Gardening

Soil Types

Sandy Soil—Drains fast, low nutrients, warms quickly

Clay Soil—Retains water, compacts, nutrient-rich

Silt Soil—Smooth, holds moisture, fertile

Loam—Ideal mix of sand/silt/clay; best for gardens

Peat Soil—Acidic, high organic matter, retains moisture

Chalky Soil—Alkaline, stony, free-draining

pH 6.0-7.0—Ideal range for most vegetables

Amend with Compost—Improves any soil structure and nutrients

Planting Calendar

Early Spring (6-8 wks)—Start tomatoes, peppers, eggplant indoors

Mid Spring (4 wks)—Start squash, cucumbers, melons indoors

After Last Frost—Transplant warm-season crops outside

Direct Sow Spring—Peas, beans, carrots, radishes, lettuce

Midsummer—Plant fall crops: kale, broccoli, beets

Late Summer / Fall—Plant garlic, cover crops, spring bulbs

Seed Depth Rule—Plant 2-3× seed diameter deep

Harden Off Seedlings—7-10 days gradual outdoor exposure

Watering Guide

1" Per Week—General rule for most garden plants

Morning Watering—Reduces evaporation and disease risk

Deep & Infrequent—Encourages deep root growth

Drip Irrigation—Most efficient; delivers water to roots

Mulch 2-3" Deep—Retains moisture, suppresses weeds

Container Plants—Check daily; dry out faster than ground

Wilting Test—Check morning; afternoon wilt may be heat only

Common Vegetables

Tomatoes—Full sun, stake/cage, water consistently

Peppers—Full sun, warm soil, moderate water

Lettuce/Greens—Part shade OK, cool season, successive sow

Zucchini/Squash—Full sun, lots of space, heavy feeder

Beans—Direct sow, fix nitrogen, easy for beginners

Carrots—Loose deep soil, direct sow, thin to 2" apart

Cucumbers—Full sun, trellis saves space, keep picked

Potatoes—Hill soil as they grow, harvest after dieback

Common Herbs

Basil—Annual, full sun, pinch flowers for more leaves

Rosemary—Perennial, drought-tolerant, well-drained soil

Mint—Perennial, invasive; grow in container

Cilantro—Cool season, bolts in heat, successive sow

Parsley—Biennial, sun to part shade, slow to germinate

Thyme—Perennial, low-growing, drought-tolerant

Chives—Perennial, easy, edible purple flowers

Pest Control

Aphids—Spray with soapy water or neem oil

Slugs/Snails—Beer traps, diatomaceous earth, copper tape

Tomato Hornworms—Hand pick; attract parasitic wasps

Cabbage Worms—Row covers, BT spray, hand pick

Japanese Beetles—Hand pick morning; milky spore for grubs

Ladybugs—Beneficial predator; eats aphids and mites

Neem Oil—Organic broad-spectrum insecticide/fungicide

Companion Planting—Marigolds deter many pests naturally

Composting

Green Materials—Nitrogen-rich: food scraps, grass, coffee grounds

Brown Materials—Carbon-rich: leaves, cardboard, straw

Ratio 3:1 Brown:Green—By volume for balanced compost

Turn Every 1-2 Weeks—Aerates pile, speeds decomposition

Keep Moist—Like wrung-out sponge; not soggy

Avoid Meat/Dairy—Attracts pests, creates odor

Ready in 2-6 Months—Dark, crumbly, earthy smell

Companion Planting

Tomato + Basil—Repels flies, improves flavor

Carrot + Onion—Repel each other's pests

Corn + Beans + Squash—Three Sisters; mutual benefit

Rose + Garlic—Garlic deters aphids from roses

Lettuce + Radish—Radish loosens soil for lettuce

Cucumber + Dill—Attracts pollinators

Avoid: Tomato + Fennel—Fennel inhibits tomato growth

Avoid: Bean + Onion—Onions stunt bean growth

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