HOW TO GET YOUR GARDEN STARTED

PUTTING THE THEORIES TO WORK
Up to this point, most of your garden planning has been theoretical. You've given thought to the vegetables you want to grow, what you're going to do with them, and how much you need to grow. You've got an idea of how the climate in your area will influence your final choice of vegetables. You're beginning to understand your microclimate — how growing conditions in your own yard may
differ from the general climate of your area. Now you're ready to start getting your plans on paper, but as soon as you open the seed catalog, confusion
strikes again. You want to grow your own corn, tomatoes, lettuce, and carrots — but what kind?
Finding the varieties suited to your area. Because there are so many varieties, it can be very difficult to choose the right one. Part 2 of this book describes
the individual vegetables and their cultural requirements and lists some of the best and most widely used varieties. But in many cases the varieties
listed represent only the tip of the iceberg. Where a large number of varieties are available (as with corn or tomatoes) or where success depends as much on
growing conditions as on variety (as with onions), your best bet is to get in touch with your local Cooperative Extension Service. The service's experts
will be able to tell you exactly which varieties will do best in the growing conditions that exist in your part of the country. A complete list of Cooperative
Extension Services is given in Part 4, together with detailed information on how to get your gardening questions expertly answered by their qualified horticulturalist.
Guaranteed varieties: The All-America Selection. Another way to find the most reliable varieties for your area is through the All-America Selections. This is a
nonprofit organization of seedsmen who develop and promote new varieties of vegetables and flowers. The organization awards gold, silver, or bronze medals to vegetable varieties that have been proven to produce reliable results in most areas of the United States. If a vegetable is listed in your seed catalog as an All-America Selection, you can be sure that it has been tested by growers all over the country and that it's a good bet for your own garden.
The organization does not bestow its seal of approval lightly — only one or two vegetable varieties win a gold medal in any year.
Experiment with different varieties. Remember, too, that you don't always have to play by the rules. You can plant more than one variety of a vegetable
and decide for yourself which one is best suited to your palate and your garden. You can also extend your harvest by planting varieties that mature at different times. Experimenting is a good part of the fun of growing a vegetable garden. Dates: When to plant and when to harvest Selecting the varieties you're going to grow gives you some hard information with which to work. You now know when to plant your vegetables. The hardiness chart in "Planting Your Garden" will tell you to which category — very hardy, hardy, tender, very tender — a vegetable belongs and when to plant it. Now is the time to decide whether to use seeds or
transplants. Transplants are young plants started from seed indoors or in a warm place (like a hot frame) and planted in the garden when the weather's warm
enough. By planting transplants you can often get a head start on your growing season and avoid some of the limitations placed on you by your area climate.
Not all vegetables, however, take kindly to being transplanted. Full information about growing vegetables from transplants — including what to plant and when — is given in "Planting Your Garden."
It's important to plan your planting dates accurately. It's also important to know when your crop will be ready for harvest. The number of days it takes a plant to reach maturity varies according to type and to varieties within a type.
Each vegetable variety has its "days to maturity" listed in the seed catalog. Take a calendar, and see how the dates fall for the crops you're thinking of
growing. For instance, "jade Cross Hybrid" Brussels sprouts take 95 days to maturity. They're very hardy, so you can plant them six weeks before your last
spring frost. If your area expects its last frost at the end of April, you can plant your Brussels sprouts in the garden in mid-March, and they'll mature in mid-
June. They're a cool-season vegetable, so as long as the weather in your area won't be sizzling hot by mid-June, you should do well with them. In this way,
work out all the dates on which you can expect to harvest your vegetables, and make a list of them. This will give you a chance to make changes if, despite all
your planning, you've got too large a crop maturing at the same time. It will also give you some ideas about "pacing" your crop.
Pacing your harvest for best yield Deciding when to plant involves more than
avoiding killing frosts. It also means pacing your • planting so you get maximum yields from limited space. You can harvest some crops gradually, enjoying them for a long period of time; others mature all at once. This takes careful planning. You have to have a good idea of how long it will take your vegetables to mature and how long the harvest will last. It will also take some self-control. The
temptation to plant rows of everything at once is great.
Planting short rows. A simple way to pace your harvest is to plant only short rows or partial rows. Planting short rows is probably easier; you may feel
more comfortable with a complete row, even if it is short. A 10-foot row looks short, but 10 feet of radishes ready to eat at once is more than most
people can handle. Ten feet of parsley or garlic may be more than enough for the whole neighborhood. You can freeze parsley and dry the garlic, but what
can you do with all those radishes? Unwanted excesses of crops can be avoided if you divide your seeds into groups before going out to plant. Put them
in "budget" envelopes to be planted on definite dates later on in the season but before the early crops are harvested. For instance, plant lettuce every two
weeks. This way you can have vegetables all season, rather than glut followed by famine. Using several varieties. Another way to pace your
harvest is to plant several varieties of the same vegetable that mature at different rates. For instance, on the average date of last frost plant three different tomato varieties: an early variety that will mature in about 60 to 70 days; a midseason variety that will mature in about 75 to 80 days; and a late variety that will mature in about 80 to 90 days. By planting these three varieties on the same day you have
spread your harvest over a 30- to 50-day period, instead of a 10- to 20-day period.
Succession planting. With careful planning you may also be able to save garden space and get two or more harvests from the same spot by succession
planting. After early-maturing crops are harvested, you clear a portion of the garden and replant it with a new crop. Plant so that cool-season crops grow in the
cooler part of the season, and warm-season crops can take advantage of warmer weather.
One example of succession planting is to start off with a fast-growing, cool-season crop that can be planted early—lettuce, spinach, and cabbage (cole) family vegetables are good examples. Replace these by warm-weather crops like New Zealand spinach, chard, corn, okra, and squash. Then in fall make another planting of cole crops, or put in root crops like turnips or beets.
In a small area, one simple plan is to start off with spinach, which is very hardy but hates hot weather, and replace it with heat-tolerant New Zealand
spinach. Despite their different temperature requirements, the two can double for each other in taste, and you get spinach all season long.
You can also make double use of trellis space — a big plus in a small garden. Plant early peas, replace them with cucumbers, and after harvesting your cucumbers, plant peas again for a fall crop.
Companion planting. This is another way to double up on planting space. This you do by planting short-term crops between plants that will take a longer time to mature. The short-term crops are harvested by the time the longer-season crops need the extra room. A good example of this is to plant radishes between rows of tomatoes; by the time the tomatoes need the space, the radishes will be gone.

GETTING YOUR GARDEN ON PAPER
By this time you've put a lot of thought into your garden plan, and you've got some vital information and dates on paper — the names of the varieties
you're going to plant and your planting and harvest dates. Now comes the real paperwork. The size of your garden depends on your interest in gardening
and how much time you're going to be able to give to the garden. Some gardeners use every available inch of space; others use a small corner of their property — some, of course, don't have much choice, and this may be your case if you have a small garden to begin with or if you're gardening on a patio or balcony. The larger your garden, the more time and work it's going to need, so unless you're already
hooked on gardening, it's probably better to start small and let your garden size increase as your interest in gardening and confidence in your ability
develops.
Before you decide the exact dimensions, look at the list of the vegetables you've chosen and the amount you're going to grow of each one, and figure out if they're going to fit into the allotted space.
You may see at once that you've overestimated what you can grow in the available space, so you'll have to do a little compromising between fantasy and reality. If your projected crops look as though they'll fit, you can now start drawing an actual plan.
Drawing a plot plan
This is the pencil-and-paper stage of planning, and if you use graph paper, you'll find it easier to work to scale. Don't be intimidated by all this talk about
drawing and sketching. Your garden plan doesn't have to be a work of art — just a working document. Drawing to scale, however, is helpful. A commonly
used scale is one inch on paper to eight feet of garden space — adapt the scale to whatever is easiest for you.
Draw up a simple plot plan giving your garden's measurements in all directions. Remember there's no law that says a garden has to be square or
rectangular. Your vegetable garden can be round, triangular, curved, or any shape that fits your landscape and takes best advantage of the space
you've got. When you've drawn the outline, sketch in all the nongrowing areas where you won't be able to '' plant — trees, shrubs, sidewalks, sheds, buildings, walls, and the garage. Indicate any areas that are particularly shady or poorly drained and, therefore, aren't suitable for fussy crops.
Planning for three stages. It's helpful to draw three plot plans: The first will show the garden at planting time in the spring; the second will show the garden
in the summer; and the third will show the garden in the fall. These plans will reflect the changes that take place in your garden when you harvest early
crops and replace them with new plantings. Make two copies of plans; keep one set inside where the plans will stay dry, clean/and legible. Use the other
set in the garden — where it probably won't stay dry, clean, or legible for long. Plans have also been known to blow away in a spring breeze — a disaster if
that's your only copy.
Putting the plants into the plan. Once you've outlined your plot and indicated all the nongrowing areas, get down to detail. Use the accompanying
illustrations as a guide, and divide the plot among the vegetables you want to grow. The individual descriptions of vegetables in Part 2 give detailed
information on the amount of space each vegetable needs for growth. For a quick check on spacing refer to the chart at the end of "Planting Your Garden."
Don't try to economize on space — better a smaller number of healthy plants than a lot of starved ones. Using your space efficiently. Take care in placing the vegetables. Place the taller plants on the north or northeast side of the garden so that as they grow they won't shade the rest of the garden. In a large garden where you've got plenty of space, the most convenient way to lay out the vegetables is in rows and hills. Straight rows and hills are easier to water, weed, cultivate, mulch, and fertilize. If you are going to use a rototiller, make sure the rows are large
enough to accommodate the machine. In smaller gardens it's more space-efficient to plant in wide rows or in solid blocks four to five feet wide. You must always be able to reach the center of a wide row comfortably from either side and to get
between the short rows in a block. You can also save space in a small garden by using vertical space — growing vining crops up a trellis, for example, rather than letting them spread all over the ground. Similarly, tomatoes can be staked or caged to contain their growth.
Adding dates and details. Finally, indicate whether you're planting from transplants or seeds, and add your planting dates for each vegetable; now your
plan is complete, and you can see exactly what you'll be doing come spring. You'll also have compiled a good mental library of incidental knowledge about
plants and how they grow and how your climate affects them; this knowledge is going to stand you in good stead throughout your growing season.
Recording the growth of your garden If you're serious about gardening, you should keep records. Planning your records should be part of planning your garden. The better the planning, the more efficient use you'll be able to make of your time
and the more time you will have for enjoying the pleasures of your garden — not just keeping up with the chores. Build your records the same way you
build your garden; profit from past mistakes, and Incorporate new ideas.
Start out with a ledger that has sewn-in pages. Don't write notes on slips of paper and expect to be able to find the one you want when you want It. Don't use a three-ring notebook, because if you can take a page out you will, and then you'll probably lose it. Your first entry m your record of your vegetable
garden should be the plot you designed when you ordered the seeds. Mark this page with a paper clip so you can easily find it.
After the garden plot, you can keep a daily record of preparing the soil, planting, weeding, fertilizing, growing results (or lack of results); whether the
harvest of each item was sufficient, too much, or not enough; and problems with weeds, bugs, or lack of rain. At the end of the growing season you'll have a
complete record of what you did — and a record can be good for the morale.
Your record will list the plants that did well In your garden and those that didn't, and this information will give you the basics for planning next year's garden. Include in your ledger comments about the weather, varieties of plants that were
productive or flopped, and notes about why you think some plants made it and others did not.
The computerized garden plan If all this planning thoroughly intimidates you,
don't abandon the idea of gardening. It's the age of technology, and you can have your entire garden planned by a computer. The computer uses some
basic information that you supply about your garden and develops a complete, easy-to-use plan that includes all the information the novice
gardener needs to grow a vegetable garden. The only problem involved in having your garden planned by a computer is finding out who offers the service. At the
moment only a few states' Cooperative Extension Services and a few seed companies provide computerized planning services, but they're
rapidly becoming popular and more available. Ask your local Cooperative Extension Service if they offer computerized planning or can put you in touch
with some organization that does. You may also find such services advertised in gardening magazines.

CONTAINER GARDENING
In areas where there is little or no space, a well-organized container garden can produce substantial vegetables. A point to remember about container
gardening: The small volume of soil in a raised bed will warm up faster in spring than the soil in your open garden. This gives you a longer growing season,
because you can start your cool-season crops earlier. You can also bring plants inside if the temperature takes an unexpected plunge — this mobility is an advantage you obviously lack in an open garden.
Plan a container garden the same way as a small garden plot, making the best possible use of your vertical space. Use a trellis for vining crops and
stakes and cages for tomatoes or other semi-vining crops. If you're planting on a balcony, don't let any possible support go to waste. Position climbing plants
where the railing provides a readymade trellis. There are also space-saving techniques unique to container gardens. You can use the vertical space of
a container itself by planting in holes or pockets in the sides of the container. Growing some vining plants in hanging baskets will save space too, but be sure
to place hanging baskets where they won't shade other plants. When you are growing a container garden, always select varieties that are suitable for
container growing, and remember that containers dry out faster than a traditional garden, so you'll need to water more often. Plants growing in containers are also more affected by changes in temperature; you
do have the advantage, though, of being able to move them to a more protected area or even inside on cool nights.
Essentially, planning a container garden is little different from planning an outdoor plot. The main difference may be in the varieties you choose — if
you're planting in a confined space you're going to take a special interest in smaller varieties and plants with compact, contained growth habits. But basically, any plant that will grow in your garden will also grow on your balcony or patio.
Extending your garden indoors If you don't have a garden or even a balcony, you
can still have a container vegetable garden. Don't underestimate the number of vegetables that can be grown successfully indoors. Near a bright window
that is not too warm, leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, parsley, and chives, will do nicely. Fruiting plants are worth a try, but they take a lot more light
at a higher intensity; unless the window is very bright,the plants may grow but not produce. Cherry tomatoes in hanging baskets will sometimes grow in
very bright windows, and sometimes plants can be brought in from outdoors and grown on for several months. Herbs are rewarding indoor-garden
plants, and they go a long way in adding your personal touch to everyday eating.
Providing indoor lighting If you have lights or if you have a place for putting
lights, you can grow vegetables indoors without any sun at all. Lettuce does beautifully in the basement or the attic when grown under fluorescent
light—usually these spots are not as warm as the rest of the house. Lettuce can also be grown in an apartment if you can find a spot where the heating is
not very efficient or if you don't mind wearing a sweater.
Cucumbers will grow beautifully under artificial light. But just as long days will prevent flowering, so will long periods under artificial light. The best thing to do is experiment and find what does well for you. A timer can be useful in giving certain plants a dark resting period. Given lots of water, watercress works almost as well as lettuce under the lights. Instead of seeds, you can start with cuttings (the bottoms of some of those stems of fresh watercress
you bought to indulge yourself). Various possibilities for using vegetables as
houseplants are discussed in the description of individual vegetables in Part 2.