Garden Education

Growing some of your own food can take a delicious bite out of a hefty food bill. Local garden produce is fresher, more wholesome, and less likely to be contaminated than food shipped from miles away and stored in excessive packaging. Gardening helps people eat better and stay active which lowers their risk of heart disease, obesity, adult-onset diabetes, and high blood pressure. It's a great stress-reliever, too. Think of the gardeners you know—aren't most happier, healthier people? Environmentally, gardening honors the original solar technology: photosynthesis—the process of turning carbon (dioxide) into calories compliments of sunshine and releasing oxygen along the way.

Gardening truly can make a positive impact on the multiplicity of personal, societal, and environmental problems facing us today.

So, read on, then dig in!

child with magnifying glass looking at plants

Garden Basics

Site

The most important consideration when siting a garden is sunlight. Ground can be leveled and water can always be carried, but sunlight HAS to be available. All plants need sun, some more than others. Warm weather crops like tomatoes, peppers, squash, and beans need 8+ hours of sun per day. Cool weather crops like greens, carrots, and broccoli can do with less but must have at least 6 hr/day. Watch out for shrubs and trees that may grow big and cast shadows over your garden and suck up water and nutrients from the soil. If your site gets too sunny, make a shade cloth. It's best to site a garden near the house so it's convenient and not forgotten or in a well-visited community garden for safety, support, and camaraderie.

Soil

Improving soil is an art and science; perfected with years of experience and luck. The best garden soil is loose enough so roots can grow freely, drains well yet holds moisture, is slightly acidic (pH between 6.2 -7.0), and provides adequate nitrogen and an array of minerals to support healthy plant growth. In-ground gardens likely will need amendments to improve nutrient content and texture to promote drainage and healthy root growth. For raised beds, nutrient-rich, friable soil mixtures can be added from the beginning to ensure that young plants have what they need to thrive. Adding organic matter, or compost, will create a well-balanced, crumbly soil in which plants will thrive.

Water

All plants need water and carrying it can be a drag. Site beds near municipal spigots for community gardens and near a faucet for home gardens. Sun-warmed water helps plants absorb nutrients faster—especially in spring and late fall. Fill a big bucket after each watering to be ready next time or keep the hose coiled in the sun but be careful water isn't too hot. Overhead watering is not recommended; it gives some plants too much and others not enough. Lifting the leaves to hand water roots directs water where it is needed and lessens risks of fungal diseases.

Efficient and effective watering can be done by a well-designed drip system but this takes away the intimacy of watering plants by hand.

Plant Selection

Select plants known to grow in USDA climate zone 8, the zone for most of SW WA. Plant what you like and experiment with exotics as time, interest, and space allow. Consider early, mid-season, and late crops as well as companion plantings. Be aware of the mature size of plants for your garden space. Seed packets and most plants starts will have information on when to plant, sun requirements, time until harvest, mature size, and whether or not plants need structural support over time.

Seeds

Buy quality seeds from a reliable dealer and shop early for best selection. Seed packets offer important planting information and usually a drawing or photo of mature plants. New seeds may have better germination rates, but seeds that were saved and stored properly will be viable for several years. Sharing seeds with others is a fun, educational, and free way to increase your gardening knowledge. Store seeds in well marked containers in a cool, dark, dry area. Don't save seeds from hybrid plants since they produce a mixture in the next year which is often inferior to the parent plant.

Gardening Toolkit

Clark County Food Gardening Toolkit:
A Guide to Growing Small-Scale Gardening Projects

The toolkit offers guidelines, suggestions, resources, and document templates to assist and enhance local efforts to create food gardens.

Download the entire toolkit (PDF), or download sections by clicking on the section headings below.