Plan and Plant a Vegetable Garden

You’ve thought about starting a vegetable garden. Perhaps this is the perfect year to jump in and plant one. Here are a few considerations for beginners and those with only a few years’ experience.

First, if you have never done a soil test on your garden plot, do one this year. Many people guess the type of fertilizers their vegetables need, but you could do a little more fine-tuning using the recommendations of a soil test. The exercise will be educational and insightful for you. You’ll learn the pH of your soil (acidity or alkalinity) and what your primary nutrient levels are. Most garden plants like a pH range of about 6.0 to 7.0, or slightly acidic. 7.0 is neutral. Access a listing of certified soil testing labs.

Second, you need to decide what to grow. If you are planning a vegetable garden, this starts with the vegetables you and your family like to eat. Then, you may consider things such as the size of the garden plot and how much time you and your family members are willing to commit to this project. You may want to start small, experience success, then work up. Enthusiasm can wane if you are trying to manage a large plot and weeds get out of control or insects invade. If you like sweet corn, do you really have the space to grow it?

Prepare a garden layout on paper. Taller vegetable plants, or those utilizing trellises, cages, and other vertical support structures, should be positioned toward the north of the garden to avoid shading of other vegetables. Perennial plants, such as asparagus, should be placed in an area best suited to growing that crop year after year. Additionally, group cool-season crops together, and consider subsequent plantings of warmer-season crops. Some early-harvested warm-season crops can be followed by a late summer planting of cool-season crops for fall harvest. Also consider staggered planting dates to spread out harvest. Consult Purdue Extension publications for suggested planting dates and plant spacings.

Your garden location should be in full sun or nearly full sun, well-drained, with a water source nearby. Watering is essential when rainfall is inadequate. Avoid locations near walnut trees, as walnuts produce a substance called “juglone” that causes many garden plants to wilt and die.

If establishing a brand-new plot, one non-chemical way to kill weeds is to tarp the area with black or opaque tarp for 3-4 weeks. Alternatively, a herbicide containing only glyphosate can be used, then wait about a week to ten days, and till the area. If glyphosate is the only active ingredient, there should be no issues with herbicide carry-over affecting garden vegetables.

Tillage will also kill weeds. Make sure your soil is dry enough to till. For planting, work the soil into a granular soil structure. If you work the soil too wet, it will tend to slab over, compact, and provide an environment that is unfriendly to roots.

Some may prefer low or no-till gardening methods that generally involve cover crops and mulches. Over time, these methods can lead to better soil health.

Some cool-season crops may already be in the ground, as they can tolerate frost events. Vegetables like lettuce, radishes, green onions, spinach, turnips, and peas can be planted early, from late March to early April, depending on the vegetable.

If you plan to plant frost-tender plants, wait until the danger of the last frost is past. This is usually around Mother’s Day, but can be earlier or later depending on the year. According to recent weather data from the Indiana State Climate Office, 1981-2010, the average date of the last 32-degree frost in spring for Whitley County, Indiana, is April 25-30. Only 1 in 10 years does a 32-degree frost occur after May 10-15 in Whitley County (this is the general reference to Mother’s Day being a “safe” frost-free day). Dates are also available for hard frosts (28 degrees) and light frosts (36 degrees) at the Indiana State Climate Office website.

During the growing season, we begin to deal with weeds, insect pests, and plant diseases. This is the time when many tend to lose enthusiasm for gardening. If this is you, try not to lose heart. Instead, turn the experience into a learning exercise. Identify the weeds that took over. What insects attacked your plants? Could I have spaced my plants out to allow more air movement and discourage diseases? What steps can I take to minimize these pressures next year?

Lastly, Purdue Extension has resources to help you. Search for publications on the types of plants you plan to raise at Purdue Extension’s Education Store. A good, general vegetable production guide is HO-32-W, Home Gardener’s Guide.