Slug Tales from Zone 6: Starting a vegetable garden

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

As the stress of modern life increases and the cost of groceries continues to rise, more and more people are turning to the peace and self-sufficiency that home gardens provide. Still, figuring out where to begin can be daunting, given the overwhelming amount of information available and the standards set by old pros. If you know what to plant, first gardens can be as simple as plopping a few seeds in the ground or a pot in the sun.

Choosing the right crops

Trying to grow a supermarket-worthy watermelon right out of the gate is a recipe for disappointment. For a guaranteed harvest and confidence boost, first-time gardeners can turn to easy crops like peas, radishes, green beans, zucchinis, small tomatoes and leafy greens like lettuce. Most of these seeds can be planted outside without issue, though to get ripe zucchini and tomatoes earlier in the season, it’s easier to buy baby plants — or “starts” — that have had time to grow indoors.

When choosing from this list, consider what you’ll actually use in the kitchen. Just because radishes are easy to grow doesn’t mean you want 30 of them.

Tomatoes and zucchini from the author’s garden. Photo by Soncirey Mitchell

Buying seeds and starts

Supermarkets, farm suppliers and home and garden stores all sell starts and seed packets, usually from big brands like Ferry-Morse and Burpee. These are a fine, inexpensive way to get into gardening. Shopping at small stores and farmers markets, though, will not only help the local economy but will usually give you a more diverse selection of plant varieties and organic and sustainable options.

My favorite seed brands are Snake River Seed Cooperative, Adaptive Seeds and Deep Harvest Farm, all of which are grown in the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West and easily adapt to life in Bonner County. Look for them on shelves or buy directly from their websites.

When choosing between seed packets, there are three main things to look for: growing conditions, spacing and the number of days to harvest. Growing conditions will show how much sun a plant needs per day and when and where they will grow.

For instance, if your garden has anything shading it during the day, look for “partial shade/sun” or “shade tolerant/loving.”

The packet will also list USDA Hardiness Zones or include a color-coded map to show the optimal planting dates corresponding to your location.

Most of Bonner County falls under Zone 6, meaning the average minimum winter temperature is between zero and minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on elevation, latitude and other geographical factors, parts of the county are even Zones 5 and 4.

To see where your garden lands, visit planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Spacing is self-explanatory — it’s how much room each seed needs to grow. Don’t plant a 20-foot watermelon vine in a pot on the patio.

Finally, the listed days to harvest will tell you whether a plant can reach maturity in our area when planted directly outdoors. Bonner County’s average last Spring frost happens around May 14, while the first fall frost occurs around September 16. That makes for an average growing season of 125 days — but that number can change depending on site conditions.

Slow-growing crops can take more than 100 days to reach maturity, which is cutting it pretty close to the deadly frost dates. Plants like these need to grow indoors until the weather warms up, so beginning gardeners should purchase these as starts rather than seeds.

If you want to learn to grow your own starts, read “Getting Down to Brassica Tax” on sandpointreader.com

Planting

When it’s time to plant, ensure the soil is relatively dry and nearing air temperature. Planting in wet soil will inadvertently compact it, making it difficult for the seedling’s roots to grow properly. Our dirt can range from rocky to mushy, so if it doesn’t appear crumbly, dark and easy to dig through — or if, when you pour water on it, the soil doesn’t immediately soak it up — you might need to buy some additives or consider a container. Garden stores can recommend what to mix into your soil to help it drain, retain water or increase its nutrients.

Once the soil is ready, follow the planting instructions on the seed packet, or, as a rule, cover seeds with soil that’s twice as deep as the seed is long.

Plant arugula, mustard greens, peas, radishes, lettuce and spinach outside throughout April for a late spring crop.

Got garden questions? Email them to soncirey@sandpointreader.com to have them answered in an upcoming installment of “Slug Tales from Zone 6.”