Planning Your Garden Part 2
Planning Your Garden Part 2: Considering the Height of the Plants
Another thing to consider in deciding where to place the different kinds of flowers and vegetables is the height to which each plant will grow. Flowers show off well if they are arranged according to height: the tallest flowers at the back of the garden, the shorter flowers in front of them, and the low-growing border flowers at the very front. While you are arranging your flowers according to height try to place them so that the colors look attractive together too.
In a vegetable garden, tall plants, like sweet corn, beans raised on poles, and tomatoes tied to wooden stakes, should be placed so that they do not shade the shorter plants. If the rows in rows in your garden run from east to west, place the taller-growing plants to the north. If your rows run north and south, place the taller plants in the center of the garden or on the north end.
Choosing the Right Planting Time
On the plan of your garden you will also want to include a planting date for each kind of flower and vegetable. The instructions on seed packets will guide you. Always read and follow these instructions carefully. Some seeds can be put in the ground before the last killing frost in the spring. Others must not be planted until the ground is warm. Seeds that are planted later in the season must have enough time to mature before the first frost in the fall. You will need to know the dates of the last killing frost in the spring and the first killing frost in the fall in your area.
Equipment
You will need seeds and bulbs from a reliable seed firm or nursery. You will also need a spade or a shovel for turning over the soil, a hoe for weeding and breaking up the soil around the plants, a garden rake, and a trowel for transplanting (digging up plants and moving them to another spot).
In addition, you may need fertilizer or manure for poor soil, lime for acid soil, twine and stakes to tie up tall plants, and a small duster or sprayer to keep plants free from bugs.
Now you are ready to begin the actual of gardening. This includes the preparation of the soil, planting, and transplanting. Soon, you are on the way to a great and fulfilling hobby that many people around the world have enjoyed for many centuries