Planning your garden for next year!

Here's a little tip for you if you didn't get the chance to do a garden this year, or if you plan on expanding your garden next year. Start tracking the amount of sunlight you get and marking it out NOW!

This is the mistake I made. We had just moved to our new house a few months ago and I was extremely eager to get the garden started. I only tracked the "sunlight to garden" area for two weeks, I made my adjustments and started planting. Unfortunately the sunlight has moved SO much more than I expected. Some of my beds are now only getting four to five hours of sun...big bummer! I am crossing my fingers in hopes that everything works out and my little veggies will thrive.

First Step: Pick your spot
To begin the process you will need to first mark out the area you would like to have a garden. Choose an area south of tall trees and an area far enough away from the north side of any building structure that can obstruct light (about fifteen to twenty feet). South and west facing areas are ideal.

Next step: Rise and Shine
You will have to get up early and go out to you designated area on an hourly basis until the sun goes down or is no longer shining in that area. I did this daily, but if you are tracking the whole season I think once a week would be sufficient. The sunlight started at 9am in my location and ended around 7pm.

 Note: You want to have 6-8 hours of sunlight for you vegetable garden.

Last step: Mark your territory
You can stake out your area that is in the sun using garden stakes and twine, large rocks, leftover lumber or even spray paint (as long as you don't mow the grass in that area) You will have to keep moving your markers to adjust for the suns (earths) movement, and then track how much sunlight the new area gets.

Don't forget to write it down in a notebook or journal so at the end of the growing season you can compile your findings and choose the perfect location.

I am currently doing this myself and will most likely be moving a few of my raised beds to a sunnier location this fall.

Happy Gardening. Lisa