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Information about the Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension Program
2020
# Tips and Tricks for Starting a Backyard Garden
Dr. Leigh Whittinghill, Assistant Professor of Urban Agriculture
## Selecting a Garden Site
• Pick a site convenient for you to maintain.
• Some wind is good but avoid areas exposed to strong wind.
• Be mindful of possible pollution sources and avoid them.
• Your Garden will need 6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day.
- Look for areas where plants already do well- this can indicate high organic matter content and high nutrient content.
• Avoid spots where water puddles during and after rain, such as low spots at the bottom of a hill.
- Avoid clay soils and add organic matter to sandy soils.
• Plant away from trees, they will compete with your vegetables.
## Planning the Garden
• Start small- you can always expand later.
• Be mindful of who will be using the garden.
• Select crops you use often.
• Know your crops:
- How to plant
- When to plant and harvest
- Consider disease resistant varieties and varieties that grow well in your area
- Plants that attract pollinators and other beneficial insects.
• Consider including:
-A rotation to reduce pest problems and increase fertility.
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## Managing the Garden
• Water regularly:
- Vegetables need about one inch of water a week.
- Rain can provide some water.
- Avoid letting plants stay wet to prevent disease or fungus problems.
• Fertilize your crops:
- Add compost to the soil before you plant.
- Slow release fertilizers and organic matter sources can add nutrients over a longer period of time.
- Many vegetables require more nutrients when flowering or when fruit are forming.
- Manage your weeds with mulch and by removing them quickly, before they can produce seeds.
• Understand which insects are beneficial and which are pests.
• Attract beneficial insects that pray on pests with flowers like marigolds and yarrow.
• Use chemical controls as a last resort.
- Keep them away from children.
- Avoid spraying plants in bloom with insecticides because these will also harm pollinators.
- Make sure your product matches the pest and vegetable you want to treat.
- Apply only where needed and as directed.
• Watch out for furry pests
- Plant some things they don't like to eat, for example deer don't like plants that are furry or prickly.
-Blood meal or hot pepper sprays can keep pests away, but have to be reapplied regularly.
-Hanging objects like flags or CDs may scare pests off as they move in the wind.
-Fencing can be used to keep them out, but deer require much more fencing than rabbits.
## References
Heft, T. 2013. Rabbits and Deer Won't Eat These Flowers, Shrubs, Herbs, and Trees. http://www.bigblogof-gardening.com/flowers-shrubs-herbs-trees-that-rabbits-and-deer-wont-eat/ (accessed 18 June 2018)
Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky. ID-128. University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Markham, B.L. 2014. The MiniFarming™ Bible: The Complete Guide to Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre. SkyHorse Publishing. New York, New York.
Taylor, L. and The Gardeners of Seattle Tilth. Your Farm in the City: An Urban Dweller's Guide to Growing Food and Raising Animals.
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