Gardening Tips

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Starting your Garden:

Ten Steps for Success:

Write down your plan, measure and diagram.
Prepare the garden soil. Select seeds carefully.
Design with climate, elevation, and maturity size in mind.
Know fertilizing limits. Learn to compost.
Organize plants with similar watering needs together.
Locate the garden with 6-8 hours of daily sun.
Limit pest control, don't kill the pollinators and good bugs.
Learn how to prune properly.
Plant at correct depths, mulch as needed.
Remove diseased failing plants.

Soil Preparation:

Don't get over anxious to get started. Never dig or till wet soil -- you could destroy its structure. Hold a ball of soil in your hand and compact it. If it crumbles easily, you can cultivate the soil. If the ball stays compacted, it's too damp, and you should wait another day or two otherwise you could produce "concrete-like" soil conditions. The soil at the SCG plots has not been cultivated for nearly a decade. This soil will need to be tested. You can help correct your plot's soil deficiencies by adding soil amendments such as "cold" compost, manure, peat moss, other organic material. Inorganic amendments -- such as sand, phosphorus, gypsum or Utelite-- may also be necessary. Broadcast amendments over the soil to a depth of 2" to 3". Your soil may also benefit from the addition of a slow-release fertilizer. Greensand, a popular amendment, contains potassium, iron and other nutrients necessary for healthy plant growth. Gypsum supplies calcium and is said to loosen clay soils. Once you've broadcast the amendments over the soil, use a rake to distribute them evenly. Use a rototiller or cultivating fork to incorporate them. Dig into the soil as deeply as possible: at least 12" to 18". Once you've incorporated the amendments, you're ready to plant.

Improper soil practices and conditions: * compaction: stops root growth * working wet soil: damages/compacts soil * constant digging: breaks down organic matter * walking on the soil: compacts and forces more digging * no life in the soil: no worms, grubs, etc. * poor drainage: wet, poor rooting, rotting * poor soil quality or structure: collapse, compaction * wrong particle size: too fine may cap, too coarse = no germination * loose soil: dries out, poor rooting, plants fall over * insufficient compost to nourish plant growth

Compost is very important:

Organic matter provides the heart and fuel of the soil, it: * glues the soil particles into stable porous structures * improves all mineral soils, loosens clay soils * holds water * provides and holds nutrients in a plant accessible form * supports soil life: bacteria, fungi and worms; may attract bees * Learn how to make compost Look after your soil and your soil will support healthy vegetable crops and be very productive.

Soil Conditioning:

Utelite E-soil- add E-Soil to your garden soil as a water wise, inert, root propagation medium to enhance varying soil conditions. E-Soil particles are completely inorganic and can be blended with other soil supplements. E-Soil will not compress, decompose, or react with agricultural or horticulture chemicals. This fully calcined material is highly predictable, consistent, and stable over time.

Seed Selection

Instructions for correct seed selection

Rainwater Collection:

Rainwater harvesting that is used for gardening purposes is finally legal in Salt Lake. Wasatch Community Gardens and urban homesteader Jonathon Krausert, at Tree Utah's Eco Garden at the Day-Riverside Library hold workshops on what it takes to build a functional rainwater collections system in your own backyard.

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