Tips for Deciding What to Plant in Your Garden

Small, stubborn sprouts and pitiful produce can be discouraging – especially for beginners. Even if you’re cultivating crops correctly, it’s possible the variety of seed you’re planting is hindering your success. If you want your buds to blossom and your harvest to be plentiful, it’s important that seed selection is approached strategically.

To help you understand the complex considerations that drive a well-informed plot planning process, we’ve outlined the major factors that should influence your decision. Read on to discover the impact smart seed selection can have on the vibrancy of your garden!

Assess Your Skill Level

Before getting your hands dirty, you need to objectively analyze your gardening expertise and be cognizant of your own limitations. Successful gardeners with green thumbs should be significantly more ambitious with their seed selection than beginners who are still a bit “green” when it comes to cultivation. Each variety of vegetation requires a unique level of tender care, and it can be easy for inexperienced planters to struggle with stubborn seeds.

This frustration can be highly discouraging to beginners—it’s much more reaffirming to start simple and achieve immediate results. We recommend beginning with basic crops that are relatively low-maintenance and that won’t leave you demoralized. Examples of a few vegetables and herbs that are among the easiest crops to grow include: carrots, chard, beans, basil, cucumbers and radishes. Our favorite flowers that are guaranteed to flourish in any garden include: Sunflowers, Marigolds, Poppies, Cosmos and Zinnias.

If you’ve proven your ability to sow seeds and reap a hearty harvest, consider advancing to more demanding and time-consuming plants. When it comes to fruits and veggies, experts should try planting cauliflower, artichokes, head lettuce and melons. These crops may be stressful to cultivate, but the sense of accomplishment you’ll feel from picking ripe produce off the vine is unforgettable. To test your skill, try planting azaleas in your garden. Azaleas are arguably the hardest flower to grow and will wither if the temperature ever rises above 65 degrees.

Access to Sunlight

When you’re choosing plants to include in your plot, you should definitely take the amount of available sunlight into account. Without sufficient sun, plants aren’t able to use photosynthesis to produce the fuel necessary to survive. The amount of light that a plant needs, however, is variable and depends upon its species. If part of your garden is obscured by shade, it’s important to place sun-loving plants elsewhere. Some vibrant flowers that thrive in the shade and are easy to maintain include Hydrangea, Geranium and Impatiens.

Soil Quality

Nutrient-rich soil is the foundation from which beautiful gardens are grown. Unfortunately, some regions (like the American Northeast) have rockier, less flower-friendly soil than others. While hauling in new top soil and adding fertilizer is an option, you should consider growing tough plants that can withstand the limited nutrients offered by your native soil. For gardeners in rocky regions with shallow soil, we recommend planting seeds like: Perennials, common Sage, Lamb’s Ears and Black-eyed Susan.

Climate Considerations

Conduct research before selecting your seeds to ensure your climate is conducive to success and suitable for cultivation. There are four major categories of climates: tropical, mild, continental and arid. A plant that thrives in a wet, tropical climate will obviously suffer when exposed to the debilitating dryness of a desert. Growers looking for fast results and satisfying returns should try sticking with varieties of plants that are indigenous to their region. If the seeds you plant occur naturally in the wild, it means they’ll require less attention when placed in your garden.

If you’re itching to get a jump-start on spring and start planting, take a step back and strategically plan your seed selection first. The seeds you choose should reflect your expertise, climate and growing conditions. To get yourself started, be sure to check out Paris Farmers Union’s wide selection of garden supplies. Leave a comment below if you have additional tips for choosing what to plant in your garden.

With the help of these basic supplies, you can begin carefully cultivating seeds before the onset of spring and receive unparalleled satisfaction from watching your seedlings sprout. If you’d like to try seed starting for yourself, be sure to check out our full selection of seed and plant starting accessories and if you are interested in purchasing your garden seeds in bulk, download our 2018 Bulk Seed Order Form.