Everything Plants Series: IX. The Basics of Gardening

There are several important things you need to consider for gardening. These include: space, soil, sunlight, water, and temperature. Every plant has different requirements within these five catagories. Some plants like shade, while others need at least 8 hours of sunlight.

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SUNLIGHT
Tips on sunlight exposure:
- In the Northern Hemesphere, the sun comes from the South. If you don't know already, figure out which side of your house or garden faces the south.
- East is the next best direction for optimal sunlight.
- If you want a large garden, it's best to plant in north-south facing rows with the same plants all in one row. That way you don't have to worry about taller plants blocking sun from shorter ones, and it's easier to switch the plants around to preserve your soil's health each year.

Most of your generic vegetables and herbs will prefer heavy sunlight (as much as possible; don't worry right away about TOO much sun). However, there are some exceptions. Take a look at this chart for further info.

- Shade Tolerant Vegetables -

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SPACE
Space is really important to gardeners and gardens alike. With careful planning, you can transform a seemingly small space into an abundant garden. But some plants need more space than others, sometimes up to four or five times as much. You don't want to make that kind of mistake if you can help it.

Usually seed-packets will have the measurements that the plant requires to grow. Don't overlook these. If you can, figure out how tall the plant will grow as well, as this can be an important factor in the sunlight of plants behind it.

You can fit 16 carrots into 1 square foot, but only 4 lettuce plants. Even more -- tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, chard, and kale require 1 square foot for 1 single plant.

A tomato plant grows much taller than a lettuce plant. Beans taller than spinach, dill taller than chamomile. Just keep these things in mind when planting.

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SOIL
Soil. Seems self-explanatory, doesn't it? In reality, soil is probably the most complex part of gardening. It can mean the difference between success and failure. But soil is difficult to change because there is an awful lot of it. There are different types of soil. Different soil pHs. Drainage qualities, fungi, worms, and nitrogen levels too.

There isn't really one rule for the best type of soil. Like every other factor, it really depends on the specific plants and the location. Try to choose your plants for the soil you already have instead of the other way around. You will have more success all-around.

There are some beneficial things you can do for all garden soils, though. One of these things is being aware of your soil's characteristics, so you know how to better care for the plants growing in it. For example, if your soil has very good drainage, you might have to water more.

You can add things to improve any soil. These include; compost, worms, and fungi. Picture the perfect black, loamy soil that feels like soft floam beneath your fingertips. The dirty (literally) secret of the perfect gardening soil is most likely compost.

Compost? What's that?
Well. Compost isn't exactly the same thing as poop, but it comes close. Compost is defined as: 1.Decayed organic material used as a plant fertilizer. That "organic material" can be animal or plant-derived.

Composting is really one of the simplest and easiest parts about gardening. You put your leftover organic scraps into a bin to turn into compost. Then, after they decompose into a thick dark dirt, you mix them into your garden soil. That's it. It doesn't take as long as you'd think it would, either. The ultimate recycling, really! It's crazy to stuff "trash" into black plastic bags and leave them for other people to pick up, and then BUYING compost at the store in the spring! Just make your own; it's easy.

These compostable scraps can include: unwanted vegetable and fruit produce, coffee beans, straw, dead grasses, VEGETARIAN animal feces (no dog or cat litter), leaves, bark, clover, grass clippings, hay, and much more.

Avoid using plants that have gone to seed -- that means weeds -- as they can grow anew in the compost. My friend once composted a rotten jack-o-lantern and it grew into a new pumpkin plant over the winter! Also avoid: diseased plants, colored paper, chemicals, pet poo, coal ashes, cooking oils, bread products, meat, milk, rice, and sawdust (unless you know the wood was untreated).

Worms and fungi also equal healthy soil.

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WATER
Water is probably the simplest part of gardening. But a lot of the time you'll forget to water, or water too much. As with the previous factors, different plants need different amounts of water. Do your research to be better prepared for any troubleshooting.

The best solution to watering is observing the plant itself and the soil around it. Generally, the soil should feel only slightly moist. Not wet or dry. Adjust your watering habits accordingly. You may not have to water at all. Or, in dry seasons, you may have to water twice a day.

The best times to water are early in the day and at night.

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TEMPERATURE
Temperature goes directly hand-in-hand with the seasons. Planting season is spring for most plants, usually after the last danger of frost, because that's the earliest they can be in the ground and growing without freezing to death.

But like all things, there are exceptions and loopholes. If you want to get a headstart, plant seedlings in grow-boxes and grow them indoors under lights. There are also greenhouses, outdoor coverings, and wooden boxes to conserve heat for early plants.

Alternatively, some plants like the cold. They can grow through fall, winter, or frosts. Some plants can squeeze in two growing seasons; spring and fall.

COLD TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON PLANTS AND VEGETATION:
FROST: Damage depends upon length of frost duration.
LIGHT FREEZE: 29 degrees F to 32 degrees F / -2 degrees C to 0 degrees C. Tender plants killed with little destructive effect on other vegetation.
MODERATE FREEZE: 25 degrees F to 28 degrees F / -4 degrees C to -2 degrees C. Wide destruction on most vegetation with heavy damage to fruit blossoms and tender semi-hardy plants.
SEVERE FREEZE: 24 degrees F / -4 degrees C and colder. Heavy damage to most plants.

Figure out your temperature-garden-strategy based off your hardiness zone, your plants, and your resources.

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Beyond all that, gardening is mostly a learning experience. You make mistakes no matter how much you prepare, and you learn from them and hopefully avoid them next year. It's trial and error most of the time. That's why it's so rewarding to get good at!

And there truly is nothing more satisfying than preparing and eating something that you've grown yourself from a miniscule seed or tiny seedling.

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Citation:
http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/recycling/stories/30-things-you-should-never-compost-or-recycle
http://www.farmersalmanac.com/home-garden/2008/09/22/a-gardeners-guide-to-frost/
http://www.motherearthnews.com/shade-tolerant-vegetables-zm0z11zsto.aspx