PNW Vegetable Garden

This is Everything You Need to Plan Your PNW Vegetable Garden

Do you have visions of transforming your lawn into a lush vegetable garden but don’t know where to start? Starting a garden from scratch is intimidating, but Urban Northern is here to help with all the need-to-know tips and resources for gardening in the PNW.

Prepare your garden site

Proper site selection is the foundation of a productive vegetable garden.

• The best garden sites are sunny, well-drained, relatively flat, and close to a water source.
• Digging, smothering, and solarization are the top methods to convert a lawn into a garden.

• Is your soil hard and difficult to dig? Find a company to aerate lawn near me to relieve soil compaction.

Choose your garden type

There’s more than one way to start a garden. Learn the top tactics to go from lawn to garden.

• Will you grow directly in the ground, build raised beds, or start a container garden? Each option has its pros and cons.
• In-ground beds are cheaper while raised beds avoid problems with poor soil and improve a home’s curb appeal and overall value.
• Rot-resistant materials and eco-friendly stains are the key to attractive, long-lasting raised beds.

Learn about PNW gardening

The PNW climate presents unique challenges to gardeners, but with the right approach, you can grow nearly anything.

• This Washington gardening schedule shows the best time to plant various crops based on your growing zone.
• It’s possible to grow warm-season veggies in the PNW when you select the right varieties.
• Irrigation is important during Washington’s dry summers. Choose drip irrigation to save water and maximize efficiency.

Control weeds and pests naturally

There are better ways to control weeds and pests than spraying.

• Companion planting is a tried-and-true method for deterring pests. Learn which crops to plant together and which to keep apart.
• Give natural predators a chance to kill pests first, using physical controls and less-toxic products only when necessary.
• Natural weed control methods include hand-pulling, mulching, and using chickens to clean up the garden each spring and fall.

Finally, remember that gardening is a learning process. Your first vegetable garden might not be perfect, but over time you’ll learn the ins and outs of PNW gardening and identify which crops grow best in your area. Start small and know that when things go wrong, there’s always next year!