Have you been thinking about putting in a garden this year, but you're unsure of how to go about it? Hopefully I can help you out with the "dos and don'ts."

The number one thing to get you started is where to place the garden in your yard. This should be a spot with 6 hours of sunlight; this alone will prevent many problems one could have. Then, remove all sod and weeds. This can be done manually or with Round-Up® or black plastic spread out across the surface for ten days.

Till the garden soil and work in compost material--like rotted leaves, aged manure, peat moss or compost--that can be purchased here at Colonial Nursery. Fertilize with a good commercial fertilizer like 10-10-10 or a good organic fertilizer that is also available. Vegetables are heavy feeders, so don’t skimp on plant food.

Now you are ready to plant; we recommend planting 3 foot wide rows. This makes it easy to reach from either side. Make wide enough paths to walk around the plants to water and weed. Corn is best planted with 4 or 5 short rows 18" apart, rather than planted in one long row. Sprawling plants like cucumbers, melons and squash should be planted in hills 4-6 feet apart. Beets, carrots and salad crops work best planted in wide rows than in longer rows.

It’s best to plant smaller amounts of seeded crops each week than it is to plant them all at once. Planting this way will keep you in fresh vegetables all season. Gardening is fun--try it!