Uncommon Tips for Your First Nutritional Garden
A Garden is just a garden until its YOUR garden.
Nurturing a garden is a challenge. There is always something to learn, a new pest trying to take a bite of your work, and a new leaf popping up that you have to look skeptically at before snipping. When it comes to starting your first nutritional garden though, keeping it simple is the way to go. This is your season for learning, observing, and enjoying. I have compiled some wisdom I have heard prior to leaping into this endeavor to share with you here.
1.) Select fun seeds native to your area
It is human nature to pick what we are already comfortable with, but I want to challenge you to go for that Purple Cherokee tomato, that broccoli variety who’s name made you laugh, and that strawberry that looks like it will be so small and cute. Why? Genetics and diversity. The more diverse your garden is the better chance each plant has at suriving, and also the native ones have been specifically, grown, selected, grown, selected, and grown again for the best traits to survive in your climate. I have no hate for hybrid seeds, they can certainly be heartier, but native/heirloom is definitely where it’s at for your first time gardening and making magic happen.
2. Stagger when you plant (also when you start your seeds).
If you want an endless supply of fruits and veggies through the season, you need to use a planner like SeedTime or a good ole notebook and pen to jot down start/grow times from the back of your seed packets. If you stagger putting your plants in the ground every week to two weeks, you’ll always have a new one just starting to produce. This method works exceptionally well for plants like Tomatoes which like to produce a ton at once and then keel over. But be careful to not plant a seedling once it is too hot outside! This is where your SeedTime and seed packet information comes in handy.
3. Things may bolt, that’s okay.
Because this is a season to learn, it’s okay if something gets super tall and grows a flower. Use your first year as a gardener to research the signs to look for, if you can save seeds from that flower for next year, and what to do to prevent this from happening next year since now you know what it looks like bolted.
4. Lettuce really does get really big.
Don’t brush off the package instructions on planting distance, trust me. Too many leaves creates shade which can trap moisture, bring mildew and rot. It can also prevent other plants from getting all the sunlight they need to thrive. So go big or go home, give all the plants their special amount of space and keep them from sprawling on top of one another. Oh, and research when the best time to give your lettuce the big chop is- sometimes the leaves may be more bitter as the temperature heats up during the day.
5. Companion plant where you can, chaotic plant the rest.
I am sure you’ve heard of companion planting by now. Spinach and Strawberries, Marigolds and Tomatoes, they’re best friends, you get it. The thing is, nature doesn’t work in neat boxes or rows, everything works together. So, companion plant what you can, and as you run out of space or specific seeds, chaotic plant the rest. A garlic bulb here, a spinach seedling there, some wildflowers by the tomatoes, a tomato by the pepper in that one spot you found. This, believe it or not, will help your garden succeed more than the extra organization you might like to have.
6. Research food safety for harvesting, storing, prepping, and cooking each plant.
I don’t know about you, but my lettuce leaves always have some extra friends on them when I bring them inside, this is why it is important to rinse and wash all of your produce. Some items like carrots you may need to chop the tops off to prevent water transfer which can make your carrot bendy instead of solid. Regardless of what you’re growing this year, make sure to educate yourself on the best methods of harvesting and prepping that item for your next meal.
No matter your garden goals, enjoying that first harvested bite of goodness is worth the toil.