Roots for Days. How to Upgrade your Backyard Garden

We planted our carrots and beets in our backyard garden sometime in March and they are going crazy!

This is actually something that we learned this year on our homestead. We live in Michigan, and this year in March it was still getting into the high teens and low twenties at night with temperatures barely over 40 on average during the day. We have never planted anything before Memorial Day weekend to be honest with you. This is really the first backyard garden that I’ve started to get outside my norm and plant new things. I usually stick to the zucchini, tomato, peppers, and a few cukes if I’m feeling saucy. This is the first year I’ve played around with root vegetables, all in an attempt to be more sustainable every day.

As soon as the soil temperature picked up above freezing, they all shot up like crazy. So much that I’m actually worried that I messed up and it’s all too good to be true. For real, they look like I started them in a greenhouse.

How do i prep for a garden upgrade?

The point is, if you’re starting to venture outside of your normal tomato and green pepper plants and into a wider variety backyard garden, look into the seeds you’re planting. Heck, they usually have directions right on the packages. Figure out what you want in your garden for NEXT year and plan accordingly. Different plants need to be started/ planted in the garden at different times during different seasons and temperatures. They also require different soil moistures and sunlight. What we have been learning is to find someone who plants in our state and listen to some of their advice. If you’re in Michigan, my wife loves MIgardener. She even ordered the seeds for our backyard garden from them this year.

Where do i find a know-it-all?

Michigan is not the only state with a professional like MIgardener. The internet is chocked full of people much smarter than I am about this stuff who you could probably hit with a rock they are so close to you. YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook all have groups if you can’t find a singular entity with all of the knowledge. I’m actually part of a homesteading group on Facebook. I don’t glean much from the mindless posts, but if I ask a question, I can usually take a “majority rules” approach to the answers I get and figure the rest out on my own.

So here’s your takeaway:

1. Plan your backyard garden a year ahead
2. Read up on your seeds
3. Read up on your climate
4. Find a professional in your area
5. Plant Your backyard garden!

As always, start small, think big, and be healthy!

Click here for more ideas on That Homestead!