Generally, when spring comes, it brings warmer weather.

Out here in Sweetwater County, it brings bipolar hot and cold fronts and winds that make it feel 20 degrees cooler than it is. A Wyoming spring isn’t always favorable for gardeners and farmers whether they’re just starting out or they’ve been doing it for ages.

There are plenty of things to consider when you’re just starting out and, admittedly, it can be a lot to take in. What’s the sunlight requirement or the acidity requirements of the soil? How much fertilizer should be used and how often should you water each plant? Should you start from a seed or get a plant already past its adolescent stages?

First thing’s first, how much space can you spare and where will your garden be located?

Media and magazines have always portrayed gardening in an whimsical way but there’s a science behind it. Each plant has a personal bubble and the size of that bubble revolves around the roots and nutrition necessities. You’ll never find trees practically on top of each other in the wild unless one is weakening. The same goes for plants you put in your garden. Whether floral or a type of produce, each plant has a spacing regulation. Those regulations will tell you just how much space you should put aside when plotting your garden and how much you can put into the space you’ve set aside.

Each plant also has a required sun time that will affect the location you’re selecting. Many flowering plants can stand a bit of shade (or desperately require it) while a produce plant needs the energy from photosynthesis to create their byproducts.

Did you also know plants have a watering requirement? How close your garden is to a water source and how much moisture your soil holds is a vital consideration to have when planning the garden. Do you mind watering the plants every day or do you have a tendency to forget and need something that doesn’t need to be watered as much?

Your soil is your needy best friend in gardening so pay attention to it!

When I was younger and lived in Death Valley, I didn’t understand why the Morning Glories I planted in my dad’s front yard didn’t climb up the wall pillar of the house and the vegetable garden in our backyard could be harvested from within the month. Turns out, my father had me toil away and till the desert ground in the backyard for a reason.

Certain plants require higher acidity or more drainage for their nutritional needs. Before you plant anything in your garden, test the dirt of the area you plan to start your garden. This is so you know the nutrient levels and helps you decide if you need to do anything to the soil before you start planting.

Drainage is also something to consider when you’re looking at your soil. A variety of plants require good drainage to avoid root rot and drowning so the soil you plant them in needs to mirror the plant’s needs.

For root growth, you need to know how soft your ground is and if you need to till it or not. A recommended depth is 6-8 inches for root growth encouragement according to JoAnna Robinson, a master gardener with the University of Wyoming.