Most everyone would agree that for flavor and nutrition, not to mention safety, nothing beats homegrown produce from your own backyard (or plot at the local community garden). But if you’ve tried gardening in the past with less than desirable results, or if you have recently moved to the Idaho Falls area from warmer climes, you might be wondering what the secrets to successful vegetable gardening might be.
Having gardened in eastern Idaho for the majority of my 54 years, here are a few tips that experience has taught me. I hope these ideas will not only help bring success to your garden, but joy to your soul.
Tip #1- Plant the right varieties Even the best intentioned, hardest working gardener will be disappointed at harvest time if they don’t plant varieties that will mature in our short season. Talk to your neighbors or your local garden center for suggestions on varieties that have proven themselves in our area.
Tip #2- Don’t Plant Too Early (or Too Late) The average last frost date in Idaho Falls is May 22. Even then you have a 50/50 chance of getting nipped with frost, so be prepared with some blankets just in case. You can plant up to six weeks earlier, however, if you use Wall o’ Water Plant Protectors. On the other hand there are many crops that will not only tolerate frost, but prefer the cooler weather of April and early May. Peas, most root crops like onions and radishes, and most leaf crops including lettuce and cabbage perform best when planted early. So be sure to have two planting dates for your garden: an early date for the cool weather crops as mentioned above, and a later date for your warm weather crops like corn, beans, tomatoes and cucumbers.
Tip #3- Don’t Mess with Mother Nature The longer I garden the more convinced I am that natural gardening methods give the best results. Adding organic matter to the soil in the form of compost, mulch, peat moss, etc. will do more to improve the garden than almost anything you can do. It increases nutrients and beneficial microbes, and makes weeding easier as well.
Tip #4 – Enjoy the Journey Remember, the joy of gardening is in the gardening… not just in the harvest. So enjoy the journey. Make it a delight, not a burden. If you are new to gardening start small, and try to spend at least a few minutes in the garden every day. Time in the garden can be a blissful time, a contemplative time, a time that can bring tasty, healthy produce to the table and joy to your soul.