March is for preparing your garden

"The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."  Genesis 2:15

"This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce" Jeremiah 29:5

"The days are coming," declares the LORD, when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills.  I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit"  Amos 9:13-14

Man was designed to work the fields and enjoy the fruits of his labor.  He benefits from its low intensity exercise, fresh air, and sun exposure; keeping him strong, well into an old age.  The earth rewards his labor with fresh fruits and vegatables, berries and nuts; everything man needs to live a vibrant healthy life.  This is why man was put on a soil rich planet, so that the earth could take care of everyone of his needs.

There is much work to be done to prepare the ground for seed. Garden areas must be constructed, good soil must be gathered and moved to appropriate areas, and the land must be tilled so that it is ready for seed.  If you live in an area where there is frost, you will need to plant your seeds directly into the soil a week or two before or after the last frost. Some seeds are better off started indoors and can be sown up to 6 weeks prior to the last frost.  When your last frost date is depends on your gardening zone.  Here is a chart of frost dates by state.

I live in zone 7b, so my last frost usually occurs towards the end of March.  I am currently spending a lot of time building a 10 by 14 raised garden bed, and shoveling organic gardening soil into it.  This is very tiring work, but at the end of the day I appreciate knowing what my body will benefit from it.  In this bed I am planning to plant some of the vegetables we use most often; bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, beans, squash and broccoli.  I have several pots throughout my garden where I will plant spinach, cilantro and potatoes.  I also have an area in my garden for blueberries, elderberries, cranberries, black berries and strawberry baskets. 

Berries should be included in any home garden.  The Western diet contains far too much sugar, and therefore it is very important to decrease your daily intake.  Berries are one of a few fruits that are very low in sugar, yet still contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Read this for more information on the health benefits of berries.  They also make great ornamental shrubs, and most will survive through the winter.