What Are The Requirements For Spacing In The Garden For Blackberries
Plan your garden with confidence!
Hello Spring! It's time for dirt between our nails and sprouts popping up in our garden! But how do you get there? I've been gardening since I was a wee girl. Watching my grandma plant the same thing year after year and can every bit of harvest has made me fall in love with the process. That's why I want to share a complete beginners guide to plan your garden this year.
Planning a garden is the fun part. From there its maintaining and harvesting your rewards for hard work. So, let's plan for a successful year.
If you have not chosen your seed containers yet, please see my guide to starting your seeds first!
If I had the chance to chat with you and tell you exactly how to plan your garden, you wouldn't hear me shut up. Instead, I am going to break it down to the more important topics that you must know to successfully plan for your garden. These include: when to plant, choosing plants/seeds, location for starting seeds, mapping the garden, supplies, and preparing for transplanting. Whether you're a beginner or have been gardening for a while, learning these tips and tricks will help you get through planning a successful garden.
A 5-Page Garden Planner Included!
Timing is everything – finding your growing season
To plan your garden, research the germination and harvest time dates because each seed and/or plant will grow at different speeds and need to be started at the proper time. Luckily, all of this information is provided on seed packets or the internet. Timing is important so you know the following – planting indoor or outdoor, when to look for germination and when to transplant.
Your first step is to find out your growing season. A simple search is all you need for this. Look up your first and last frost dates for your zip code and count the days between.
Should I start my seeds Indoor or Outdoor?
I like to get a head start on sowing my seeds indoors to germinate and harden the plants off as soon as the frost is gone and the soil is workable. Even though our last frost date is the second week of May, we get a lot of snow and the ground can take many more days to thaw. This means we need to be prepared and plant early enough to get a harvest.
Indoor starts are very common and most beginners will start here. One thing to note is when starting indoors, you will need supplies. While starting outdoors will save money, you can purchase high quality seed starting supplies that will last years with proper care. It is an investment for longer term gardeners to have the right tools. These include but are not limited to soil, seed starting containers, lighting, and trays to catch drainage.
If you are wanting to direct sow into the ground, you will need to wait until your soil is workable and the seeds have enough growing season to germinate and harvest. Harvests vary depending on the vegetable so you will need to make sure your plants will develop in time to get fruit. Again, the seed packets will tell you when you can sow seeds in ground. Peas are a cold hardy vegetable that you can sow when there is still a couple weeks left of frost.
Seed packets are so important to read
Plan your garden after knowing the needs of your plants
The beauty of gardening is most planning shouldn't be a guessing game. Seed packets and the wonderful wide web have the information you need to know when to plant. Common rules you will see are "sow indoors [8-12] weeks before last frost". Now that you know when your last frost is, just count backwards and sow your seeds indoors within that time frame. Or you will see "direct sow after last frost". This means when that last frost date hits, pop your seeds right in your garden bed!
Here in my zone (zone 6a) I have about 160 days of growing. Most plants will do great within this time frame and I could plant all my seeds as soon as the soil is workable. However, we live in a colder climate and our soil can take a while after our last frost to be warm enough for seeds like peppers. I sow all my peppers indoors 10 weeks before the last frost in large enough containers to continue development if needed.
Don't make these mistakes!
Mistake #1 – Make sure not to plant too early (common mistake even for experienced gardener!). Plants like squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes grow quickly and can easily outgrow a seed starting tray. You will need to repot the plants if you cannot transplant soon enough for proper growth.
See my favorite seed starting items!
Mistake #2 – Remember to read your plant's needs from the seed packets. As I said, plants grow at different speeds and times. They also require specific lighting and watering. Do not neglect the information given from the seed packets for your plants.
Mistake #3 – Do not move or transplant too quickly. We will talk more about this down below. However, I feel necessary to put this here. After you've got seedlings, you want them to become strong and hardened off to withstand the outdoors.
Mistake #4 – Watch your seedlings for proper watering. When you plant your seeds, soil should be damp, not over watered. If you have too much water, you will see a white "fuzz" which is a saprophytic fungus. It's not appealing, but you can get rid of it with proper watering practices. Even when planting outdoors, you need proper watering conditions. Have plenty of drainage and airflow for all of your plants and watch the foliage for changes from over or under watering. Plan your garden with plenty of space for airflow!
What to grow
You've probably already shopped for seeds. Maybe even picked some up at the store or online. If you have a load of seeds in your possession, do you think you'll grow all of them? Maybe!
If you haven't bought any, I could make you a list of specific plants to grow except that would not be beneficial for either of us since I live in a different area than you. Plus, you are the only person that knows what you eat in your household. Let's be honest, if you're from Texas, you probably enjoy okra. Me? I won't eat it so I won't grow it and probably wouldn't mention it in a list of vegetables to grow.
Let me walk you through how to choose what to grow.
First, write a "want" list. These are all the seeds that look fun, interesting, and you would love to try them at some point (maybe they are the ones you already have). Then, research each seed in your want list to better understand what is required from you: type of lighting, watering needs, companion plants, germination time and if they will grow in your area. Most of this information is directly on the package, but sometimes you'll need to do more research.
Fun fact: your local stores know what will grow in your area and that is how they order their stock.
Your next step is to look at the vegetables you often purchase at the grocery store and write them down or check them off on your want list.
Example: We LOVE salsa and I love making it! What's even better is making it straight from the garden! I grow jalapeños, onions, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Roast, chop, blend, can.
SOW WHAT YOU EAT! Make sure these are starred on your list as "must haves" to sow. Often, we don't have space to get everything we WANT or all the seeds we already bought.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Where am I going to start these?
- Do I need extra supplies to start them (i.e. pots, lighting, trays, etc.)?
- Will I have enough room to transplant them in my garden?
Make sure you have enough room in your garden space! Don't waste seeds!
To benefit from growing your own food, you want to make sure you're not wasting seeds if you don't have enough space to put them. A common mistake is overcrowding – this increases the chance of pests and diseases within your garden.
Alright, I'll give you some ideas for inspiration.
Common fruits/vegetables I grow:
Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, beets, peas, beans, huge variety of squash, tomatoes, and every pepper I can think of, onions, garlic
Common Herbs I grow:
Savory, parsley, mint, basil, dill, thyme, oregano
Perennials already in my garden:
Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, sage, cilantro (reseeds for me), rosemary (not in all zones)
Succession planting
Timing is an important aspect for succession planting (after you harvest, planting another round). As a beginner, I won't spend too much time on this; however, if you start cold hardy plants earlier, you can replant them to get more through the season. Carrots are a big example of this. It takes about 60 days to harvest carrots. Since I have 159 days in my growing season, I can get at least two harvests of carrots if I fill one bed the day of my last frost and more if we have a light winter. If you want to plan your garden around succession planting, pay attention to the harvest days.
Location Location Location
Before mapping you're your garden, I cannot stress enough to choose the right area in the garden for some plants. Tomatoes and peppers LOVE sun while cucumbers can get away with partial sun. If you have a shadow cast from your vertical trellis on to your peppers, you will not get a good pepper harvest since the location was poorly chosen. Be sure to plan for the sun's rays throughout the day to ensure proper lighting for your plants. Draw in the other obstacles that could interfere with lighting as well – trees, buildings, fences, etc.
Watch the location of your proposed garden or where you've already built it and draw that on your map FIRST. Note the approximate times that the shadows hit the garden to ensure proper sunlight throughout the day. Again, your seed packets will tell you what the lighting requirements are for grown plants so you can make sure they have full-sun, partial sun, or shade.
I suggest choosing a location with each of these lighting parameters so you can plan your garden with variety of fruits and veggies whenever you want.
Map it out
Now, you have a list of plants you want to grow, an idea of the places you'd like the garden to be and the lighting available for your plants. Time to plan where the plants can go. It's so important to map out your garden to make space for the "must have" list you have above. After penciling in your non-negotiables, you can fill in the rest with the fun and interesting plants you WANT.
I have provided you with a tool to help map your garden space easily. Use the grid to scale to the dimensions of your garden.
I have four 4'x16' garden beds, two 4'x6'beds, and a 20'x48' in ground space. On the grid, each square represents a 1'x1' space. This is common for my spacing and rarely do I venture away from 6" increments for my spacing so it makes it easy to follow.
Always use a pencil for drafting your ideas.
Outline your current beds or your plan for new garden beds (see below for more garden bed info). Plot out your walking space for inground beds as well.
Draw in your sun and shade areas and note times in the margins.
Doodle your must-have plants where they will have optimal sunlight and space first. Then, fill in left over areas for fun, exciting, experimental plants!
Garden beds
If you already have a garden space to use, simply read each plant spacing requirement provided on the packet/internet to know where you can fit them. Follow those carefully to avoid overcrowding and diseases. With an existing space, you can get started right away with where your plants will go.
If you have not built your garden yet, building it around what you want to grow is so fun and the possibilities are endless! Make sure you have room to expand for upcoming years (you'll thank me).
Helpful Tip: Don't go wider than 4 feet for raised beds. It's hard to get in the center for most plants. If this is your first garden, go smaller to get your routine and skill down. Watering a larger garden takes time to hand water or set up a drip system properly.
Shallow raised garden beds with open bottoms can hold pretty much any plants – root vegetables, deep roots or shallow roots. Therefore, most people choose raised garden beds. Raised beds can also be built close together (3-4' between) to create a tunnel trellis or other vertical trellis' for plants that need support.
Tall, raised beds are better on your back, however more money will be spent on soil to fill them. If you are having a hard time with shorter beds, a handy garden seat is a great tool to kneel comfortably or sit down.
For in ground beds, be sure to plan for walking space. Most plants can be in ground if your soil is amended properly and has proper drainage (or maybe you live in a perfect area unlike us!). We plan for plants that need lots of room like pumpkins, zucchini, and corn for our inground area.
In ground beds can be a "back to Eden" garden where tilling is not necessary to keep the ecosystem in your ground from being disturbed. This popular method requires a lot of planning. We will chat about this later.
Companion planting
Soon, I will make you a companion planting list, but for now, let's keep it simple by using sizes for examples. All beginners do well by seeing what works for them and not listening to a ton of contradicting opinions on companion planting.
Quick tip: plant large, vertical growing plants (squash, cucumbers, tomatoes) near root vegetables and herbs. Most root vegetables and herbs can withstand a shadow while large plants next to each other can hinder airflow and bring disease. Companion planting can be helpful when planning to make sure plants are not being harmed by others OR plants are helping other plants.
Plan Your Garden Take Home
Gardening is an experience and a journey. We all have different paths, locations, soil, and practices – no one is the same. It is important to use what you've learned each year and take notes of what has worked and what hasn't. If you keep trying, you'll keep growing 😉
Don't give up. If you have planned your garden this year, let me know how it went!
What Are The Requirements For Spacing In The Garden For Blackberries
Source: https://thecannyheart.com/complete-beginners-guide-for-planning-your-garden/
Posted by: sansomcombehe.blogspot.com
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