemical residues in their soil that can affect the plants grown there. With a raised bed or container garden, you can have quality soil anywhere, even on a patch of asphalt.

If your space only gets a few hours of sunshine a day, or is very shady, you still have options. Many woody herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and sage like partial sun. Lots of wildflowers native to the area do well in partially shady areas. It’s worth looking into which plants grow in the environment you have, instead of trying to change your environment for the plants you want.

Co-planting for success

Maybe you've heard about “pizza gardens” or you were recommended by a neighbor to plant your eggplants with potatoes. These types of gardens pair plants that grow successfully together, like tomatoes and basil, or squash, beans and corn. This is called companion planting, or co-planting

This type of agriculture has been practiced for millennia, ever since people discovered planting certain crops among others improves the yield.

The “Three Sisters” method of co-planting is a longstanding tradition in North America practiced by many Native American tribes. Corn is planted in mounds with runner beans, and squash is planted between the mounds. In this system, each plant benefits the other: corn provides structure for the bean plants, the beans amend the soil with their roots, and the squash leaves shade the soil and deter insects. Even if you don’t plant these vegetables in your garden, the same principle can be applied to many other plants.

Certain plants (like beans) sequester nitrogen into the soil through their root systems, thereby improving the soil chemistry for other plants growing in that area. This is not the only way co-planting can benefit the garden, however. Some plants, like marigolds or nasturtiums, are natural insect repellents and can be planted in your garden to deter pests. Basil and tomatoes grow well together and make a delicious pairing at your table, too.

While some plants attract and benefit one another, there’s the flip side of the matter where certain plants will compete for resources in the soil and neither will grow well. Others release chemicals into the soil that affect the growth of other plants. Whatever plants you decide on, be sure they get along with their neighbors.

If you’re the sort of person who’d like their garden in orderly rows, succession planting is when you alternate types of plants grown in the same soil per season. This extends your growing season, yield, and is beneficial to the soil. If you have a lot of space and are growing quick-maturing vegetables, timing your seed-sowing to coincide with the previous harvest is a great way to ensure you always have fresh garden veggies.

Going Organic

This really should be a post all on its own, but for now, here’s the basics on organic gardening and what it means for you and your food.

Sourcing organic seeds from organic seed catalogs ensures that your seeds are non-GMO and grown without the use of chemical pesticides. Many seed companies grow their seeds on-site and may carry unique heirloom varieties of vegetables you love. If organic gardening is something you value from the entire process of growing from seeds, organic seeds are worth investing in. The Co-Op sells seeds from Botanical Interests and Charles Hart Seed Company. Both companies put an emphasis on organic gardening practices and heirloom seed varieties.

Many home gardeners enjoy the process of vegetable gardening since it allows them to control every aspect of their food and what goes in it. For this reason, consider organic fertilizers and pesticides. Using chemical fertilizers on your vegetables can give you great results in terms of yield, but anything you feed the plant, you’re also feeding yourself.

Same goes for pesticides. Chemical pesticides are widely used for their efficacy, but the drawback is the residue of these chemicals persisting on the vegetables even after washing. Starting with organic compost and soil, as well as adding organic sources of nutrients from organic brands like Espoma and Dr. Earth for your vegetables, can give you produce with none of the chemicals you might find in supermarket veggies.

Organic gardening, especially when it comes to fertilizing and pest control, takes a little more effort and care due to the nature of the materials. Depending on the products you choose, it can also be a little more expensive. You might find yourself with a smaller overall yield (though no less delicious) or having to apply treatments at precise times. If you have the time and energy to devote to organic gardening and want greater control over your homegrown food, it’s well worth a try.

Remember, you can always consult the Co-Op for any situation involving your garden. Our team is full of people who are experienced and passionate about gardening, and we’re here to help you with anything you need.

Mapping it out

Sunlight, soil, and water

Making the most of your space

Co-planting for success

Going Organic

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