How to Start a Garden

Any time is a good time to start a garden as long as the ground isn't frozen solid or soaking wet. For many new to gardening, starting small is the preferred choice. Bugs, weeds and diseases can often prove to be discouraging. As your confidence and abilities increase, so can the size of your garden.

• Try to situate your garden in an area that gets at least six hours of sun a day. Your garden also needs to be conveniently placed near the house and a water source. If you have a compost pile, place the garden in close proximity to make it easier to maintain. Keep your garden away from mature trees that could invade your soil with their roots. Underground utility lines should also be avoided for this reason.

• Another important consideration is providing air circulation for your garden. Avoid keeping plants beside solid walls or fences. This will reduce the likelihood of fungal diseases attacking your plants.

• To mark the perimeter of your garden, use a string attached to stakes, or use a garden hose. To keep grass from growing into the garden, use a border — plastic, metal, wood, stone or even a plain trench will serve this purpose.

• Most likely, your garden will be covered with turfgrass. Do not till this grass into the soil as it will only produce thousands of tiny sprigs that will sprout again. Remove the sod with a shovel to a depth of about four inches and cart from the garden. Replace this sod with a mixture of leaves and compost to a depth of three or four inches. Water this area well for a week or two. If you see any weeds pop up, a slight tug will solve the problem. The sod you removed can be used to cover bare spots in the yard or can be stacked upside down and in layers to turn to compost later. If your soil is clay or rocky, construct a frame on top of the ground for raised-bed planting — be sure to use rot-resistant lumber. Once filled with organic matter, it's ready to plant.