Farm at Home - How to get started?

Contents on this page (click to jump down to any section):

Garden Size

Garden Location and Design Elements

Tools

Soil Preparation and Layout

Choosing Seeds and Plants

Planting

Maintanence and Management of the Garden

Harvesting

Garden size:

You can dream big, but start small.  Think about short term (this year) and longer term (three years from now) garden plans.  Remember, you can always expand the garden. To get you started, we have provided (3) alternative garden designs***: Garden A is the largest garden at 15ft X 50ft;  Garden B is a 16ft X 4ft plot and/or raised garden; and Garden C is for a garden grown in containers.

Link to Garden A, a 50ft by 15ft design that focuses on fall and spring crops, with minimal labor needs during the summer vacation season.  If you have summer help, think about adding in crops like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and squash that are easy to grow, but need summer care!

Link to Garden B, a 16ft X 4ft design that includes crops for spring, summer and fall. This garden is designed as a "square foot" garden in which each square in the design represents a square foot of your garden.

Link to Garden C, a container garden that shows three examples of container gardens you can plant for spring.  These examples are 30" containers that are at least two feet deep.

Garden location and design elements:

Successful gardening starts with finding a location that best incorporates as many of the following characteristics as your site allows:

• Sunlight – Vegetable gardens need at least six hours each day. If your garden is too shady, you might want to check out species appropriate shade gardening.
• Slope – The slope should be fairly flat for accessibility and to prevent soil erosion.
• Drainage – Gardens should not be placed in any low spot that ponds extensively after rain.
• Water – Water should be accessible by faucets and/or rain barrels.
• Visibility – A highly visible garden helps promote the garden and keep vandalism to a minimum.
• Deer and Pest Protection – Remember that there are lots of deer in Westchester County that find your garden veggies quite tasty!  Look in your local hardware store for deer fencing to protect all of your hard garden work.

In planning the garden, design elements are also important to consider and take into account:

• Beds/planting areas – Its best to keep paths at 3’ wide as well as beds so that children can comfortably access the garden.
• Potting table/bench – to potting plants, displaying work and harvesting organization.
• Compost area – compost is essential to a successful garden.
• Tool shed – depending on the size of your garden you may need to incorporate a location to store garden tools in a convenient location.
• Cold Frame – you might consider a cold frame for starting seedlings and/or extending the growing season.

Tools:

The tools that are needed will depend on the size of your garden and your budget constraints. Some of the tools needed mayl be:

• Spades
• Rakes
• Hoes
• Watering cans & hoses
• Trowels
• Twine/string
• Pruning shears/scissors
• Rain gauge
• Shovels
• Wheelbarrow
• Stakes
• Harvest Baskets
• Soil Test Kit

Soil preparation & layout:

Once you’ve determined your garden location, it is important to take a soil sample and have it tested by the local cooperative extension office.  For gardens in urban areas it is also be important to have the soil tested for lead.  This can be done through the health department.  Testing the soil for PH and nutrient levels is important as it gives you a baseline to start from, and you will then be able to determine what soil amendments might be required.

Following the garden design, stake out the paths and beds.  Any lawn in the area of the beds will need to be removed and composted.   Lawn can remain in the paths or be removed and replaced with hay mulch or gravel.  It is important that the soil not be wet, as working in wet soil permanently destroys soil structure.  Before digging, squeeze a handful of soil into your hand; it should keep its shape, but crumble when touched. 

All bed areas will need to be double-dug (***link to double digging is on its way!).  This involves digging to a depth of 18 inches or more in order to loosen the soil and provide aeration, and it provides you with the opportunity to apply amendments. Time spent today on soil preparation will provide benefits for years to come in the form of less weeding, less watering, better pest management and an ultimately larger harvest.  For container planting use clean topsoil (preferably organic) mixed with organic matter.

Now is also the time to set up your protective deer fencing before the crops go in.  One easy method uses 6 foot metal T-posts with plastic netting strung between.  Deer can jump over five or six foot fences, but the fence at least provides a visual barrier to try to convince them to stay out!

Choosing seeds and plants:

Remember to consider your goals for the garden when determining the types of plants you’d like to grow.  What are your famiy's favorite vegetables to eat? Perhaps you would like to mix in a heritage garden  to provide the opportunity to research old varieties of vegetables.  Throw in an insectary garden that attracts beneficial insects and helps keep garden pests in check.  Other things in determining your seed and plant selection are:

• Ease of germination
• Ease of maintenance
• Time of bearing
• Variety

We have provided sample garden options for seeds and plants for a spring, summer and fall garden.  The general seed and varieties (and whether they are best as plants or seeds) that we like are linked HERE and broken down by season planting.

Planting:

Once you have determined your plant choices and ordered your seeds, you’ll need to determine which varieties need to be started indoors and which can be sown directly into the soil, as well as when to sow.  If you start your seeds indoors they will need to be hardened off prior to planting outdoors.  Read the seed package for planting dates and seed starting dates.

Maintenance & management of the garden:

Maintenance tasks should include the following:

• Weeding
• Watering
• Planting
• Pruning
• Harvesting
• Adding amendments
• Planting cover crops

Visit our calendar and weekly to-do list (***check back later this week for our first to-do list!) to follow along with our farmers and see what you should be doing in the garden throughout the season.  Other things to coordinate are volunteer schedules, vacation schedules and summer maintenance programs, as well as post garden tasks.

Harvesting:

This is the fun part!  But harvesting correctly so as not to damage plants is important.  Harvesting containers should be washed regularly with a soap and water solution, including some bleach.  All food should be washed thoroughly prior to eating.  Other ideas to consider: