Know Your Plants
by Kim Tilley
http://www.frugal-moms.com

Once you know what zone you are in, get to know your plants! You can learn a lot from seed catalogs and seed packages.

Check out some gardening books from the library and look at other people's gardens. What do you like? If it grows in your area, chances are pretty good that you can grow it too. Don't hesitate to ask questions wherever you go. Most people are more than happy to answer questions about their gardens, and some may even offer you a cutting or seeds from the plant you are admiring. So take some time and learn what will grow in your area and what you like. But most importantly: be realistic! Don't plan on growing the "Garden of Eden" your first time out. Chances are that your "Garden of Eden will become a "Garden of Weedin' " because you overextended yourself. (I have done this!)

Deciding What to Plant

Once you have a general familiarity of what you will be planting, go shopping (fun, fun!) Decide if you want to tackle starting seeds or prefer to buy transplants. I like to start seeds of items that are hard to find as transplants. These include pumpkins and other squashes, sunflowers, certain kinds of tomatoes and peppers, beans, peas, and herbs. The larger seeds are fun for kids to plant and easy to handle.

Besides seeds, transplants are easy and convenient, provided you get them into the ground shortly after you buy them. I like to buy transplants of broccoli and cabbages because I have never had good luck starting these. For the past two years, I have planted transplants of tomatoes and peppers because I was pregnant one year and then had a small baby the next year. This year I have a toddler, and would start more seeds, but the upstairs of our home is being remodeled! That's where I usually start my seeds. Transplants will definitely be a part of my garden again!

Deciding Where to Put Your Plants

Ok, you've figured out what you want to plant, but where will you plant it? To figure this out, take a look at your yard (or wherever you want to plant a garden.) Is it shady or sunny? Is the land flat, hilly, or pitted? How much sun does this area get? Are you planting shade-loving or sun-loving plants? All of these things will affect your garden. The ideal location is a place that is fairly flat but has good drainage, has some exposure to the sun, and is close to your home. The closer the garden is, the more likely you are to take care of it.

You also need to match the site to the plants you are going to grow. Almost all seed catalogs, packets and gardening books will tell you if a plant prefers the sun or the shade. Usually a plant will thrive if the location is similar to where it is found in the wild. I once dug up some wild phlox from my mother-in-law's farm. The area is covered with trees. I made the mistake of planting the phlox in full sun. Needless to say, that little plant withered and died. If I had done my homework, I would have known that wild blue phlox is a woodland plant, and thrives in a shady, moist location. My mistake had been not giving it the growing conditions that it needed (and not knowing enough about the plant itself).

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