QuickTake:

Don't forget to experiment on your own to find what works for you and learn how your vegetables thrive.

If you are putting in your first garden, or 30th — or, for me, at least, my 60th— you have a lot to learn, and you will have a lot to eat. I appreciate your letting me share some of what I have learned over the years. But I want to point out right away that there are lots of ways to grow things, and what works for me with my six-foot-deep topsoil may not translate to your plot.

Many great sources of information are out there. Talk to your neighbors, ask at local garden centers and use the Lane County Oregon State University Extension service hotline and website. And — this is important — don’t forget to experiment on your own; that’s where experience comes from.

I grow primarily to produce food, but that doesn’t mean my yard isn’t attractive. A vegetable garden often rivals, or exceeds, the beauty of a plot done for solely ornamental purposes. Growing vegetables provides infinite shades of green.

The somewhat haphazard arrangement of my plants is dictated by both serendipity (if a patch of arugula comes up where I planned to put in corn, I change plans) and design; this old guy has a few growing seasons under his belt. But if you prefer the ordered look, that’s fine — just make sure your plants get what they need, too. 

Soil preparation

The underpinning of a successful garden is the soil, and not what you do to it just before planting. You should always be working on your soil. Working the soil rarely involves a rototiller. Turning over a small area for each tomato plant — every 3 feet with your shovel — is best. That leaves most of the soil in your garden untouched and the healthy subsoil network of bacteria and fungi undisturbed. 

All the microorganisms and subterranean life networks that allow your vegetables to take up the nutrients they need for growth have been “discovered” since I put my first seed in the ground.

Organic matter — like decomposing leaves and composted kitchen scraps — needs to be added to your soil year after year because what they provide to plants gets used up. I will talk about fertilizer later, but the rule I follow is organic. Natural materials break down slowly and help provide tilth, or workability, for your vegetable plot. Clay soils take longer to get workable, but even clay (except the blue clay) can provide a good growing medium once it is sufficiently dry. 

I have never met a leaf I didn’t like. Walnut leaves — even black walnuts — and pine needles are fine for your garden, in moderation. Spread them over the soil to decompose during the winter. Spread them around your plants in summer to control weeds and preserve moisture. I always have two piles of leaves near my garden: two-year-old leaves and leaves from last fall waiting to turn into two-year-old leaves. As those leaves decompose during a growing season (and during the winter), they add organic matter to the soil continuously.

Some people swear by plastic. But I am still swearing at the layers my home’s first owner used to control weeds. If I am lucky, it comes out in big sheets. If it has been exposed to the sun, removing it requires patience and tweezers. I’d advise you to think long and hard before using plastic sheeting in your yard, and that includes landscape fabric unless it is a natural material.

Here’s an interesting story about soil microorganisms: Before the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas planted its signature palm trees, it sterilized the soil to avoid pests or diseases that might harm the trees. After planting, the trees languished. There was plenty of fertilizer and water, but very little growth. Noted Oregon State University soil food web researcher Elaine Ingham, who died in February, was called in, and she suggested compost tea. The tea restored the natural soil organisms that make nutrients available and rejuvenated the trees. The iconic trees were removed in 2023 to make way for Formula One racing spectators.