Lawn & Garden
- Twelve 2 cubic-foot bags soil conditioner (such as composted manure or mushroom compost)
- Twenty-four 2-cubic-foot bags coarse-shredded mulch (for moisture retention)
- Three 3-pound bags gypsum (for summer gardens)*
- 1 pound or larger bag 13-13-13 fertilizer, broadcast over garden area
- Insecticidal soap (for soft-bodied insects), as needed
- Bt dust or spray (organic-sourced insecticide for controlling caterpillars, aka worms), as needed
- Fungicide (fungal diseases can seriously affect plant health), as needed
- Tomato cage, twine, or other way to support large or climbing plants, as needed
*Summer crops will still need soil calcium for sturdy fruit production. A 100-square-foot garden plot needs 9 pounds of gypsum for each summer garden.
Before shopping for supplies, submit a soil sample for testing (www.aces.edu/go/1259). Based on your soil analysis results and the time of year you’re planting, choose the seeds or transplants you want to grow. Here are suggestions based on the season:
Early-spring and late-summer planting (cannot tolerate high heat at maturity): beets, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, lettuce, mustard greens, radishes, spinach, and turnips
Late-spring and summer planting (cannot tolerate frost): cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini
You will find a complete list of crops and planting dates in “The Alabama Vegetable Gardener” on the Alabama Extension website at www.aces.edu. Download the Sow app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
Helpful tools:
- Drip irrigation system to ensure consistent moisture. See how-to videos at www.aces.edu/go/growmore.
- Gardening gloves
- Long-handle hoe or cultivator
- Tiller (gas or electric). If this is the first time planting a garden in this area, a tiller is needed to break up the soil surface to prepare for garden installation.
Bethany O’Rear, Regional Extension Agent, Home Grounds, Gardens, and Home Pests, Auburn University
Revised June 2023, 10’ x 10’ Garden Plot Supply List, ANR-2668