Gardening is not that difficult. Do not look at it as work, but rather, as inspirational and rewarding, developing peaceful mental therapy. Besides, you are making good use of the soil in a beneficial way. Soil is a living, complex system to which our lives are linked in a very real sense.
The trend among small-scale gardeners is toward natural and the organic methods and away from synthetics. Here are some reasons why: Organic fertilizers release their nutrients slowly over a prolonged period of time; organic fertilizer improves soil texture and contains trace elements and other necessary plant foods; earthworms and other beneficial organisms are not harmed or destroyed; organic fertilizers do not burn delicate plant roots. Man-made fertilizers are chemically produced and will grow vegetables, but cannot perform the above characteristics of organic fertilizers.
Plan your garden for the best possible yield. Decide on what you want for vegetables and don't bother growing vegetables that you won't eat. Keep in mind that you will need to do something with your produce or it will perish quickly. Now would be a good time to choose the amount and type of seeds you intend to plant. Also, decide whether to grow some of your own vegetable plants or purchase the plants at a greenhouse. I recommend the latter. If attempting to grow your own plants, you will usually end up with a lot of extra seeds that will lose germination, if trying to save them for the next year.
Your soil will determine how well the vegetables do. Get a rotary tiller and go over the garden about three times, in different directions. After this you need to do a soil test. This is really important. Obtain a test kit from a local feed store, garden supply store, or order one through your seed catalog. Test for levels of NPK (N-nitrogen, P-phosphorous, K-potassium). It is very important to know what the pH balance is, or the amount of lime. If the pH is not the right medium the plants cannot readily absorb the nutrients. It would be like trying to mix oil and water together. The two will not combine and will stay separated. The correct pH level will allow the organic fertilizers to be available to the plants.
There are various materials that can be used for organic fertilizers - bone meal, soybean meal, alfalfa meal, cottonseed meal, rock phosphate, fish meal, peat moss, cow manure, poultry manure, dried blood meal, tankage, wood ashes, seaweed, kelp meal, coffee grounds, compost, leaf mulch, grass clippings, beet pulp meal, and greensand. Here is a formula for making an organic fertilizer with an analysis of 3-7-5: Mix 1 part of dried blood, 1 part rock phosphate, 3 parts wood ashes and work it into the soil. You would need about five to seven pounds of this mix for every 100 square-foot area. This is a general example mix.
There are ways to control pest problems, as well. Applying a layer of mulch on the surface discourages weeds and some insects. Do this when you are done with transplanting and also when the plants have emerged from the seeds. Lay down a few layers of newspaper and cover with sawdust, wood chips, straw, mulch, etc. A spray made from 1 part Murphy's Oil soap, 1 part household ammonia, and 1 part water and applied to the vegetable plants will help with deer and insect problems. Another spray mix for insect pests could be household dish soap, some corn syrup, ground cayenne pepper, and water. If you are not satisfied with these formulas, then go find something at a garden supply store.
There are hundreds of vegetable varieties to choose from and this is somewhat frustrating. I have some choices you might want to try this year in your garden. With the short growing season, replanting doesn't always work, if seeds don't come up for some reason. I have found these vegetables below do fairly well for our climate.
