First time Gardener?

So these days everyone is all about saving money, right? So why not save yourself some money, with a little extra time spent outdoors and plant a vegetable garden!? It is spring officially so let the gardening begin. We have complied some steps to help you create a great garden.

1-Don't be intimidated if you have never planted a garden and start out simple with one or two plants. This will also allow you to feel like you are doing less work and help you to continue to enjoy your garden.

2-Make sure when you are choosing your location it is one in full sun. Six hours or more a day is ideal for a garden to grow to its full potential. If you don't have this much sunlight you may reconsider your chosen spot.

3- Do you have dogs? You might want to consider a fence. Any wildlife that frequents your backyard may want to stop and get a snack, or use the facilities, which can do damage to your precious crops. Consider a small decorative fence or if you are on a budget think about chicken wire. It is inexpensive and also comes in a variety of sizes.

4-Pay attention to the gardens fertilizer and watering needs. This will make or break you. Make sure you have some way of measuring the water amount the garden will be getting. You can use an old coffee can to measure the rain and/or your sprinkling system is giving the garden.

5- Grow vegetables that you LIKE. This is very important when choosing what to plant. You will be more apt to spend time in the garden if you are looking forward to what you will be eating.

6- Amend your soil! Colorado soil is not as garden friendly as soil in other states. It is high in pH and it is either too compact or not compact enough. The result in either case is that many garden plants may not be healthy and the nutrients needed for growth are bound up in the soil.

7- Make it pretty. Add signs with the plants names and varieties on them. Find, or make, decor to put in your garden. Maybe that turtle or rock sculpture you have been eying at your local garden center. Either way this goes back to helping you to enjoy working and spending time in your garden. So go ahead and make it pretty, yes men you too!

So Get out there and get dirty!If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment, we are more than happy to help. You can leave a comment, call or send us an email, whatever works best for you.

(Some of these tips were adapted from Lee Reich writer for The Coloradoan Newspaper. )