Once upon a time, there was a new gardener named Newby. One day Newby thought, “I would like to have a vegetable garden. Then I’d know where my food comes from and how it was grown. I wonder how I can do that?”

With a flash of green, a figure appeared. “I can help!” exclaimed Greenthumb. 

Newby: “Hi Greenthumb, I have questions like, where should I plant my garden?” 

Greenthumb: “It depends! Choose a spot that gets 6-8 hours of full sun each day. To minimize weeding, consider a raised bed. Keep it simple, perhaps four 2 X 6s nailed together to make a 3 X 8 foot bed. At this width, you can easily reach across it. And, if that spot doesn’t work, you can move it next year.”

Newby: “Can I just use the soil from my backyard?”

Greenthumb: “It depends! You should get a soil test; watch this video to find out how. Soil tests let you know how much and what kind of fertilizer is needed. It will tell you how much organic matter is in your soil and will give recommendations for healthy plants, with no adverse effects on the environment.  You can fill a raised bed with quality soil if your native soil is poor.”

Newby: “So, I just put the seeds in the ground?”

Greenthumb:” It depends! Some need to be started indoors and others do best when directly seeded.” Read the seed package learn what each type of seeds need.

Newby: “When should I plant my garden?”

Greenthumb: “It depends! Some crops are cool season; such as peas, spinach, lettuce, and many more. Others are warm season; such as cucumbers, beans, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, squash and melons. You need to read the seed package. You can also check out this seed-starting calculator.”  

Newby: “My neighbor’s tomatoes got all black last year. How can I prevent that?”

Greenthumb: “It depends! Check out ‘What’s Wrong with my Plant?’ on the University of Minnesota’s website to find pictures of various diseases and insects that may be affecting your veggies. There are recommendations on what to do. Having good sanitation and plant spacing prevents a number of pest problems. You can also ‘Ask a Master Gardener’ at (612) 301-7590. Leave a message and a Master Gardener will research your questions and get back to you.”

Newby: “I heard my neighbor talking about zones. What are they?”

Greenthumb: “Plant hardiness zone maps show the temperatures of various places in the state and nation. It is necessary to know your zone when buying small fruits like strawberries and raspberries, and perennial vegetables such as rhubarb, horseradish and asparagus, to make sure the plants you buy can withstand the winters in our area. See the map above to find out your zone.”

Newby: “Thanks Greenthumb!”

Greenthumb: “Happy Gardening!”

Photo Credits: Marjorie Blare (1,2,4), Hardiness Map (3)