Deciding What to Plant

In my previous post, I talked about planning for Spring, but there are many questions to answer before you get too far into your planning. Those with an existing garden, the planning may not be too intense, because you may be growing the same fruits, flowers, herbs and veggies you did the year before. If you are creating a new garden, the planning may be more involved, and there are many things to consider for your garden space. Think about the type of plants to wish to grow, and then research whether the plants will actually grow in your area? What type of sun do the plants need? What kind of soil is best? Should the seeds start early (in a greenhouse or indoors) and plant later, or sow the seeds directly into the ground? I could go on and on. There are so many questions to be answered.

Where are you planting and types of plants

I am lucky to have a dedicated garden for my fruits, herbs, and veggies. This 32′ x 50′ garden space is my oasis. A place to escape, to play, and to learn. There is an 8 foot fence that surrounds the garden to keep out deer, a small greenhouse, grape arbor, raised beds, a “She Shed,” and so much more. It is amazing what you can fit into a relatively small space, and it is something you need to think about. Do you want a dedicated garden, or just to do a little landscaping and work your plants into a scenic backdrop?

For me, I wanted to grow what I love to eat, as well as have some flowers around the garden that would attract pollinators. I drew up the plan for six main raised beds with more raised beds around the parameter of the garden. Later, we added a grape arbor that doubles as another raised bed for melons. When you decide where to plant and what to plant, the rest will come easy.

If you decide to just grow flowers, you can work them into borders around your house, along fence lines, or rocky areas. You can keep flowers in decorative planters. I have seen people get very creative with whiskey barrels, tires, old wheelbarrows, watering cans, and even boots. Look at it like art and let your creative juices flow.

Into the zone

When you join a gardening group on social media, the first thing people usually share is their Zone. I laughed the first time I saw this, because most groups it is more of where you live. Knowing your Zone is important when deciding what to plant, because you want whatever you plant to survive. For example, I love rambutan, but this heat loving fruit tree would never survive in this area. At least not in a natural way.

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map can help determine your planting zone. The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature. It is divided into 10-degree Fahrenheit zones (further divided into sub-zones of 5-degree Fahrenheit). Here in the Eastern Panhandle of Wild Wonderful West Virginia, we are in Zone 6 (6b to be exact).

When looking for seeds or plants, look at the label for the planting zone. This is especially important when ordering online. Just because it looks pretty or you really want it does not mean it will survive. If you are spending the money, go for survival of the plant to get your monies worth. Lucky for us, the local garden centers and nurseries will typically stock plants that will survive in your planting zone.

Soil and sun

When planting, pay attention to the label. See if the plant needs full sun, part sun, part shade, certain number of hours of sun, or full shade. This is for the survivability of the plant. The sun can kill a plant if it cannot tolerate those rays of light all day.

When first starting seeds, definitely use seed starting mix. Look at it like baby formula for your seedlings. When buying plants, trees or bushes, if you are planting directly into the ground use the potting soil. There is soil specifically made for trees and bushes. Potting mix is great for houseplants and flowers going into outdoor planters.

You want the best nutrients to help your plant babies grow. I am a firm believer in mushroom soil for the garden. Mushroom soil is a slow-release organic plant fertilizer. The soil is made from different ingredients. Some ingredients include hay or straw, corn debris, poultry or horse manure, peat moss, or ground limestone. Mushroom soil has not failed me yet.

Inside or out

From my experience, certain fruits and vegetables prefer to be plant directly into the ground. Others I grow from seed started in the greenhouse. If you are growing plants for re-sale, it is probably best to grow from seed in trays in the greenhouse. This allows you to keep them as individual plants. If you are growing plants for the produce, grow from seed in the greenhouse to plant later, or sow seeds directly into the ground. Play around to see what works best for you.