Plan your garden today to ensure summer success. Decide what you’d like to grow. How much space can you devote to the project? How much time are you willing to spend? Answering these questions will help you to determine your priorities.

Assess your exposure. If you are planting vegetables, keep in mind that most need at least eight hours of full sun every day. Study what sort of light your yard gets during the day, particularly noting the sunny and shady areas. 


Know your dirt. Most soil—even sand—can be enriched with compost and be fine for planting. But you need to determine how much organic material and mulch you’ll have to add to make it fertile. A local gardening center can help.

Designate your planting areas. You need a plan before you plant. A four-by-four-foot plot of land is a good start for vegetables. For those with small spaces (or small ambitions), a container garden is an excellent choice. Containers can also supplement a traditional garden, providing a handy pot of herbs just outside the kitchen door, an experimental area for kids to grow their own produce, and allowing tender plants to be moved according to the season.

Consider a fence. Fences are especially important if you are planting vegetables (although some flowering plants may be enticing to critters, too). Build it before you plant the garden, so rabbits or raccoons never get a glimpse (or a taste) of that lettuce. 


Decide between tilling and creating a raised bed. If you don’t want to till and nourish the soil you’ve got—or if you have a bad back and would rather not be bending down so low to garden—you can build a raised planting bed with non-pressure-treated wood. Go to thegardenhelper.com to find out how.


Tip#2: Start small


When planning your garden, it’s better to start too small than to start too large. Please read that sentence again. In order to enjoy your garden, you must be able to control it. Don’t get too ambitious.

Tip#3: Choose productive plants


Some plants are more productive than others. In the U.S., one excellent resource is your state’s extension office.

Contact your local cooperative extension service. You’ll need help determining what plants will grow in your part of the country (hint: Lemon trees don’t grow in Maine), when frosts are likely to hit, and the ideal time to plant and harvest. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a network of cooperative extension services dedicated to providing that information. Go to usda.gov to find the one closest to you. 


Write down your preferences. For a vegetable garden, think about what you like to eat and what you generally buy (or can’t buy) at a local farmers’ market.

Make a seasonal plan. Once you determine what will grow, what you like, and what time of year certain plants will flourish, you need to create a schedule. If your flowering plants all bloom in July and then die off, have some evergreen plants to keep the area looking lush. If your tomato plants take months to get big, plant smaller vegetables nearby that can make quick use of the space. Again, a local gardening center can help you plan. 


Tip #4: Share with others


When you buy a packet of seeds, you generally receive more than you need. It’s fun (and frugal) to split the costs with others. Share equipment with the neighbors. Careful borrowing and lending helps keep everybody’s costs down.

Tip #5: Buy quality tools


When you buy tools, it pays to purchase quality. Remember: thrift and frugality are about obtaining value for your dollar — not just paying the cheapest price. Have these essentials on hand before you begin: spade; garden fork; soaking hose; hoe; hand weeder; and a basket for moving around mulch or soil.

Tip #6: Read up on the subject


Your public library will have many books on the subject, some tailored to your location. There are also many excellent web sites that can help you get started. Here are some useful resources:

Websites

Journey to Forever: Building a square-foot garden

Gardening 101: Plan today for summer success

An introduction to square-foot gardening

Gardening in small spaces

Suppliers

Gardens Alive!, Territorial Seed Company