(In the Garden #3)

Preparing the Soil

Most vegetables need lots of sun. Choose an area of your yard where you are sure that the garden will get a least six hours of direct sunlight a day. Also, the closer the garden is to the kitchen door, or other frequently used access to the house, the easier it is to keep an eye on the garden.

Once you choose the location for the garden, measure off a 4' x 4' square (or a 3' x 6' rectangle, if you are short-armed). At this point you need to decide how much you want to invest in the actual structure of the garden block. Digging up a 4' x 4' section of lawn, removing the grass, and cultivating the soil below is the most inexpensive way to make a garden. However, if you have heavy clay soil or you would like your garden to look a little neater, consider making or buying a raised bed garden frame. This would be a simple 4' x 4' frame made out of 2” x 6” or 8” cedar boards, depending how deep a box you want. If you choose to make a raised bed frame, you don't even have to dig up your soil. Just spread about six layers of newspaper over the grass where you want your garden and water the area well. The newspapers will kill the grass and then rot by the time your garden plants have sent down roots. Put the raised bed frame over the wet newspapers, and fill the frame with bags of purchased topsoil, peat moss and mushroom compost. Some well-rotted manure can be added if you like. Mix the soil until it is uniform in texture. If you are using your own garden soil, it might be a good idea to dig some mushroom compost, peat moss, and or a small amount of manure into the soil to improve its texture and add nutrients.

Decide if you have a good sense of measurement, of what a 1' square looks like. Some people build 1' grids over their square foot garden to help them plant. Others use string to break it down into squares. I will sometimes draw lines in the soil just before I plant so I can “see” my squares. Use whatever works for you.

Square foot gardening also makes use of the garden space above your garden as well as the space on the ground. You can put a small fence or other support system on one end of the square to grow pole beans, peas, cucumbers, vining squash or indeterminate tomatoes.

Tomorrow – Choosing your first crop

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt. - Margaret Atwood