Plan Your Garden

In much of our area, soil will need amending to grow great veggies, herbs and flowers. You can start with a soil test to see what yours needs. If you are container gardening, purchase bags of soil meant for this purpose. Soil test kits are available at garden stores, or you can send samples to UVM for testing.

How to Take a Soil Sample

Amending (improving) your soil will give plants the best chance to thrive. You may need to add soil amendments such as sand or coconut coir for drainage, compost or composted manure for nutrients and to improve the texture of soil, or a source of minerals such as greensand or lime particularly for trees and shrubs. 

This is especially important if you are starting a garden on what is currently lawn. In this case you will need to remove the sod and replace it with several inches of topsoil turned in, plus amendments. Or you can kill the grass with a heavy mulch and layers of newspaper, cardboard or weed block cloth. In subsequent years the garden will need consistent weeding and the addition of soil amendments.  

There are many styles and methods of gardening. Some have proven to be successful in the Northeast. There are books in the library as well as many online resources to learn about the different methods. Choose the type of garden that is manageable for your space, time, and budget.

• Square Foot
• No-till
• Lasagna, or sheet mulch
• Raised Beds
• Container

If you are a beginning gardener, choosing easy-to-grow plants will help you be successful your first year! Easy plants in northwestern Vermont include cucumbers, beans, peas, zucchini, beets, greens, lettuces, radishes. All of these can be “direct sown”, meaning you don’t have to start them early indoors (although some gardeners do, to get a jump on the season). Some of these same seeds are also easy to collect and save for your next year’s garden because they set seeds annually, and do not need large isolation distances to avoid cross-pollination. Beans, peas, tomatoes and lettuce are some of the easiest seeds to save and a good place to start!

Use the information provided on seed packets, a basic garden book, or online at a seed company’s website to determine how much sun and space each plant needs, and when it’s safe to plant. 

Pay attention to where you plant annuals versus perennials which come back each year. Most garden vegetables are annuals. You will want to check the information on the seed packet or pot when selecting flowers and take note if they are annual or perennial in your growing zone. Most of Chittenden County is Zone 5 a but there are colder microclimates, especially closer to the Green Mountains. Check the USDA Hardiness Zone map. 

• Garden Planning from Vermont Garden Network
• Compost Systems from Vermont Garden Network
• Transplant Timing Chart