Before you start a new vegetable garden, you need a plan. You don’t want to choose just any spot. You need to pick the best place for a garden.
You don’t want to get in the middle of growing your garden and find that you’ve put it in a location where your vegetables just won’t grow well. So here are some things you should consider when choosing the best place to put your vegetable garden.
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Location, Location, Location!
First things first. When trying to decide where to put a new garden, you need to go out and walk around your property and really look at it with new eyes. Ok, you don’t really take out your eyes and get new ones. But you do look AT different things. And you look FOR different things. But what are you looking at and for?
Where To Plant A Garden.
Here is a good list to get you started to pick the best place for a garden.
1. Watch for shadows
When choosing the best location for a vegetable garden, you want to place it where it will get plenty of sunshine all or most of the day. Most garden plants require a minimum of 6 to 8 hours of sun per day. Few do well in a shady place.
Remember that the angle of the sun will be different at different times of the year. It may be in full sun in July. But will it be in March or October? And remember, if you have young trees nearby, trees grow. Will they be shading your garden in a couple of years?
Related>> How to Grow Fruits and Vegetables at Home
2. Watch for Roots
Speaking of trees, don’t put your garden too close to trees. The root system extends well past the drip line of a tree. And those hungry little roots are looking for water.
When it is dry, and you are watering your garden, those roots are going to be stretching to take advantage of that. Then, when you try digging in that dirt…..good luck. You will be cutting and chopping through some very strong, healthy, well-watered roots…that grow back year after year.
3. Watch for Utilities
Check with the utility company before you dig.
When choosing the best place to put your vegetable garden, check for utilities. There can be buried water and sewer pipes you don’t want to cut into.
Some communities have buried electrical and telephone lines. Also, look for outbuildings and wells where pipes and lines can be run underground.
Don’t forget sewer lines, too. Be aware of septic tanks and drain fields. You need to stay away from these areas, too.
Look up also. You don’t want to hit overhead wires. And never ever plant a tree under them. This cute little tree you plant today will be an eyesore one day when they have to cut the heart out of it to keep it out of the lines.
4. Watch for Water
If you have lived there for a while, you may know where the low spots of the property are. If not, it might help to ask your neighbors, or garden in containers for a year until you know the trouble spots.
You can also look for plants that like a lot of water to discover wet spots.
If you have hills, do you have areas of running water during certain times of the year? If so, and you take the grass off the top to put in a garden, it may just wash the whole garden down the hill with it.
Related>> How To Start Container Gardening Like A Pro.
5. Watch for Wind and Climate
One thing many people forget when they pick the best place for a garden is to consider which direction most of their storms will come from. What is your climate? Do you need a wind block to keep your plants from blowing over? Is this spot in a cold pocket that frosts first?
6. Watch for Traffic Flow
When you choose the best place for a garden, you will want to think about your yard’s traffic flow.
When you walk out your back door, are you going to have to walk all the way around the garden? Is it in the place where the kids want to throw the football? Will it block the back gate so you can’t bring any equipment through it? Is this right where the dog wants to run?
When you pick a spot for your vegetable garden, stand and consider the uses or possible future uses of the area where you are putting it.
Related>> Vegetable Gardening for Beginners: How to Start a Garden Successfully
7. Watch for Slope
When deciding where to locate your garden, try to find a level spot. Unless you are VERY industrious, you don’t want to tackle terracing. So you need to look for level ground. It will make your life so much easier. It will also keep the soil from eroding and washing away.
8. Stay Close to Home
One of the greatest considerations in picking the best place for a garden is to make sure it is near a water source.
Most gardens need additional water at some point in the growing season. If it is too far for a hose to reach, you certainly don’t want to have to haul buckets that far.
To make your life easier, consider an irrigation system. If you do you will want it close to a water source.
Another consideration is to place the garden near the house. If it’s not close by, you are less likely to spend time there, taking care of it, observing what is going on in it, and harvesting.
Remember, out of sight, out of mind. You will have a far less successful garden if you are not close enough to easily get in there every day.
9. Consider Lighting
Something else to consider is lighting. If you wish to work in the garden before the sun gets up or after it goes down, you may wish to add lighting. This may or may not be an issue for you.
I live in South West Florida, where we garden in the wintertime. In December, it is almost dark when I get out of work. I have many times been out picking tomatoes and beans by flashlight. Not a lot of fun and not very effective. You miss a lot of beans that way.
10. Start Small
You may make a plan for a large garden,…someday.
But take my advice, START SMALL. If you bite off more than you can chew, things will go undone, the bugs will take over, and the produce will go unharvested. It’s better to do a few things well than everything very poorly. You will more likely throw up your hands and watch the weeds grow.
Start small and do it well. Then, if you are inclined to, add a little more each season until it is the size you want and the size you can handle well. By considering your future plans, you can choose the best place for a garden and not have to change it later.
Related>> How To Start Urban Homesteading or Suburban Homesteading.
Pick The Best Place For A Garden.
- Watch for shadows
- Watch for roots
- Watch for utilities
- Watch for water
- Watch for wind and climate
- Watch for traffic flow
- Watch for slope
- Stay close to home
- Consider lighting
- Start small
By considering these 10 things, you will be able to choose the best place for your vegetable garden. A well-planned garden is a joy to behold. So take the time to plan well, and the journey will be so much more pleasant. And you will be enjoying your vegetable garden for years to come.
Learn More:
The Beginner’s Garden Jumpstart
How To Start A Container Garden Like A Pro
Control Bugs In Your Garden Naturally
10 Fastest Vegetables To Grow In Your Garden
Start A Vegetable Garden From Scratch
Happy Backyard Homesteading!
I believe everyone can grow at least part of their own food! Let me show you how.
Mary is a gardener, backyard homesteader, and duck wrangler. She is also the owner and writer of LifeIsJustDucky.com and AGoodWordADay.com. (for daily devotions) Mary is passionate about helping others expand their backyard homesteading skills and learn to be more self-sufficient, no matter where they live.
