Here’s some common questions that new gardeners often ask, and the answers too!

Q. I want to start vegetable gardening this year. This is going to be my New Year’s resolution. What are some things I should consider to be successful?

A. Start with keeping a gardening journal. In this journal, you should start with a diagram of the area you are planning to garden. Keep a record with a drawing of what plants you planted where. Also keep track of what varieties of plants that you use. Try to keep records of their yields. That way you will know what was successful and what was not.

Keep a record of the general weather of each week, especially any unusual weather of extreme heat conditions and lack of rain. Keep track of the timing of your planting dates, and the timing of pruning, fertilizing and when the harvest begins.

Second, go out and sample the soil for testing.

You need just a small sample taken about 6 inches in depth taken at several places near the edges and in the middle. Mix these together in a clean bucket, then take out about half of a pint to be sampled. You want just the basic garden sample analysis. They will give you the results and indicate what you will need to build your soil for a good mineral content.

As spring approaches, it will take a little longer to get back results. So as long as the soil is not frozen, take the sample as soon as possible.

Third, send for some seed catalogs. You can look through these and get ideas. But remember the pictures are taken of the best results. Try to find a neighbor who gardens and find out what varieties he grows.

In the beginning, try the All-American varieties. These have been tested all over the United States and have won honors for producing the best yields consistently in all the various locations. Notice which varieties are suggested for what uses. Different tomatoes can be used for fresh salads, for pastes, for juice or for canning.

Fourth, get a copy of the 2007 Old Farmer’s Almanac. For about $6, you will get a lot of information on gardening. Some of the information will work for you and others may not. If you are planning on growing radishes, use their table on when to plant root crops. Otherwise you usually end up with just tops and no edible roots at all. Other information will help you through the winter months. Some gardeners rely on their dates for weeding, harvesting for the best quality, transplanting and pruning.

Fifth, go to the library or book store and find the book “Square Foot Gardening” by Mel Bartholomew. This is a great reference on how many plants of each vegetable type you will need to plant for the number of people you plan to feed. You have to control your enthusiasm as you do not need to plant hundreds of plants as you may think. Planting too large of an area will wear you out and give you burn-out very quickly. It also has some interesting and unusual planting ideas to keep things simple.

Remember to keep the log going for your records as the old saying goes- ‘Those that don’t study history are doomed to repeat the same mistakes. This is especially true with gardening.

If a variety does not work out for you this year with the weather that we have, don’t plant it again next year. Stay with the varieties that give you success. Discard the others. Every year will give you new knowledge.

I got this list of helpful tips from the Belleville News.