Did you miss Habitat’s Organic Gardening class on March 15? Not to worry. There’s still plenty of time to get a garden started and reap the rewards of fresh, pesticide-free, affordable, healthy vegetables throughout the summer.

Start by looking around your yard for a small place to put a garden. You’ll want to pick a spot that has at least 6 hours of sun and has good drainage (no low spots). It’s also handy to have easy access to water and proximity to your home.  The closer to your home the easier it is to take care of.

The next step is to outline your garden space. You can simply dig a square or, to make it more defined, outline the border with rocks, bricks, or build a simple frame with boards. For more detailed information we highly recommened the “square-foot” gardening method outlined in Mel Bartholomew’s book, Square Foot Gardening. If you get a chance, check it out at your local library. It’s full of great ideas that work!

Once you know where your garden will be you will want to turn the soil and add in amendments. Peat moss, manure, mushroom compost all help the soil encourage healthy plants and discourage pests. Good soil is key so don’t skimp here. A blend of 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 manure or mushroom compost and 1/3 original soil usually works well.

That’s it. Simple, easy and fun. Several Habitat families have already gotten started. Post your gardening questions here and get valuable tips from others.