Here are some questions to get you thinking! Get out some paper or a new document for jotting down notes!

Think of the big picture when you start. Set out your main goals and consider the space and resources you have available.

-What do you hope to make, share, or eat?

-What does your family eat fresh?

-Are there processed foods you could replace with your own produce? (Salsa, pickles, tomato sauce, dip, seasoning blends?)

-Do you have storage space?

-Do you need a certain appliance or tool to preserve the food like a dehydrator or a water bath canner? (Rent/buy/borrow?)

-Will you invest in containers for storage or borrow?

-Do you have freezer space, refrigerator space, or shelf space?

-How many people are you growing for?

-Are you hoping to grow enough to give some away?

Based on your answers, start formulating a goal, and make it a “S.M.A.R.T” goal. S.M.A.R.T stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. For example, your goal may be “to add one serving of vegetables to my diet every day in August.” Alternatively, your goal might be “to buy ZERO pre-packaged snacks during the month of July and eat snap peas during snack times instead.” One more example: “I plan to make a family-sized salad once a month.” These three goals are quite different, and it is important to set a realistic goal.

Remember to think of the end result you are hoping for, at the beginning. Once you have the main goals in mind, check out the next drop downs to get to know the process of growing a little better! Full guide coming soon!

University of Minnesota Extension explains Soil Biology along with different practices that aid or disrupt the soil.

If you are a podcast listener, check this out: Regenerative Agriculture Podcast.

Soil Science Society of America has a great site for adults and children to learn about soil here, on the “All About Soil” tab. There are also experiments, games, and additional resources for learning.

Soil health is a key component to the wellness of the garden, the environment, and our own well-being. Whether it is in-ground or above ground, the soil we encounter and influence makes a difference. Here’s the deal: Even if you don’t have any land at all, you can still grow something. Check out this post from Roots & Refuge for simply Growing In Soil Bags. More resources will be linked here soon for this important topic!

Check your growing zone through garden.org by simply typing in your zip code. Write down your growing zone!

Check your first and last expected frost dates by using Farmer’s Almanac and your zip code. Write down your first and last expected frost dates on your calendar!

Once you know your growing zone and first and last expected frost dates, you can check out the seed packets you have, or look up the plants online to see how soon they recommend starting.

For example: Many tomato varieties can be started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before slowly acclimating them to the outdoor environment. If your “Last Spring Frost” is expected on May 11th, count backward on a calendar 6 weeks and you will know you can start your tomatoes in potting soil indoors on March 30th if you want it to be 6 weeks before the last expected frost, or as early as March 16th if you have the space, patience and quality soil to nourish a plant indoors for that long! There is variability and flexibility in starting seeds indoors, so this is purely one example!

Some people choose to skip seed starting indoors altogether and sow seeds directly in the soil when it warms up outside. It is also really common to find local plant sales around your last expected frost date, and those plants are usually ready to go outside shortly after you purchase them! Plant sales are also a great place to go ask questions and develop knowledge of different plants you might like to grow in the future.

Your decision on seeds versus purchasing started plants really comes down to space, resources, patience, and the variety of plant you are starting. Even if you start later in the season, you can choose plants that produce faster, or plants that will bear all season long rather than all at once.

You can also utilize the Vegetable Planting Calendar from garden.org. This is a good place to start for common vegetables.

Composting is one of the ways to really help improve the cost effectiveness of your gardening from one year to the next. It will bring more life and nutrients back to the soil. Instead of throwing out your soil from this season, you can refresh it with compost and continue to grow nutrient-dense food.

Start here: University of Minnesota Extension offers a link to Composting In Home Gardens

Some cities create compost on a larger scale, and you can find these resources by searching “compost site near me.”

Another one from University of Minnesota: Design a compost system that works for you.

Hopefully you were able to set a S.M.A.R.T goal from the first tab in Part 1. Bring that goal back to the forefront of your mind and we will talk about the space and resources you have available.

Do you have a yard? A balcony? An apartment? Do you have a sunny windowsill? None of the above? Have you considered a community garden? Have you considered sharing a space with a trusted neighbor in exchange for some produce?

Determining the space you have available will help guide your next steps.

You might choose in-ground, raised beds, or containers to help reach your goal for this season. Available resources might help you make your final decision.

Your Resources And Your Community Make A Difference!

Before investing hundreds of dollars into a project, consider the cost-benefit ratio and the goal of this garden season for you and your community.

In your consideration of resources available, determine whether or not you have the interest and/or ability to purchase supplies or to creatively construct the needed setup for this season. If you have a yard, you might consider varying methods such as tilling to plant in the ground, creating mounds of soil to plant into, forming a hügelkultur design, or utilizing raised beds. Each will come at a different price. Here are a few things to think about:

Method, Appearance, Function, and Cost all play a part here.

Method: If it is important to you to avoid tilling, you might choose to purchase bags of soil or compost, or have it delivered in bulk. You can see the variability in cost by searching “bulk garden soil” which is oftentimes available through local garden centers and landscaping companies. Keep in mind it might come with a delivery fee, so make the necessary calls before making a final decision.

Appearance: If your goal is to design a landscape that gives a specific visual appearance, you might choose to invest more financially into the project than simply planting a pumpkin seed in a mound to vine across the yard. Alternatively, some people choose to use a fence, gate, or vertical gardening in order to introduce design elements within in-ground gardens. Considering the cost for the goal of the project is important because of the sheer amount of options available. Many urban gardeners choose to utilize raised beds, elevated beds (with legs), or containers, all which come in many styles and sizes.

Function:

• Does your proposed gardening method serve to build the relationships between soil, the plants we are growing, and our own well-being?
• Will this garden encourage us to consume more nutrient-dense foods?
• Is the garden accessible during our daily routine?
• Is it close to a water source?
• Is there enough sunlight for what we are growing? (some plants are fine in a little sun while others prefer 6+ hours)
• Does this garden need to be moveable for any reason? (if you are planning on moving, or need access to utilities, or it is on a deck, etc.)
• Are there common pests or animals I should account for in the setup? (think about deer, squirrels, rabbits? The family cat?)

Cost: If it is important to you to keep the cost minimal, consider the resource of creativity. Sometimes we can find recycled, safe materials to utilize for the garden space. Any time we are growing food, we want to make sure it is a food-friendly growing environment, not treated with chemicals that could harm the consumer. Here is a page with some creative ways to set up a garden space. Additionally, creating your own compost and utilizing composting systems within raised beds can decrease the total cost of filling a raised bed.

Make sure that if you are using a shared community space or a neighbor’s yard, that you determine which methods will work based on those specific spaces. Your neighbor might not be fond of the hand-me-down appearance, might have bunnies that will eat all the vegetables in sight, or they might have utility lines that cannot be planted on. Having this conversation at the beginning might help avoid some road blocks later in the season.

More links and details to come soon!

• Visit local garden centers or landscape supply stores.
• Read the back of seed packets whenever you get the opportunity.
• Visit farmers markets and see which item gives you the “wow” factor, whether it is a fruit, vegetable, or herb.
• Find some YouTube videos that inspire your goals for growing. Many gardeners and homesteaders will share the variety of vegetable they are growing, along with the reason for growing that variety.
• Order seed catalogs from the links below or just look through their online store for inspiration.

Here are a few links to spark curiosity and grow your vision for this garden season:

• https://seedsavers.org/
• https://www.rareseeds.com/
• https://migardener.com/
• https://www.reneesgarden.com/
• https://www.anniesheirloomseeds.com/

We will talk more in depth about certain varieties for certain purposes (coming soon).

This step is what stops a lot of people from success after raising seedlings successfully for months! Plants that have been raised indoors, in a controlled environment, need gentle experiences with the outdoors before staying there full-time.

Here is a link to learn about the hardening off process, which essentially means “getting used to the outdoors, for plants.”

Guide to come soon.

We will be including information here on

• fences,
• raised beds,
• netting,
• companion plants to deter certain plant-eating insects, and
• some garden visitors that actually have more benefit than harm in the garden setting!

Keep an eye on your plants so you get used to what your plants look like!

Think like a market gardener & grow like a giving-focused gardener who wants to feed people nutrient-dense food. If you want more produce, you have to think about the logistics and timing, then make a plan.

Some reasons for succession sowing!

1. Some plants grow really fast and leave a gap when they are harvested! Radishes are great examples of fast growers that can be pulled out and then replaced with another crop within a couple weeks. Even if you are growing on a small scale, arugula can be heavily seeded in a container, and harvested for a salad as baby greens in about 21 days. You can see how it is possible to get more than one harvest per season with this method, and it tolerates part shade if your only available space is a balcony or even a container indoors.
2. Our seasons vary from one location to another! For example, if you are starting seeds indoors because it is still snowy outside, consider starting a couple of cucumber seeds every couple weeks as you approach planting time so you have a longer season of fresh produce without it all coming to harvest at once.
3. Extending the harvest season: Some plants can “go to seed” easily in the hot weather, which usually diminishes the produce you will receive from the plant after sending its energy into creating seeds. To help produce more vegetation, you can start extra plants indoors in the middle of your growing season, with the hopes of planting those starts out when the heat settles down. This can help create a Fall Garden.

Check out this page on Growing cool-season vegetables in Minnesota from University of Minnesota Extension. On a larger scale if you are looking into market gardening principles and charts, you can check out the Market Gardening page from Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

More info to come soon.

We will talk about harvesting and the impact of donation. This tab is for instilling sustainable and healthy rhythms in our lives.

Restoring Gardens has major focus areas on education, sustainable community gardening practices, and improving local food access. Links correlated with these defining factors will be added here– stay tuned!

Guide to come soon!

• Cover crops,
• building up the soil
• fall garden,
• overwintering plants,
• perennials,
• mulch
• compost

Guide to come soon.