Beginning a garden requires planning of a special kind.  Do you want only vegetables or a combination of vegetables, herbs and flowers?

Select a site away from old homes which may have peeling lead-based paint, but as close to a water source as possible.  The site chosen needs six to eight hours of sunlight for vegetables.  Therefore only flowers which grow in full sun can be planted.  Vegetables need deep well-drained fertile soil, while herbs can grow in less fertile soil but do need well- drained soil.  The best site needs to be level to allow rain and fertilizer to soak into the soil.

Now is an excellent time to start removing sod.  You can use a sharp shovel to remove two inches of sod.  Do not dig or till until the sod is removed or you will have more grass in the spring.  After removing the sod you may want to rent a tiller if one is not available.  Before adding organic amendments contact your local Texas AgriLife Extension for information about a soil sample testing for nutrients in your soil.  To improve tight clay soil add three inches of finished compost and as much expanded shale as your budget will allow.  Expanded shale need not be added again but compost will need to be replenished each planting season.  Sandy soil needs only three to six inched of compost to hold moisture and nutrients in the soil.

Raised beds four feet by eight feet are a good size.  Beds four feet by twenty feet require additional walking to reach the plants on the other side of the bed.  That may be a good way to get your daily exercise and enjoy gardening at the same time.

You may desire to leave two foot paths (not tilled) but covered with ground cover pegged down and covered with mulch.  This should prevent grass and weeds from growing in the paths.

Turn the soil as many times as possible before planting the beds in the first year.

The next time you plant you may need to dig only one time or not at all.  The garden soil may not be as loose as you would like initially, but if you keep using organic techniques the soil will get more friable and easier to work.

Select seeds or transplants recommended for your climate and soil.  Plant at the time recommended for your area.  Plant seeds or transplants closer to each other than recommended on the seed packages.  Close planting will shade the soil and prevent weed and grass seeds from germinating.  Mulch will also prevent seed germination.  You must rake it away from any vegetable seeds you are planting.  After the vegetable seeds germinate, you can return the mulch to the bed.

To start your spring garden select your site carefully, remove sod, prepare and amend your soil.  Tend your plants and you will enjoy a plentiful and tender harvest even if your soil is not perfect.

Call Fannin County AgriLife Extension Service for plant varieties, planting times, how to create compost, and any disease or   insect problems.  The phone number is 903-583-7453.