Getting Started

   So you've done all of your prep work and your'e ready to begin.  You've decided what you want to grow, what works in your garden, and what will grow in your climate. Now what?   This section deals with how to prepare your soil, what tools you'll need, and how to plant your seeds/transplants.

   If this is your first garden, you'll need to decide where in your yard you want to put it.  Place the garden in full sun, away from trees and shrubs.  Plants grown for their fruit need at least 6-8 hours of sunlight a day.  Root crops and leaf crops can tolerate and often do better with partial shade.  If the sun is too hot, you may even have to cover leaf crops such as spinach and lettuce.

Two things to consider when getting ready to plant, especially if you have limited space, are "succession" planting, and "companion" planting.  Succession planting is planting a cool-season crop such as radish, lettuce, or spinach, then when they are finished, planting a warm-season crop such as squash or chard in its place.  Companion planting is similar. Take a "short term" cool-season crop such as lettuce or radish, and plant them in between rows of "longer term" warm-season crops such as tomatoes or peppers.  The earlier short term crops will be gone by the time the longer term crops will need the space.

This well-designed book offers a series of detailed plans for a variety of kitchen garden types, including an "exuberant" potager, a salad and herb garden, a formal fruit garden, a vegetable patchwork, a cottage garden, and more. Alphabetically arranged sections on planting and cultivating a wide variety of vegetables and fruits are also included, along with chapters on propagation, crop rotation, and other practical topics. Color photographs and clear drawings appear throughout.

Heirloom Vegetable Gardening
A Master Gardener's Guide to Planting, Seed Saving, and Cultural History
by William Woys Weaver
Retail Price: $45.00
bn Price: $31.50
You Save: $13.50 (30%) More Info