Garden Project

You can garden just about anywhere--you don't need to live in the country or have a big yard to be a gardener. If you live in a house, you can probably find an area in your yard. Ask an adult helper to sure you can garden there.

If you don't have a place to plant a garden in the ground, use a container that you can set on a porch, deck, balcony, or patio. Or have a row of pots indoors on a sunny windowsill! You can grow things in planter boxes, windowsill boxes, pots, wooden barrels, bushel baskets, tubs, empty milk containers, or just about anything you can think of! Just make sure your container has a few holes in the bottom so extra water can run out.

Project Skill: Planning a garden
Life Skill: Making decisions

You need a pencil and a ruler.

1. Before you choose a place for your garden, take a look around the yard. Ask yourself some questions:

• Will it be in the ground or in pots?
• How much space can I use?
• Will this space have at least six or more hours of sun a day?
• Are there trees, large shrubs, buildings, or privacy fences shadowing part of it?
• Is it somewhat bare of plants and bushes so it's not hard to clear the space?
• Will it be easy to water?
• Will it be just the right size for me to take care of?

2. Make a scale drawing of the space. Drawing to scale is easy. Just reduce the number of feet to an equal number of inches. For example, if your garden is six feet long and four feet wide, draw a rectangle six inches long and four inches wide.

3. Now you have a basic plan! Take a good look at your plan. Remember, it is best to start out small. Even a small garden needs at least an hour of work every week. A garden that takes too much time soon becomes no fun at all! You can always make your garden bigger next year.

4. Now decide what vegetables you want to grow. what are your favorite vegetables? What does your family like? There probably won't be room for every kind, so plant what you and your family will eat. Write on your plan where you'll plant the vegetables.

5. Find out when you should plant your seeds or plants. Some vegetables can be planted earlier than others. Write down the dates for each vegetable in your garden plan.

6. Decide where to purchase seeds or plants. If your garden is small or you're using a container, look for bush-type plants or seeds; they take up less space. Check around for the best price.

7. Plan on preparing your soil before planting. Check it out. Will you need to add organic material? Container gardens need lightweight potting soil; garden soil is too heavy for container plants or seeds. Allow time to get your soil ready for planting.

8. Stand by and wait for the time to plant!

Want More Information and Ideas?
Contact your county Extension office