Use and Care Guide

Before you put any plants into the ground, you should draw a sketch of the garden area so
you can plan how many plants you want and where they will go. Once you have com-
pleted this sketch, use stakes to mark out where different rows will be planted. Set up your
trellises or set in stout stakes for climbing plants such as peas and beans. Create mounds
on which you will put in the vining plants such as cucumbers, pumpkins and melons.
1
Preparing the Soil: Fertile, well drained soil
is necessary for a successful garden. The exact
type of soil is not as important as the soil being well
drained, well supplied with organic matter, reason-
ably free of stones and moisture retentive. Keep in
mind that infertile soil that has good physical proper-
ties can be made productive by using organic matter,
lime, commercial fertilizer and other soil-improving
materials. Soils should not be plowed or worked
while it is very wet unless the work will certainly
be followed by severe freezing weather. If the soil
sticks together in a ball and does not readily crumble
under slight pressure by the thumb and finger, it is
too wet for plowing or working—because in this
condition it will cake as it dries—making it unsuit-
able for young plants.
If your garden has already been cultivated and used
in past years, there is little to do other than to plow in
additional organic material and fertilizers. The fertil-
izer may be in the form of composted manure or any
good commercial complete plant food distributed at
a rate of 3 or 4 pounds for every thousand square feet
of vegetable garden. When manure is added to the
soil, it must be composted prior to planting because
fresh, hot manure will also burn your plants.
Different types of vegetables require varying degrees
of soil acidity. The acidity or alkalinity of the soil is
measured by pH, and must be adjusted according to
which crop will occupy that area. Generally, soils in
moist climates are acidic and those in dry climates
are alkaline. A soil with a pH lower than 7.0 is an
acid soil and one with a pH higher than 7.0 is alka-
line. You can use our Soil Analyzer to test your soil.
Once you have determined the pH, you can amend
the soil as needed.
Once your soil structure, fertility and pH have been
established, the soil should be tilled one last time and
then raked smooth. Your soil is now ready for seeds
or plants. Planting depths and spacing are critical, so
don’t crowd too many plants into the allotted space
or you may end up with spindly plants and no food.
Be sure to place a tag or marker on each row or area
so that you will know what to expect to sprout there
and when! Water your garden thoroughly the day
before you intend to plant.
2
Setting in Vegetable Plants: If you purchased
bedding plants, or started your seeds indoors
in pots, dig a small hole which is slightly wider and
deeper than the root ball of the new plant. Water the
plant thoroughly prior to planting it in the garden to
lessen the shock of transplant. Gently tap the pot to
loosen the roots and remove the new plant. If the root
ball is tangled and compacted, use your fingertips to
gently loosen the outer roots. Set the plant into the
hole slightly deeper than the depth of the growing pot,
and firm the soil in around it, making certain that there
is good soil to root contact. Water in well.
GROW • IT • GUIDE
Planting Your Vegetable Garden
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