3 Keys to Garden Success

3 keys to Garden Success

Well, it’s winter and what do Minnesota gardeners do during the winter months? Plan their spring garden, of course! Whether you are just starting a new garden or looking to refresh your current garden space, it is not too early to start making plans for spring 2025.

 If you have a garden already and have journaled what you planted, where you planted, what thrived and what struggled to grow, you are ahead of the game. If you are looking to start a garden, there is much to prepare in order to place your first seeds into the soil this spring. In either case, this is the time to plan. As a Garden Consultant, I help experienced gardeners and beginners alike to overcome obstacles and obtain their goals for a kitchen garden of their dreams. 

In last month’s column, I touched on the reasons why I have always had a kitchen garden and how my reasons have shifted more toward growing healthy chemical free organic food for my family. A key prerequisite for planning any garden design is choosing priorities because it will determine how to structure the garden and planting plans for a positive outcome. These are the five top priorities I have identified as a garden consultant however you may know of others.

1.     Maximum productivity to preserve, provide for the family and share with neighbors and charitable organizations.

2.     The experience of growing new and interesting plants.

3.     The aesthetics and beauty of a garden and how it adds to the landscape of the property.

4.     The convenience of the garden’s location to the back door, with easy to reach plants in order to tend and harvest, with plant selections that are easy to grow.

5.     The impact on the environment, nurturing wildlife with renewable and sustainable methods.

 All of these are important and certainly included in my personal list however placing them in order of importance is a key step to a garden plan. How would you list them for your garden?

Once priorities are determined, it is time to consider the 3 Keys for a successful garden.

 1.     Set up - The first key being the most important is the set up. This includes location to water and maximum sun, planting in ground or using raised beds, trellises for vertical growing plants, borders, pathways and use of covers for protection. All of these bring success however without proper soil the garden will fail. Soil needs to have three components; one third compost, one third good top soil, and one third course sand for drainage. Check with your source for soil to be sure you are getting a proper mixture, as not every nursery or landscape outlet provides this combination in their garden soil.

2.     Timing - The second key for success is timing. Knowing the average temperatures in each month helps determine the seasons for proper planting. Not every plant tolerates the high temperatures of summer and some plants thrive in cool and even cold temperatures. Understanding plant families and what season they grow best in provides for a more productive garden. I take the time with my clients to coach them through this process of when to plant which plants during the various seasons in our local climate.

3.     Impact - The third key is understanding intensive planting, tending, pruning and proper harvesting within a plant plan for each season. Planning now will prepare you for a great 2025 garden. I consider the clients priorities, integrating the 3 keys for success to create a custom garden plan.