Home Gardening Guide

Start and maintain a thriving home garden with vegetables, herbs, and flowers

Create and maintain a beautiful and productive home garden.

Getting Started

Understanding Your Garden

Hardiness Zone

• Determines what plants grow in your area
• Check USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
• Considers average minimum winter temperature

Sun Exposure

• Full Sun: 6+ hours direct sunlight
• Partial Sun/Shade: 3-6 hours
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours

Soil Type

• Clay: Heavy, drains slowly
• Sandy: Light, drains quickly
• Loam: Ideal balance (sand, silt, clay)

Testing Your Soil

DIY Squeeze Test:

1. Take handful of moist soil
2. Squeeze tightly

Sandy: Falls apart immediately
Loam: Holds shape, crumbles easily
Clay: Holds shape, sticky

pH Testing:

• Buy test kit ($10-20)
• Most vegetables prefer 6.0-7.0
• Adjust with lime (raise) or sulfur (lower)

Planning Your Garden

Garden Types

In-Ground Garden

• Most economical
• Requires good soil
• More space needed

Raised Bed Garden

• Better drainage
• Control soil quality
• Easier maintenance
• Less bending

Container Garden

• Perfect for small spaces
• Mobile (follow sun)
• Balcony/patio friendly
• Good drainage essential

Vertical Garden

• Maximizes space
• Trellises, towers, walls
• Good for climbers

Layout Planning

Considerations:

• Tallest plants on north side (don’t shade others)
• Group by water needs
• Companion planting
• Crop rotation (yearly)

Spacing:

• Follow seed packet recommendations
• Don’t overcrowd
• Consider mature size

Soil Preparation

Building Good Soil

Components:

Ideal Garden Soil:
- 45% minerals
- 25% air
- 25% water
- 5% organic matter

Adding Organic Matter:

• Compost (best all-around)
• Well-rotted manure
• Leaf mold
• Peat moss (acidic)

Application:

• Add 2-4 inches of compost
• Mix into top 6-8 inches
• Repeat annually

Mulching

Benefits:

• Retains moisture
• Suppresses weeds
• Regulates soil temperature
• Adds nutrients (organic mulches)

Types:

• Wood chips (paths, trees)
• Straw (vegetables)
• Grass clippings (thin layer)
• Leaves (shredded)

Application:

• 2-4 inches thick
• Keep away from plant stems
• Replenish as needed

Vegetable Gardening

Easy Beginner Vegetables

Lettuce & Salad Greens

• Days to harvest: 30-60
• Cool season crop
• Succession plant every 2 weeks
• Harvest outer leaves continuously

Tomatoes

• Days to harvest: 60-80
• Warm season crop
• Need support (cage or stake)
• Determinate vs indeterminate

Zucchini & Summer Squash

• Days to harvest: 50-60
• Prolific producers
• Give them space (3-4 feet)
• Harvest when 6-8 inches

Beans (Bush)

• Days to harvest: 50-60
• Nitrogen fixers (improve soil)
• Direct sow after frost
• Pick regularly for more production

Radishes

• Days to harvest: 25-30
• Perfect beginner crop
• Quick results
• Cool season

Herbs (Basil, Cilantro, Parsley)

• Easy to grow
• Use frequently
• Basil: warm season
• Cilantro/Parsley: cool season

Planting Calendar

Cool Season (Spring/Fall):

• Lettuce, spinach, kale
• Peas, broccoli, cabbage
• Radishes, carrots
• Plant 4-6 weeks before last frost

Warm Season (Summer):

• Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant
• Squash, cucumbers, melons
• Beans, corn
• Plant after last frost date

Succession Planting

Why:

• Continuous harvest
• Avoid gluts
• Extended season

How:

Week 1: Plant lettuce row 1
Week 3: Plant lettuce row 2
Week 5: Plant lettuce row 3
etc.

Watering

How Much

General Rule:

• 1-2 inches per week
• Deep watering better than frequent shallow

Test:

• Stick finger 2 inches into soil
• If dry, time to water
• Mulch helps retain moisture

When to Water

Best Times:

• Early morning (ideal)
• Late afternoon (acceptable)
• Avoid evening (promotes disease)

Methods

Soaker Hose

• Efficient water delivery
• Reduced water waste
• Automatic timers available

Drip Irrigation

• Most efficient
• Delivers water to roots
• Initial investment

Hand Watering

• Most control
• Time consuming
• Good for containers

Sprinklers

• Covers large area
• Less efficient
• Wet foliage (disease risk)

Fertilizing

Organic vs Synthetic

Organic:

• Compost
• Manure
• Fish emulsion
• Bone meal
• Blood meal
• Slow release, feeds soil

Synthetic:

• Fast acting
• Precise ratios (N-P-K)
• Can burn plants if over-applied

N-P-K Numbers

10-10-10 means:
10% Nitrogen (N): Leaf growth
10% Phosphorus (P): Roots, flowers, fruits
10% Potassium (K): Overall health

What Plants Need:

• Leafy greens: Higher N (10-5-5)
• Fruiting plants: Higher P & K (5-10-10)
• All-purpose: Balanced (10-10-10)

Application Schedule

Heavy Feeders (tomatoes, corn, squash):

• Every 2-3 weeks

Moderate Feeders (beans, carrots, lettuce):

• Monthly

Light Feeders (herbs, peas):

• Once or twice per season

Pest Management

Common Pests

Aphids

• Small, soft-bodied insects
• Cluster on new growth
• Control: Spray with water, insecticidal soap

Tomato Hornworms

• Large green caterpillars
• Defoliate tomato plants
• Control: Hand pick, Bt spray

Squash Bugs

• Brown shield-shaped bugs
• Attack squash family
• Control: Hand pick adults and eggs

Slugs & Snails

• Chew holes in leaves
• Active at night
• Control: Beer traps, diatomaceous earth

Organic Pest Control

Prevention First:

• Healthy plants resist pests
• Crop rotation
• Companion planting
• Remove diseased plants

Physical Barriers:

• Row covers
• Copper tape (slugs)
• Collars (cutworms)

Beneficial Insects:

• Ladybugs (eat aphids)
• Lacewings (eat aphids)
• Praying mantis (generalist)

Organic Sprays:

• Neem oil
• Insecticidal soap
• Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) for caterpillars

Disease Prevention

Common Diseases

Powdery Mildew

• White powder on leaves
• Favored by humidity
• Prevention: Air circulation, resistant varieties

Blight (Early/Late)

• Brown spots on tomato/potato leaves
• Prevention: Crop rotation, mulch, don’t water foliage

Damping Off

• Seedlings collapse
• Fungal disease
• Prevention: Sterile soil, good drainage, air circulation

Prevention Strategies

✅ Proper spacing (air circulation)
✅ Water at soil level
✅ Mulch to prevent soil splash
✅ Remove diseased plants immediately
✅ Crop rotation
✅ Choose resistant varieties
✅ Sterilize tools

Composting

What to Compost

Greens (Nitrogen):

• Kitchen scraps (no meat/dairy)
• Grass clippings
• Coffee grounds
• Fresh plant trimmings

Browns (Carbon):

• Dry leaves
• Straw
• Shredded paper
• Cardboard

Ratio: 3 parts brown : 1 part green

What NOT to Compost

❌ Meat, fish, dairy
❌ Pet waste
❌ Diseased plants
❌ Weeds with seeds
❌ Treated wood
❌ Glossy paper

Composting Methods

Bin System

• Contained, neat
• Faster decomposition
• Turn every 2-3 weeks

Pile System

• Free form
• Requires space
• Less maintenance

Tumbler

• Easy turning
• Fast results
• More expensive

Signs of Good Compost

✅ Dark brown, crumbly
✅ Earthy smell
✅ Original materials unrecognizable
✅ Temperature cooled down
✅ Ready in 2-6 months

Flower Gardening

Easy Annual Flowers

Marigolds

• Sun loving
• Pest deterrent
• Bloom all summer

Zinnias

• Easy from seed
• Cut flower
• Drought tolerant

Sunflowers

• Fast growing
• Attract birds
• Edible seeds

Nasturtiums

• Edible flowers
• Climbers or trailing
• Aphid trap plant

Perennial Favorites

Daylilies

• Low maintenance
• Drought tolerant
• Multiply over time

Black-Eyed Susans

• Native to North America
• Long blooming
• Attracts pollinators

Hostas

• Shade loving
• Foliage interest
• Deer resistant varieties

Lavender

• Fragrant
• Attracts bees
• Drought tolerant

Pollinator Garden

Why Important:

• Support declining bee populations
• Better vegetable yields
• Beautiful and fragrant

Must-Have Plants:

• Bee balm
• Coneflowers (Echinacea)
• Salvia
• Catmint
• Milkweed (monarch butterflies)

Herb Gardening

Culinary Herbs

Basil

• Warm season annual
• Pinch flowers for bushy growth
• Pairs with tomatoes

Rosemary

• Perennial (zones 7+)
• Drought tolerant
• Woody herb

Thyme

• Perennial
• Ground cover
• Multiple varieties

Parsley

• Biennial
• Rich in vitamins
• Flat or curly leaf

Mint

• Aggressive spreader
• Grow in containers
• Many flavor varieties

Cilantro/Coriander

• Cool season
• Bolts in heat
• Seeds are coriander spice

Harvesting Herbs

Best Time:

• Morning after dew dries
• Before flowering (most flavorful)

How Much:

• Never take more than 1/3 of plant
• Regular harvesting encourages growth

Preserving:

• Dry: Hang in bundles
• Freeze: In oil or water
• Fresh: In water like flowers

Season Extension

Spring Protection

Cold Frames

• Glass or plastic covered box
• Extends season 4-6 weeks
• Vent on warm days

Row Covers

• Lightweight fabric
• Protects from frost
• Allows light and water through

Wall O’ Water

• Water-filled teepee
• Protects individual plants
• Good for tomatoes

Fall Protection

Mulch Heavily

• 6-8 inches for overwintering
• Protects roots from freeze/thaw

Hoop Houses

• PVC pipe frame
• Plastic covering
• Mini greenhouse

Bring Indoors

• Herbs in pots
• Pepper plants
• Overwinter and replant

Tools & Equipment

Essential Tools

Must-Haves:

• Spade or shovel
• Garden fork
• Hand trowel
• Pruning shears
• Hose with adjustable nozzle
• Gloves
• Wheelbarrow or garden cart

Nice to Have:

• Hoe (weeding)
• Rake (smoothing soil)
• Watering can
• Knee pad or garden stool
• Soil knife (Hori Hori)

Tool Maintenance

• Clean after each use
• Sharpen blades annually
• Oil moving parts
• Store out of weather
• Disinfect pruners between plants

Resources

• University Extension Services
• Old Farmer’s Almanac
• r/gardening subreddit
• Local master gardener programs
• Seed catalogs (Johnny’s, Baker Creek, Burpee)