Creating Your Spring Garden Journal
It’s 71 degrees and sunny today in East Tennessee and that can only mean one thing; it’s time to start creating your Spring garden journal! I have all the windows open, the breeze is making music on the wind chimes and the Easter flowers are showing off their pretty yellow blooms all around the yard. The world outside is starting to wake up after a long Winter rest and the growing season is upon us. Truth is that the planning process is just as important, maybe even more so, than the seeds you plant when it comes to the success of any garden. You need a strong game plan.
Setting Yourself Up for Success
Every detail matters when creating a garden plan. What do you want to grow? What is your budget? Where in your yard do you want the garden to be located? How much square footage can you dedicate to growing? Does it get direct sun or is it shaded part of the day? Does it drain well when it rains or is there always a muddy mess there a few days after? Are you wanting to plant in the ground or in a raised garden bed? Can you get the water hose to it or will you have to carry water? Do you have pets or wildlife to deter? What is the last frost date in your area? What growing zone do you live in? How will you fertilize and prevent pests? So many questions!
The very first thing you need to do is buy a garden journal, any pretty notebook will do but be sure it’s dedicated to the garden. You will not remember all of this mid summer…I promise. Write down these questions along with any others you may have and begin to investigate your property. Over the course of a week or so, walk around at different times of the day and draw maps or take notes. See how the sun hits each area, how the ground feels after rain, etc. Pay attention to how you feel in each part of your yard; if you have a small area this won’t matter as much but remember you will be spending a substantial amount of time here.. you may not want a garden 300 yards away from the house to walk and carry things to and fro. Is there a nosy neighbor you want to avoid? A dog that will bark the whole time it can see you in the garden? All valid questions to ask yourself!
Choosing What You Want to Grow
Next, decide what you want to grow; veggies, berry bushes, flowers or herbs? All of the above? Create a page in your journal for each individual item and begin to research what is needed to successfully grow it. See what its sun, water and temperature requirements are. Does it do well planted near or farther away from certain things? Is it prone to pests? Do you need to start the seed indoors right now or can you plant directly into your soil outside? How long does it take to germinate and produce? Is it a prolific grower that you need to contain in a pot so it doesn’t take over? How large does the plant get and how much room will it need at maturity? How much will you be able to harvest from each plant? Note: One squash plant will feed a family of 24 all summer….or pretty close to it!
So. Many. Questions. But I promise, they are all important to a successful garden!
Creating Your Game Plan
At this point your journal is full of all the information you need to bring your garden to life! This is the fun part for me, drawing the maps. You want to draw this as close to scale as possible, don’t try to plant 10 things that need 1 sq foot each in your 3ft x 3ft flower bed. Your plants will not thrive if they are overcrowded. Remember that a good garden will look empty for awhile but by mid summer it will flourish into a beautiful green jungle and you will be glad for the extra space you’re allowing now.
Create a page for each area you want to grow in. Draw a rough shape of the garden area including its measurements. Then using all of the information you have collected so far, begin to assign your desired plants to a location where they will thrive. Now is when you should begin making your shopping list as well; jot down how many of each plant or seed packets you need to fill your space, tools needed, containers, soil, etc. Again, you don’t want to buy 6 tomato plants if you only have room for 3. This sounds daunting but once you have all the details in front of you, I promise it comes together pretty quickly.
As your garden grows throughout the year, keep notes of what is doing well, what plants have died or struggled and any changes you want to make in the future. I also like to make notes of things God shows me while i’m working in the garden, it really becomes a place of worship when you participate in nature the way He intended!
You did it!! You now have a beautiful garden journal full of all the info you need to grow something truly amazing year after year. Now, go get your hands dirty.
Genesis 2:15 (NIV)
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
What are you growing this year? Let me know below!
