3 Things Need to Know Before You Start Your Garden!

Seventy degrees today…

Blizzard tomorrow.

And such is spring in Wyoming, so I can’t really complain. (OK, fine. I might complain a little bit.)

Thankfully, the kids and I were able to spend some time outside re-filling the raised beds with fresh soil this week, so I suppose that will appease me (a little) as I’m huddled by the fire again with my hot cocoa.

After gardening for at least a decade and making EVERY mistake in the book (literally), I was thinking this past week about the things that every newbie gardener needs to know in order to avoid some of the biggest disasters, and I decided to compile them into this video. Enjoy!

3 Things Every Beginner Gardener NEEDS to Know

1.Know Your Zone & Frost Dates!

Click here to see the USDA Plant Hardiness Map. It’ll help you know what to plant when, and save you a lot of heartache!

2. Test Your Soil

Here’s the post where I talk about how we went about testing our soil and the interesting results we got.  And here are some tips for improving & amending your soil.

3. Direct Sow? Or Not?

Some seeds do best when stuck directly in the soil after the last frost date (think beans, squash, corn, peas) while other almost always require starting the seeds indoors first (tomatoes, peppers, brassicas).

When it makes sense, I love starting seeds indoors as it saves me a ton of cash. Here are all the posts I’ve created on starting seeds:

• Our DIY Indoor Seed Starting Set-Up
• The Ultimate Seed Starting Guide
• Where to Buy Heirloom Seeds
• How to Test Seeds for Viability
• How Much to Plant for Your Family

BONUS TIP: Plant What You LIKE to Eat!

It may seem obvious, but it’s easy to be tempted by the more “exotic” seeds or seedlings in the spring and end up with a bunch of vegetables your family really isn’t that excited about eating. (Been there, done that.) For your first year or two, stick with the basics and grow things you and your family will happily chow down. For tons of recipes and tips for turning your homegrown food into delicious meals, grab a copy of The Prairie Homestead Cookbook! 

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