Where should I plant my garden?

Where should I plant my garden?

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 

 

Everyone pictures that perfect garden, sunny, vibrant plants, time at ease. Picking the best spot to plant your garden can take some time and consideration. You really don’t want to have to move it later if you find to spot doesn’t work, especially if you have a fence around it. Below I’ll discuses the most important things to consider when picking your garden spot. 

 

The biggest thing to consider is hours of light. Most garden vegetables require at least 8 hours of sunlight. This means planting your garden right under the shade tree may not be the best idea. Can you grow some things there? Yes! Some plants love shade. Some cool season plants can do well on the fringe of the shade tree to help break the heat of the day. Most gardens are in a sunny spot, where little shade reaches. 

 

Another note on sun light to consider. The sun warms the soil temperature. If part of the garden is shaded more than the other, the shaded part will be slightly behind. You can use this to your advantage to either grow cooler season plants there, or extend your harvest, so not all the produce is ready at the same time. 

 

Another consideration is soil type. Different plants prefer different soils. Most of the time a heavy clay is not beneficial to vegetables, and neither is sand. If you have an area that has rich nutritious soil, your garden will do well. Looks can tell you a lot, but the gold standard is a soil test to tell you exactly the mineral levels in your soil. 

 

Shelter can be a good thing for a garden, if it is in the right place. Blocking the wind can keep young tender plants growing. It can also act as an insulator and buffer the slight frost. You don’t want this shelter on the south side though, as it will block most of your sun light. A nice north tree line can server very well. 

 

Water access is huge for gardens. Most vegetable gardens require quite a bit of water, depending on where you live. Having a hydrant close, or easy to run a hose to is critical to keeping your garden watered. 

 

The biggest tip no matter the garden you choose, is to keep it in your line of sight from your house, or wherever you spend a lot of your time. By seeing the garden frequently, it keeps it in the front of your mind, to tend to. Weed, water, and harvest. Gardens placed in the back where there is a lot of room, tend to be forgotten and neglected.

 

What is the biggest things to consider in planning a garden plot? Amount of sun light, soil type, shelter, water access, and line of sight from the house. 

 

 


 

As I've grown in  my journey as an entrepreneur, mom, gardener, and livestock owner, I struggled to find a planner that met my needs and kept me organized. So I MADE MY OWN. You can take a look at it on the link blow and buy it on amazon below
Don't want the whole calendar part? I got you! I pulled the gardening and animal care pages out and put them in a book all their own. 

Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Helping Your Family Homestead for Food group! This community is for the Mommas, looking to stay home and raise their kids, but unsure how to keep everyone fed and make ends meet. I share tips from my journey from the office, to half the income and feeding my family from home, while maintaining good nourishing food. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision. 
 
Starting to garden doesn't have to be hard! I gathered all the tips I've learned over my gardening learning curve and made them into a simple course to jump start your gardening your life. 

Supporting Your Family Naturally From the Inside Out community!! This community is for the Mommas, looking  to Support Your Family from Nature for Wellness. Tips range from nutrition, herbals, detoxing, natural cleaning, and essential oils. Basically all the things I’ve learned slowly over the past 5+ years if my journey. We have moved off Facebook, so to better serve our community and be able to discuss openly option for providing for your family in the best way possible.
Join the FREE Community

I've had 3 very different pregnancies. After the first traumatic birth, I learned better and how to care for my body naturally and prevent common pregnancy and birth problems before they arise. This quick course will get you the tools you need to have a naturally healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery. My first pregnancy I had a normal western medicine all the things pregnancy. My second? I flipped to completely natural, no medicine. Bonus: Preventing Preeclampsia Without the Aspirin & Healing from Birth Trauma

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Fall Garden Tips for Farm Wives and Home Gardeners

Fall Garden Tips for Farm Wives and Home Gardeners
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 

Fall is here, bringing cooler air and the final harvests of the year. But it’s also a time to prepare your garden for next season. With some simple steps, you can ensure your soil remains fertile and ready to produce a bountiful harvest next year. Let's explore how to make the most of this beautiful season in your garden.
Understanding Fall Gardening
Fall gardening is more than just letting your garden rest. It's about nurturing the soil and preparing it for the next growing season. By taking care of your garden now, you’re setting yourself up for success in the coming year.
Why Focus on Soil Preparation?
Healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving garden. By enriching your soil in the fall, you ensure it has the nutrients it needs to support your plants. This is particularly important for farm wives and home gardeners who rely on their gardens for food security and sustainability.
Steps to Prepare Your Garden for Fall
1. Plant Cover Crops
Early fall is the perfect time to plant cover crops like clover, radishes, or rye. These crops help retain moisture and add essential nutrients to the soil. Plus, they prevent erosion and improve soil structure. Give these crops at least one month before the killing frost to establish themselves. 
2. Grow Cold-Hardy Vegetables
Consider planting cold-hardy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, and kale. These greens can withstand cooler temperatures and provide fresh produce even as the weather turns chilly. Just remember to plant them 1-2 months before the first frost. Then insulate them when the freezing weather comes. Snow works really well for this. 
3. Conduct Soil Testing
Fall is an excellent time to test your soil. Knowing its nutrient levels allows you to make informed decisions about fertilization and amendments. This ensures your soil is well-prepared for spring planting.
4. Plant Bulbs
Once the soil temperature drops to 50-60 degrees, it’s time to plant garlic, onions, and flower bulbs. Wildflower mixes can also be sown after the first freeze. The freeze-thaw cycle helps these seeds germinate when the weather warms up.
5. Clean Up the Garden
After the first killing frost, remove any remaining plant supports like tomato cages or bean trellises. Lay any dead vines on the ground, but be sure to burn any diseased plants to prevent future issues.
6. Add Compost
Gather your family and start hauling compost to your garden beds. Aim for 1-2 inches of compost in traditional gardens and fill up raised beds. This will vary depending on your soil test. Using manure from horses, sheep, goats, cattle, or chickens is ideal, as it will continue to decompose over the winter, enriching the soil.
7. Mulch for Moisture and Weed Control
If you are using no-till methods, cover your compost with 4-6 inches of mulch. This helps retain moisture and suppress weeds, making your gardening tasks easier in the spring. It also checks one thing off your list for spring. Just move the mulch a bit and plant your plants. 
Reflect and Plan for the Future
Take time to relax and reflect on your gardening season. Review any notes you made about what you planted, how much you harvested, and what you might want to change next year. Planning ahead can make a significant difference in your garden’s productivity and your peace of mind.
Gardening in the fall is an opportunity to invest in the future of your home garden. By following these steps, you’re not only improving your soil but also ensuring a more successful and sustainable gardening season next year.
If you want a community to plug into and glean more knowledge, join the FREE Thriving Through Farm Life Support Group on Facebook. We're here to help you thrive, one season at a time. 
Remember, every small step you take now will lead to a bountiful harvest next year. You've got this!



Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Thriving Through Farm Life: Wife’s Support Network! In our community, we embrace the challenges of farm life and provide a supportive space for wives facing the complexities of managing a family farm. Whether you're navigating financial pressures, day-to-day operations, or seeking ways to create a thriving home, we're here for you. Explore gardening and preserving tips for cultivating your own oasis, share insights on animal care, and discover practical family budgeting strategies. Together, let's grow through challenges, flourish authentically, and sow the seeds for a resilient and thriving farm life. Join us on this journey of resilience and abundance! 
 
As I've grown in my journey as an entrepreneur, mom, gardener, and livestock owner, I struggled to find a planner that met my needs and kept me organized. So, I MADE MY OWN. You can look at it on the link below and buy it on amazon below.
Don't want the whole calendar part? I got you! I pulled the gardening and animal care pages out and put them in a book all their own. 
 
Starting to garden doesn't have to be hard! I gathered all the tips I've learned over my gardening learning curve and made them into a simple course to jump start your gardening your life. 
 
Supporting Your Family Naturally from the Inside Out community!! This community is for Mommas, looking to Support Your Family from Nature for Wellness. Tips range from nutrition, herbals, detoxing, natural cleaning, and essential oils. Basically, all the things I’ve learned slowly over the past 5+ years of my journey. We have moved off Facebook, to better serve our community and be able to discuss openly options for providing for your family in the best way possible. 
 Join the FREE Community
 
I've had 3 very different pregnancies. After the first traumatic birth, I learned better and how to care for my body naturally and prevent common pregnancy and birth problems before they arise. This quick course will get you the tools you need to have a naturally healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery. My first pregnancy I had a normal western medicine all the things pregnancy. My second? I flipped to completely natural, no medicine. Bonus: Preventing Preeclampsia Without the Aspirin & Healing from Birth Trauma

Soil Health

Soil Health

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 


Healthy soil makes a healthy plant. If the soil is deficient in nutrients, especially nitrogen or phosphorus, plants will fail to grow. If the soil lacks good bacteria, the plants will be more susceptible to disease as well. 

On a nutritional note soil that is depleted in minerals, cannot give your produce minerals. This leaves your food lacking in minerals and cannot give you minerals you need.  The best way to determine what your garden has or is lacking in minerals is to take several samples of the soil and have it tested for the mineral content.  Having the soil tested is the best way to determine how much fertilizer you need as well.

For fertilizer I like to use horse manure as it is abundant and must be cleaned out of the pen anyway.  You can use about any livestock manure for fertilizer. Don’t have any? Talk to people in your community.  Anyone who has some usually has an overabundance and will probably gladly get you some of their excess.  Be mindful of the nitrogen content of the manure.  To much can burn your plants.  Using manure for fertilizer is best when applied in the fall and allowed to sit all winter breaking down.  This will also help any excess nitrogen to work into the soil and not burn your plants in the spring.  You can also water extra during the growing year if the plants are looking a little burned. 
Plants absorbs up what is in the soil, both good and bad.   They take up the minerals, and the water, and any chemicals also in the soil. Therefore, it is important to know the source of your plants, especially when using them medicinally.  When preserving herbs, some of these properties can be concentrated.  This is especially true if the plant is being made into an essential oil.  Make sure you know the essential oil company and they know the source of their plants.  Need help? I know a great company and will gladly share with you.   

Keep these in mind when tending the pests in your own garden. Using mulch for weed prevention is better than round up.  Mulch also helps preserve the moisture and encourages good bacteria growth as it breaks down the mulch and you are not tilling it to keep the weeds out.  Tilling disturbs the soil biome and dries it out.  I till once, to work the manure in just before planting and keep the tiller out after that, mulching the garden with unused or refused hay.  

You can help to keep bugs at bay, by using plants that naturally repel them. Marigolds around the edges of the garden work great for keeping pests out.  Onions and garlic also put off a strong scent that bugs tend to avoid.  Keeping larger plants, like tomatoes spaced out in the garden also helps.  I have had much less bug issues in my tomatoes since I started spacing them throughout the garden instead of all together.  


Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Courageous + Purposeful Mommas group! This community is for the Mommas, mommas to be, in the midst of raising, and kids grown, looking for tips on building your family up and providing for them through natural methods. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious, and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision.

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