3 Things A Garden MUST Have

Here's the first part of the gardening lesson. And remember, this is directed towards helping even a six-year-old raise a successful garden, so unless you are a total beginner, you might already know most of this. However, I trust that even long-time gardeners will be able to pick up tips and ideas as we go along.

Light
There are three things that a garden absolutely must have in order to bear fruit. The first is sufficient light. Most vegetables need at least six to eight hours of sunlight every day in order to do anything worthwhile. If you cannot provide this, your gardening experience will be halfhearted at best. If you are wanting to start a new vegetable patch, go out and mark a spot that the sun is shining on at 8 or 9 in the morning. Then check whether the sun is still shining on that spot at 3 or 4 in the afternoon. If it is, your garden will probably do just fine. There are a few crops that actually would appreciate less direct sunlight than that, especially once hot weather sets in here in central Arkansas. Those include spring peas, radishes, carrots, lettuce, and the cabbage family (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, and kohlrabi).

Water
The second thing is water. It does not normally rain enough in this part of the country to keep a garden watered as much as it needs throughout the season. When you are choosing a location for your garden, think about how easy it's going to be to get water to it. If you only have a small plot, a watering can may be all you need. Or you might find a garden hose more convenient. The bottom line is: Make sure you can get plenty of water to your plants without a problem.

Soil
The third ingredient is soil. This might sound so simple it's almost silly to mention it, but I believe anyone that has tried to garden in or around Hot Springs, AR will understand. Since we live here, I understand more than ever the emphasis that is put on good, fertile soil. It is possible to raise good-looking vegetables right out of the rocky, nutrient-depleted soil that already exists here if you apply plenty of Miracle-Gro and other synthetic fertilizers, and spray to keep the bugs at bay, but these same good-looking vegetables will be no comparison in either taste or the amount of nutrients they pack to those raised in loose soil enriched with composted organic matter, especially if composted manures are included. They might look the same outwardly, and those raised with chemicals might even look nicer sometimes, but this could very well be an illusion. Over the past 100 years, the nutritional value of garden produce has plummeted by as much as 85% in some areas. In other areas it has never been very great in the first place. Just because your kids are eating their vegetables does not mean they are getting their vitamins. But there are ways to fix this! In my next article I want to introduce you to an easy and very effective way to provide all three of these essential elements to your plants.

Blessings to all!