Your first few days in the garden
So, you have some kind of more-or-less detailed plan for the year, and you step into your garden plot in April (or May or June, or whenever).
Where do you start?
The first thing to do is just look around.
What’s there?
Is there anything growing already, and if so, can you tell what it is? Dig some small holes in the soil – how easy is it to dig in and what does it look like? Are there any places that are wetter than others?
Once you have looked around, you need to prepare the plot for planting.
Depending on the size of the garden, the tools you have to work with, your physical fitness, and your level of experience, it may take you a number of sessions in the garden to get this work done.
The best thing you can do for yourself as the final step of your preparation is to mulch your garden heavily. This will keep weeds from growing as you gradually work to fill the garden up with vegetables.
Here are some other import topics to read through:
1. Introduction to soil
2. Understanding soil amendments and why you should use them
3. Guide to starting seeds indoors
4. How to "thin" your seedlings
5. What materials to use as mulch
Getting Started: Your First Few Days in the Garden
← GO BACK TO GROW GUIDES
SEED CATALOG
enter the seed shop-
Vegetable and Fruit Seeds
- Shop all (A-Z)
- Artichoke seeds
- Asparagus seeds
- Bean seeds
- Beet seeds
- Broccoli seeds
- Black Oyster Plant/Black Root (Scorzonera) seeds
- Blueberry seeds
- Broccoli seeds
- Broccoli Rapini Raab seeds
- Brussels Sprouts seeds
- Cabbage seeds
- Cantaloupe Melon seeds
- Carrot seeds
- Cauliflower seeds
- Celery seeds
- Chard seeds
- Chicory seeds
- Collard Greens seeds
- Corn seeds
- Corn Salad (Mache/Lamb's Lettuce) seeds
- Cucumber seeds
- Eggplant seeds
- Endive seeds
- Gourd seeds
- Kale seeds
- Kohlrabi seeds
- Leek seeds
- Leafy Green seeds
- Lettuce seeds
- Melon seeds
- Mustard Green seeds
- Okra seeds
- Onion seeds
- Parsnip seeds
- Pea seeds
- Pepper seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Radicchio seeds
- Radish seeds
- Rhubarb seeds
- Rutabaga seeds
- Sorrel seeds
- Spinach seeds
- Squash seeds
- Strawberry seeds
- Swiss Chard seeds
- Tomatillo seeds
- Tomato seeds
- Turnip seeds
- Watermelon seeds
- Wheat seeds
- Zucchini seeds
-
Culinary and Medicinal Herb Seeds
- Shop all (A-Z)
- *All Culinary Herbs*
- *All Medicinal Herbs*
- *All-in-1 Herbal Tea Lovers Variety Pack*
- *All-in-1 Culinary Herb Garden SEED BANK*
- *All-in-1 Culinary Herb Garden Variety Pack*
- *All-in-1 Medicinal Herb Garden SEED BANK*
- *All-in-1 Medicinal Herb Garden Variety Pack*
- Amaranth seeds
- Angelica seeds
- Anise seeds
- Arugula seeds
- Basil seeds
- Bee Balm (Wild Bergamot) seeds
- Black Salsify (Black Oyster Plant/Scorzonera/Black Root) seeds
- Borage seeds
- Caraway seeds
- Cardoon seeds
- Catmint seeds
- Catnip seeds
- Chamomile seeds
- Chervil seeds
- Chive seeds
- Cilantro (Coriander) seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Dill seeds
- Echinacea seeds
- Endive seeds
- Epazote seeds
- Fennel seeds
- Fenugreek seeds
- Horehound seeds
- Hyssop seeds
- Lavender seeds
- Lemon Balm seeds
- Lemon Grass seeds
- Lovage seeds
- Marjoram seeds
- Mint seeds
- Mugswort seeds
- Oregano seeds
- Parsley seeds
- Peppermint seeds
- Perilla (Shiso/Japanese Basil) seeds
- Purslane seeds
- Rosemary seeds
- Rue seeds
- Sage seeds
- Salad Burnet seeds
- Salsify (Scorzonera/Black Root) seeds
- Shungiku, Edible Chrysanthemum seeds
- Soapwort seeds
- Spearmint seeds
- Summer Savory seeds
- Sweet Woodruff seeds
- Tansy seeds
- Watercress seeds
- Wormwood seeds
-
Sprouts and Micro-Green Seeds
- Shop all (A-Z)
- Sprouts & Micro-greens Seed Bank
- Sprouts & Micro-greens Variety Pack
- Alfalfa seeds
- Arugula seeds
- Barley seeds
- Basil seeds
- Bean, Adzuki seeds
- Bean, Garbanzo seeds
- Bean, Mung
- Beet seeds
- Broccoli seeds
- Cabbage seeds
- Carrot seeds
- Chard seeds
- Chia seeds
- Chive seeds
- Cilantro seeds
- Clover seeds
- Cress seeds
- Fenugreek seeds
- Flax seeds
- Kale seeds
- Lentil seeds
- Mustard seeds
- Onion seeds
- Pea seeds
- Quinoa seeds
- Radish seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Watercress seeds
- Wheat Grass & Wheat Berry seeds
-
Flowers and Pollinator Seeds
- Shop all (A-Z)
- Edible Flowers Variety Pack
- Save the Bees Variety Pack
- Wildflower & Pollinator Scatter Garden Variety Pack
- Aster seeds
- Borage seeds
- Black-Eyed Susan seeds
- Blazing Star seeds
- Candytuft seeds
- Catmint seeds
- Chamomile seeds
- Coneflower seeds
- Coreopsis seeds
- Daisy seeds
- Dandelion seeds
- Echinacea seeds
- Evening Primrose (King’s Cure-All) seeds
- Flax seeds
- Forget-Me-Not seeds
- Foxglove seeds
- Globe Gilia (Queen Anne’s Thimble) seeds
- Hollyhock seeds
- Hyssop seeds
- Lavender seeds
- Love-in-a-Mist seeds
- Lunaria Silver Dollar (Money Plant) seeds
- Lupine seeds
- Marigold seeds
- Marjoram seeds
- Nasturtium seeds
- Nodding Catchfly seeds
- Phacelia seeds
- Scarlet Sage seeds
- Soapwort seeds
- Spotted Bee Balm seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Wildflower Mixes seeds
- Zinnia seeds