There are more than enough people around the valley willing to offer you advice or classes on gardening. But what if you knew the science behind all the garden advice/classes, so you could figure out the facts from the fiction, and have the best garden on the block? Well, I don’t have enough space here to give you all the scientific information you would need, but let me share some great points that will get you a step ahead of the rest. We are going to go a bit beyond the basics of gardening.

Here is the “Thick List” of things to know:

1. HAVE A PLAN. This piece of advice really counts for a vegetable garden, but also works for flower gardens. Draw out where you will put what, and keep that plan so next year you have an idea of what was where. Also, take notes. What grew well, what did not, when you watered, disease and insect pressures, was it too sunny or too shady, how was your harvest, etc. The more time you spend on your notes and in your garden, the better you will become at gardening. You will learn from what you have done, and what you should have
2. REASONABLE GARDEN SIZE. A study showed that the gardening activity that consumed the most time was harvesting. This study showed that a garden size of about 10 x 10 ft was the ideal size for an average family.
3. SOIL ORGANIC MATTER. The key to a good garden is…(read more)

Originally published on Utah Valley Health and Wellness