The length of a plant’s growing season is another handy piece of information. It’s the average amount of time per year where the temperature stays above freezing during both day and night. In larger farming operations, different nutrients cycle through the soil as different plants grow. This is what they mean by “fertile” soil — nutrient-rich bounties of growth for new plants. Bierman PM, et al. (2005). Nutrient management for fruit and vegetable crop production: Nutrient cycling and maintaining soil fertility. https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/197962 Try eating sunlight. We bet you can’t. Also we bet you look foolish trying to eat sunlight. Plants win this round, okay?)

Start a list of groups of like-minded people you can join or learn from. Local knowledge goes a long way in establishing sustainable practices.Plants are pretty magical, as they harness energy from the sun and, through photosynthesis, convert that energy into their tissues. Consider your water sources. If they’re not close to your garden plot, it will be important to figure out a system for transporting water to your garden.

It’s also better for plants to get all the water one or two times per week rather than a little bit each day. Think of it as intermittent fasting for plants. The USDA offers this helpful map that shows which plants are most likely to grow in which parts of the U.S. Food gardening is in like yoga pants at the moment. Research from the National Gardening Association shows that home-grown food production has increased this much in the following groups:Landscape plants can be expensive — they’re an investment for your home. So, when you buy plants for your yard, seek healthy ones that fit your landscaping needs, beautify your property, and grow well in your area’s climate. These tips help you get the right landscaping trees, flowers, and shrubs: Compost your waste. The less green garden waste and food scraps going into landfill the better, and you get to use the compost in your sustainable garden. Green lacewings: Their voracious larvae feed on aphids, mites, thrips, and various insect eggs. Release them in your garden in late spring, after the danger of frost has passed. Designing and decorating― take advantage of ideas and inspiration for creating eye-catching container gardening displays

Have a shadier plot? Research which plants prefer shady conditions if you have less light available. (Also, stop hatching shady plots. You are not the supervillain you think.) Water This process is easy if you are simply growing two or three tomato plants. But if you plan to grow a full garden, you need toconsider: Plant your vegetables in the proper locations. Many pests become more troublesome when plants are grown in conditions that are less than ideal. For example, if you grow sun-loving vegetables in the shade, mildew problems are often more severe. A raised bed defines your garden. Urban yards are often home to many competing activities, such as kids playing, dogs running, and visitors walking around. A raised bed clearly shows where your garden begins and ends.

Helpful Hints & Tips

It’s fun, but meeting the needs of your seedlings can take a bit of experimentation (and internet research) to learn what works best for a particular type of plant. That being said, virtually all plants require a few basic ingredients: Sun You might need to add nutrients manually if your garden isn’t already part of an annual crop rotation cycle (and if you’re reading an article about gardening basics, that’s not altogether likely — although if accomplished farmers are also tuned in, welcome!) If you’re placing the raised bed over a grassy area, mow the grass low, then add the compost and topsoil to fill the bed to the top. The compost and topsoil will kill the grass so there’s no need to remove it.