If home is where you hang your hat, is a garden wherever you sink your shovel?

Not necessarily. Choosing the right site for a garden can mean the difference between feast and famine.

If you take the time to look at your land, you’ll save yourself many problems after the crops are planted.

Following are a few simple steps to get the best production and the fewest number of problems from a home garden site.

• Close to the house. Put your garden as near the house as you can. If it is far away, you are not going to be as diligent in maintaining or even picking your crops at the right time.

• Air drainage. Air flows just like water, from a high point to a low point. Adequate airflow drains cool air away from the crops and breezes will dry dew off plants relatively quickly, which helps prevent plant diseases.

• Water drainage. You can easily check drainage rates by digging a small hole and pouring a bucket of water into it. If the water has not percolated into the soil in 10 to 15 minutes, drainage is poor.

• Perennials need northern exposure. If you are planting perennial crops, siting them to the north ensures fewer episodes of freezing and thawing while also delaying growth during the spring frost period. If the garden is in an area that gets hot and cold during the winter, the soil will heave. This will cause roots to rip and plants to dry out.

• Annuals need southern exposure. Gardens facing south will receive sun earlier and warm more rapidly, which is perfect for vegetables that require early planting or annual flowers such as impatiens and pansies.

• Protection from winds. Many plants, particularly perennials, are sensitive to wind. Installing a simple fence will slow air flow.

• Check tree species. Walnut trees carry a chemical compound called juglone, which causes some plants to wilt. Plants should not be placed within the tree’s canopy or root zone.

• Check for pH and fertility. Soil testing should be done if the land for the garden obviously has not been cultivated. Soil testing mailing kits are available from your local county Extension office.

• Look for persistent or perennial weeds. Before cultivating the garden, look for persistent weeds such as purslane, quackgrass or thistles. You can still plant there, but you should address the major weed problems before planting. Frequent shallow cultivation, covering with black plastic or using an appropriate herbicide will help keep weeds manageable.

• No splendor in the grass. If the site was once turfgrass, sod or meadow, there may be turfgrass pests such as webworms or grubs beneath the surface. These pests will cause problems with many plants. They can be controlled with an insecticide or an organic treatment containing milky spore for the grubs, although milky spore must be used over several years.

• Is there an adjacent lawn? If there is turfgrass near the site, make sure weed-and-feed products have not been recently applied. Some herbicides can leach through the soil to kill plant roots, particularly those of perennial flowers, trees, and shrubs.

• Keep land idle. A small amount of land should be left unplanted to help with crop rotation. All crops will attract insects, weeds, and diseases that specifically affect them. By rotating crops into new soil areas, you can minimize these problems.

“Growing Green” is contributed by Diane Dorn, Lehigh County Extension Office Staff, and Master Gardeners. Information: Lehigh County Extension Office, 610-391-9840; Northampton County Extension Office, 610-813-6613