How do you plant a garden?

In order to plant a garden that you will be happy with for years to come, you must first spend some time planning for it. Will your garden be for growing food, or will it be for growing flowers? How much space do you have for the garden? How much time do you want to devote to working in your garden? How much money do you have to spend on gardening equipment, supplies, etc.? A person should not enter into gardening uninformed or unprepared.

You should read about gardening before jumping into it. There are lots of magazines and books to be found on the subject. I would talk to a person who has been keeping a garden for more than one year. That person can tell you (more than any book) about the amount of work and money they have put into it.

My father kept a garden in his backyard for about 42 years. It was primarily for food, such as potatoes, beans, and tomatoes. But there were also flowers in various areas. The marigolds had the purpose of keeping certain insects away from the food plants. I think there were other flowers or herbal plants that had those kinds of purposes.

I have read enough about gardens to know that there are plants that exist in harmony, to provide benefits to each other, and there are plants that do not like to be near each other, or even in the same garden! Some have symbiotic relationships, while others kill, or draw insects that kill. There are some insects that are beneficial, and you would need to learn to recognize them.

The U.S. government brochures that are given away free of charge can be very helpful to you in planning your garden. I believe you can find their mailing address on the Internet, at Pueblo, CO. I have gotten many useful brochures from them. Another good, free, and local source is your County Extension agent with the USDA. They have always been available to help local gardeners, offering things like taking soil samples for you, so that you are able to get the soil pH balanced and ready for planting.

Good luck, and happy gardening!

First answer by Cathysw. Last edit by Cathysw. Contributor trust: 133 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 25 [recommend question]