New gardeners should start small, plant what they enjoy

We’ve all been reading about how vegetable seed sales have increased this year and lots of people are hoping to put in a garden that will help with rising food costs and provide a healthy homegrown harvest.

My best advice for new gardeners is to start small. Really small. If you’ve never grown tomatoes, for example, six plants will be about right for a family. And leave lots of room between each tomato at planting time. Spacing them 3 or 4 feet apart will provide ample room for the plant to grow and produce fruits. The air circulation between plants will keep the plants healthy and discourage disease.

It is easy to plant little seedlings too close. But if you do, it will reduce harvest and can lead to disease issues.

It is better to grow a few things well and get the feel of growing. You’ll be surprised at how good things taste when grown in your own backyard. There is a great pleasure in snapping peas off the vine, biting into a sun-warmed tomato or creating a bouquet of herbs to add to the salad.

However, if you plant too large an area, you may find it more work than pleasure. It is easy to overplant in May. And, unless you’re prepared, it can be overwhelming in July when you have more zucchini than you know what to do with.

I don’t want to discourage anyone. I want you to have success, and if you start small, you will.

Supplementing menu

Think of the garden as a way to supplement the menu with great-tasting produce.

Grow those things your family enjoys, whether that is fresh tomatoes or herbs to flavor meals. You can begin by adding a few vegetables and herbs right in the flower border. Basil, parsley, sage and thyme all look lovely mixed among flowers.

If you are troubled by food costs and want to grow fruit, consider planting berry bushes. But be realistic; blueberries take a few years to get established. For the first years, the harvest will be a sprinkling of berries on cereal and not a whole bowl.

Also, think in terms of how much time you have to spend in the garden. Even low-maintenance gardens take time and planning.

There are ways to curtail chores. For example, if you plan ahead, you can use mulch to control weeds — a chore that needs to be done regularly. I go out with a hoe every morning and walk the garden, scraping away the weeds between plants.

This is also a good practice because you can look for problems. Did a plant wilt unexpectedly? Are leaves curling? Did the centers of strawberries turned black? Every gardener learns through experience. By being observant, you can often head off problems and figure out why they happened. If you’re not sure what the problem might be, e-mail me. I will try to help.

What to grow

As you choose your vegetables, remember that when the vegetables are ready to be harvested, you will need to preserve them by canning or freezing. Depending on how much space you garden, this takes time.

Here are a few other tips for a successful garden:

u Convenience counts. Place the garden or containers near the house so you will go out and clip an herb while preparing dinner. Also, if you plant by a faucet, you can use a soaker hose and a timer to provide regular water.

u Vegetables need full sun. That means at least eight hours of bright light a day.

u You should choose a location that drains well. Plants don’t do well in standing water.

u Containers are very efficient for growing. You can purchase containers or make your own. Containers used as planters must have drainage holes.

u Before planting in the earth, it is good to know the pH as this affects plant growth. A simple soil test will get you going. Kits can be purchased at the garden center or you can bring a dry soil sample to your nearest Cornell Cooperative Extension office, where they will test the soil for a few dollars.

Once you know the pH, you will be advised what — if anything — needs to be done to correct a high or low pH. If not, amend the soil with compost to add nutrients, but don’t overdo it, and till the soil to a depth of 8 inches. Then create aisles for walking that are at least two feet wide. You’ll want to avoid stepping onto the loose soil in the planting area as this compacts the soil.

Containers

If you are using containers, purchase a potting mix with a slow-release fertilizer mixed in. Moisten it well before adding plants.

Some containers have a water reservoir at the base that means the gardener doesn’t have to water as frequently. And some also come with a weed barrier material that you place over the top and plant seedlings through. This keeps in moisture and prevents weed growth.

Need a place to grow?

If you don’t have the ground to garden yourself, you might want to explore growing vegetables and flowers in a community garden. Typically, the gardeners maintain their own plots in a garden of many plots.

There are many community gardens throughout the Capital Region. Capital District Community Gardens has 48 gardens in Albany, Rensselaer and Schenectady counties. If you are interested in getting a plot, call 274-8685 or e-mail the Garden Organizers at gardens@cdcg.com.

In Saratoga County, there is a community garden on Weibel Avenue in Saratoga Springs. For further information, call Harry Croop at 584-8013.

Good luck. And keep in touch.

Happy gardening.