West Brookfield Farmers Market

•Wilbraham Winter Market:  2301 Boston Rd., 2nd and 4th Sat., 10-2, to April

•Worcester/Canal District Winter Market:  200 Harding St., Sat. 9-12, all year

 Planning Your Garden from the Ground Up

There is nothing more satisfying on a cold winter day than sitting on your couch, surrounded by seed catalogs, designing your vegetable garden and flower beds.  I usually start the planning process by asking myself a few simple questions….How do I want to arrange the plants in my garden?  What do I want to grow?  When will I begin planting?  Do I want to grow my own seedlings for transplant or buy some from a local greenhouse? Can I use cloches, cold frames or a simple greenhouse to extend my growing season? (If you don’t have a garden plot already established, you will also have to think about where you should place your garden.)  Once I answer these questions, then the fun can truly begin.

 For those folks who don’t have a garden plot already established, there are a few things to consider when deciding its location.Important factors to consider include water supply, available sunlight (at least 6 hours of sun a day), slope (the flatter the better), plot size and plot shape.Once you find the ideal location then you can begin to consider the other questions mentioned above.

 Arranging plants is not necessarily rocket science but I have found out over the years that some thought does have to go into it.Things to consider are whether you wish to plant in long/short rows, raised beds, single/double or wide rows, the height of plants you wish to grow and width of your paths. I also take into consideration the density of the plants in a row.Some vegetables like lettuce, spinach, kale etc…can be planted rather close together.This kind of density actually limits weeds growth.Tomatoes, peppers, garlic, onions and potatoes need alittle more space to be productive.

Deciding what to grow is not as simple as it sounds.  Seed catalogs nowadays are just loaded with beautiful exotic flower and vegetable varieties and it is very easy to get caught up in the moment and purchase either too many seeds or vegetable varieties that end up being more work than they’re worth.  I have finally reached a point in gardening where I plant only what I really like to eat and what I can store for the winter.  Gone are the days of picking strange varieties of vegetables that look interesting but are difficult to grow or don’t produce a steady, solid crop.  I am also a big fan of companion planting and so I make a point of mixing annuals and herbs in my vegetable rows and make sure not to plant certain vegetables next to each other if they don’t “get along”.

Deciding when to start planting your garden is another important topic of consideration when looking to buy seeds/starts.  I have really embraced the idea of succession planting and so it is crucial for me to get into the garden as soon as the soil can be worked.  An early spring garden is one of the most satisfying.  By mid-April, I like to have lettuce, broccoli, carrots, onion sets, peas, early potatoes, radishes and spinach in the ground.  I can harvest these early crops by May/June and replant for a late summer harvest.  Some can be continually replanted and harvested right up until our first killing frost.  Other crops like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and cucumbers are considered warm-season crops and shouldn’t be planted until mid-June.

 When trying to extend your growing season, simple cloches, cold frames or basic greenhouses are indispensable.  Something as simple as a few gallon milk jugs set over a plant can retain extra heat, keep pests at bay and add a few weeks to the plant’s productivity.  Cold frames are a bit more complicated but can still be made using fairly simple construction methods.  I have used plastic sheeting over metal hops or PVC pipe to create lengthy row covers that work great.  Whatever your visions are for your garden, whether big, small, simple or complicated, a little forethought and planning will help you create a beautiful, tasty, productive garden.Experiment and enjoy!