Interested in starting your garden journey? Whether you are a novice or a seasoned green thumb gardener, by planning and following the fundamental practices, your garden can become a source of your pride and joy.

All you need is a small garden area with close to full sun exposure, a couple of basic tools and the willingness to nurture the plant’s growth.

Putting into practice the methods of integrating composting, optimizing soil fertility, and building upon the companion planting process, are key factors to think about when you plant your garden this spring.

 Composting: This is a vital practice, which turns recycled organic matter into a black gold fertilizer for your garden. Through the decomposition process, leaves and food scraps can act as a natural fertilizer. This allows the beneficial microorganisms, bacteria, and fungi, to play a role in decomposing the organic matter. Stimulating the development of organic matter in the soil allows for the improvement of root penetration (particularly in clay soils), water retention (particularly in sandy soils), soil structure and plant nutrition. This process can be beneficial in not only recycling waste but also improving your plant health and garden ecosystem.

 Soil Fertility: Composting can enrich the soil’s ability to hold nutrients and deliver the form of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium into the plants.

It is important to note, that even if you are applying composting material, this does not mean that you will have perfect soil composition, Often, compost material can be deficient in nitrogen especially when wood wastes are added to the mixture. Evaluating the effect of the compost by obtaining a soil test ensures the fertility of the soil. The soil test will be able to measure the plant nutrients, soil pH and heavy metal content in the soil.

For access to a soil test kit, contact your local Extension office and ask about soil testing. Visit extension.osu.edu/lao to get the address, phone number, and direct link to your county office.

 Companion Planting: This strategy can be used for pest control and maximization of space. It consists of placing two plants in the same area at the same time when they can benefit each other in some manner. The best example is the three sisters — corn, beans, and squash. The corn provides support for the beans to grow, the beans fix nitrogen to support the corn, and the squash vines cover the ground to hold in moisture and reduce weed competition. Other examples are planting small lettuces under tomatoes for continued growth during the hotter parts of the growing season.

For more information on planning for your garden visit these sites: https://go.osu.edu/compostingatyourhome

https://go.osu.edu/planningtoplantyourgarden

https://go.osu.edu/companions

Hornyak is an Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in Mahoning County.