How does your garden grow? Gardening tips for a successful garden.

My little garden. Since the picture has been taken I've added a pepper plant, shallots, and garlic.

I'm lucky to live in a climate where you can start gardening in March (February if we're lucky). This is after we lived in Montana where the growing season starts late and ends early. I was able to have a successful backyard garden for a couple of years while we lived in Montana. Heck, one year I grew corn. Yep. Corn. The plants didn't grow as tall as they would have if we lived in Ohio or Iowa but they still developed ears and tasted sweet. 

Now that we live on Whidbey Island outside of Seattle, the growing season is more forgiving. Aside from big juicy tomatoes (just not warm enough here), I can grow a whole host of awesome vegetables and get things started early. I planted my small garden on April 1 and already carrots are starting to emerge, along with brussels sprouts, onions, and potatoes. 

​To build our little garden (10'x6'), we repurposed several items from the backyard, which is going through a facelift. Our garden is in the front yard while we work on backyard. In the small space, I have been able to plant a kitchen garden:

• Peas
• Winter squash
• Lemon Cucumbers
• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Shallots
• Red onions
• Garlic
• Bell peppers (1 plant)
• Cherry tomatoes (1 plant)
• Bush beans
• Brussels sprouts
• Swiss Chard
• Basil
• Cauliflower
• Leeks 
• Potatoes

In a nearby tub are more leeks and lettuce. I also planted lavender, rosemary, and oregano in a flower bed along with strawberries. Phew! Lots of plants!

So if you are looking to start a garden and the whole thing seems daunting, here are a few tips:

1. Start small if you are new to the whole thing. Go with raised beds at first to see how well you can manage a garden. 
2. Plant items that you actually want to eat. I'm not the biggest fan of beets, so you won't find beets in my garden. The same goes for zucchini. I like zucchini but every time I plant it, I end up with so much that it's hard to eat it without tiring of it. 
3. Buy a combination of plants and seeds. Some plants like to start indoors (like broccoli, cauliflower, and tomatoes) while others can have their seeds sown directly into the garden soil (like beans, carrots, cucumbers, and squash). 
4. Know what grows best for your climate. Find out your growing zone here. This will help determine which veggies to plant and when it is best to get started. 
5. Find a great local nursery. The local nursery will be able to offer advice on growing plants in your zone/area. 
6. No yard? Consider using containers. You can grow quite a few different veggies in containers as long as they are deep enough and get enough sun. Over the years, I have successfully grown cherry tomatoes, peppers, herbs, lettuce, and strawberries in containers. 
7. Place your garden in a spot that will get 7-8 hours of sunlight per day. Your garden will not grow unless it gets sun.
8. Water the garden in the morning. If the day is hot and sunny, water twice - once in the morning and once in  the evening. 

There are many other tips I will provide as the growing season progresses. My garden is in the baby stages now and I'm looking forward to a fruitful harvest. Now if the crows would stop digging up my onions...

---