Welcome to our Edible Garden Series. We know the great benefits of growing your own fruits and vegetables and want to help you along the way by sharing a few ideas and tips. There’s no better time to begin our Edible Garden Series than this Spring season. So get your tools ready, gear up for some fun in the yard, and get ready to finally start your own Edible Garden.

It’s the season of new beginnings and time to start your Edible Garden. There are a few things to keep in mind when starting your produce garden.

Place
There a few factors to help you determine the best place for your product. There need to be plenty of sunlight, 6-8 hours for most fruits and vegetables. However, there are some exceptions, such as arugula, beets, lettuce, kale, mint, and parsley. These types of produce can have partial shade with 4-5 hours of direct sunlight. Also, there should be a gentle breeze to help keep foliage dry and reduce diseases. Soil must be well-drained and enriched with compost or other organic matter. It should be easily accessible to water. And you should try to choose level ground.

Deciding What To Plant
When trying to decide what to plant, out of the many different types of produce, think about what you or your family like and eat most. This will help you save on space, especially if you have a limited space to plant. Also, keep the growing season in mind. Refer to the map below for the growing season in your region.

Plan
It’s helpful to create a garden plan before beginning. Use graph paper. Make 1 square = 1 square foot of land. You need to have room between produce and room for a path.

Prep Your Soil
To prepare your soil, there are a few basic steps to follow.
1. Use a sharp spade to cut the grass into section, put it underneath and sever the roots. Then lift each section out by hand.
2. Dampen the soil. Use a spading fork to dip about 10 inches of soil and break up clods of earth. Remove any debris or rocks.
3. Spread out 3-4 inches of organic material and fertilizer. Your fertilizer should be enriched with phosphorous and potassium. There are important nutrients for your soil and produce.
4. Use the spading fork to incorporate everything evenly. Then, with a rake, level it all out and break up any remaining clods of earth. Water the soil then let it settle before planting. Do not seed until the soil in warm in the Spring weather.

Do you plan on starting your own Edible Garden this Spring? Share pictures, videos or stories with us on Facebook and Twitter!

Photo Credit: Clare Bloomfield / FreeDigitalPhotos.net