By Jeff and Eileen Bidwell

Hello, Ballard—welcome to gardening in Rain City! Throughout the coming months we will offer this column to help demystify gardening for beginners and experienced folks who have dished the dirt before.

A little planning and a few basic tips will help you create the garden of your dreams. Whether you wish to grow ornamentals, shrubs or edibles, early spring is the time to choose the right location for your garden. Adequate daylight, exposure to both sun and shade, good drainage, protection from the elements and a water source are all essential to future success.

As we have learned, often by trial and error, having the right tools makes gardening infinitely easier. We suggest investing in a good trowel and sturdy pruning shears, plus a shovel, hoe and wheel barrow. Then, till, till, till the soil until your garden is deep enough to support healthy root growth. To amend your soil, add at least 5% organic composted material. Compost adds nutrients and improves drainage. Slow release additives like aged manure, limestone, organic fertilizers and green manure can be applied about two weeks before planting.

The ideal soil for many plants is known as sandy loam, a balanced mix of clay and sand. Too much clay causes poor drainage, and plants do not appreciate waterlogged soil. Too much sand prevents the absorption of moisture and nutrients.

Early spring is the perfect time to fertilize your existing lawn. Think of your lawn as a big grass garden. Adding slow release organic nitrogen-based fertilizer now will help keep it healthy all year.

Its show time now—time to plant your garden! When starting from seeds, read the instructions on seed packages carefully. You will learn the right time to plant, how deep and far apart to plant, and how long it takes for seeds to germinate. Choose seeds that are suitable to the climate, location and conditions.

Watering is the most important thing you will do for the remainder of the growing season. Vegetables, annuals and perennials need about an inch of water per week through September. Watering deeply is crucial, as frequent light watering produces shallow rooting plants that will suffer during droughts.

To suppress annual weeds, and save your back and your knees, add a layer of organic mulch. Mulching also conserves and equally distributes water and slowly aids your soil as it decomposes.

Please email us at characterstwo@earthlink.net with your gardening questions.

Wishing you gardening success in 2011. See you at the market!

Jeff and Eileen Bidwell are King County Master Gardeners and long-time Ballard residents. You can find the Master Gardener Plant Answer Clinic at the Ballard Sunday Farmers Market every Sunday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., May 1st through September 25th. On May 1st, they'll celebrate their fifth year at the market with free gifts and lots of doggie treats.