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Where should I locate my garden?

Planning Garden

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  • Choose a sunny location, one that gets sunshine from at least mid-morning throughout the afternoon.
  • Choose a level area. If you choose an area that is reasonably level, there will be less work. An area with a gentle southern slope is ideal.
  • Plant on the contour if using steeper slopes. Just level plots the size of the soil-beds.
  • Avoid north slopes (slopes facing north), because they have more shadows, diffuse the sun's rays, and are often too cold.
  • Stay away from low spots where drainage is poor. Plants die for lack of oxygen where standing water accumulates.
  • Avoid large trees and tall hedges, unless they are north of the grow-bed area. Crops growing in shade or shadows do poorly.
  • Make sure water is available close by.
  • Avoid open areas where strong winds blow, or else construct windbreaks. Winds can quickly destroy the fragile, but very important plant leaves, affecting the result of the crop.
  • Protect the area from animals or unwanted visitors. If necessary, construct a chain-link fence 6' to 8' tall.

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FREE GREENHOUSE PLANS!

Download free greenhouse plans to build your own inexpensive greenhouse!

Simply join the free gardening group and under comments say "send free greenhouse plans."

Free Sustainable Gardening Ezine

Sign-up to receive a free gardening Ezine, where you will get helpful gardening tips and insights to help you face your toughest gardening challenges.

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Free Garden Journal

Here is a Free Garden Journal that you can use all year long in your garden. Download now! (PDF, 447 KB)

What's New

Complete Mittleider Gardening Books now available on one cd-rom. Read more.

Tip of the Day

It's Spring Planting Time! For those of you in the Northern hemisphere who have winters, March and early April are the time you need to be preparing your soil and planting the hardy vegetable crops such as radishes, peas, cabbage and broccoli.

The freeze/thaw cycles of winter have broken up and loosened most soils, so as soon as it's not muddy, go in and give everything a good weeding with the 2-way hoe (see Tools). Weeding thoroughly this early gives you the upper hand, and is very important.

If you grew a Mittleider garden last year, your beds will be easy to re-make. Just apply Pre-Plant and Weekly Feed to the bed area, then till them in, place strings on your stakes, and re-make the beds.

Be sure to re-check the level of each bed accurately, since they may have changed a little. Do not be satisfied with anything more than 1" fall in a 30'-long soil-bed. Good Gardening!

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