GARDENING

RAISE A BED 

A raised bed can yield up to 10 times as much produce as an in-ground garden of the same size with paths between rows. Raised beds allow you to concentrate your energy and time in a small area—working, watering, weeding, and fertilizing economically.

• Go to Almanac.com raised-beds for guidance on building one.

• By utilizing season-extending devices such as cold frames, cloches, row covers, and plastic tunnels, you can make the most of the entire growing season.

SUN OR SHADE?

Either way, you've got it made: You can grow something. Although most vegetables need a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight per day (some need 8 hours), there are exceptions:

• Leafy greens (lettuce and spinach) grow well in partial shade.

• Beets, garlic, peas, and radishes can get by on 4 hours of sunlight per day.

SECOND THAT

Succession planting keeps the garden in continual production. Whenever one crop is harvested, you should have seedlings ready to transplant in its place. For best results, use quick-maturing varieties to fit several crops into one season.

Photos, clockwise from top: cjp/Getty Images; IlonaImagine/Getty Images; Nadezhda Nesterova/Getty Images