Quarantine Garden

This spring is probably the best our garden has ever looked–all thanks to being quarantined, of course! If you haven’t already started a garden yourself–not matter how small or humble–now is the time. The Holy Spirit laid the desire upon my heart years ago to live out in the country in a more self-sufficient manner, and I’m so thankful for that nudging.

Starting a vegetable garden from scratch can be intimidating, so I recommend starting small and going with raised beds or even a patio garden, especially if you are a newbie. That way, you don’t have to worry too much about amending your soil because you will be adding the exact soil composition you want either to the pots or to the raised beds. Furthermore, it makes controlling the weeds much easier.

You will want to research the best place on your property to place a garden, such as, for example, an area that will receive the most direct sunlight during the day that also has well-drained soil. You may want to invest some time in designing your garden if the aesthetics are important to you. Fencing, trellises, arbors, ground covers, and the construction materials of garden beds are all elements of garden design that you may want to consider.

Plant only what you know you will enjoy eating. Prior to planting you will need to decide how much you really need of a certain vegetable and how much space it will take up in your garden, as well as what you can plant next to it (companion plants). I like to draw out a little diagram for mine each year.

Next, you will need to research when and how to plant each vegetable’s seeds for your particular climate, and whether it is best to start the seeds directly into the ground or transplant them as established plant starts. We typically always grow our own tomatoes and peppers from seeds indoors from a grow light, and then transplant them outside once it is warm enough to do so. Some vegetables are best planted in rows while others can be scattered to grow in bunches over an area (think lettuce and greens) and others need to be planted in small mounds. Some vegetables that like to climb, such as peas, cucumbers, and beans, will need support structures or trellises. Plants like tomatoes and peppers may need to be staked for support. Once planted, water well and make sure to keep your extra seeds stored in the freezer.

Like many, our garden has evolved over time, and we use a combination of raised beds and in-ground rows, along with pots for herbs and flowers. We also have installed an automatic drip irrigation system which makes remembering to water the garden much, much easier. If you are beginning your garden just now in North Carolina, there are still plenty of vegetables you can put into the ground for harvest this summer, such as squash, beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, okra, melons, and cucumbers. Later, you can start a second round of early spring veggies for harvest in the early fall. I recommend getting a good organic gardening book or guide and visiting the NC State Agricultural Extension Office website here.

One more tip that helps keep me organized is keeping a list of monthly gardening tasks including what to plant, what to harvest and preserve, and tasks such as mulching, weeding, composting, or altering of the soil. You can even keep these tasks attached to cards with planting and cultivation information for each vegetable or seed packets that are associated with that month for your area. The Old Farmer’s Almanac has a handy tool that can send you automatic reminders in your email on what to plant when for your geographic area.

Happy gardening……..it truly is some of the best therapy (physically and mentally) in my opinion one can have. Be sure to check back often for more seasonal gardening updates and tips!