Planting a Garden in a Pandemic

May 12

Written By Virginia Cooperative Extension

Vegetable Gardens on the Rise

With more people sheltering in place at home during the Covid-19 pandemic, many people are turning to or considering growing gardens, whether it’s to provide food or just peace of mind during these troubled times. Growing vegetables can be a great way to supplement your food supply and it can be very rewarding to your mental/physical health. Here are a few things to consider when planning a garden.

As Virginia moves from early spring to warmer weather, this is the time that many people start thinking about planting a garden. Some gardeners may have a patch of land and can till the soil and prepare it for planting, while others might not have suitable land to grow crops. Have no fear, you too can still grow a garden with a little ingenuity and adaptation. Growing crops in containers is an option, and many things can be used as containers for growing vegetables. Here are two tips for picking a container:

Make sure the container is large enough for the plant you’re trying to grow. For example, tomatoes need a larger container that basil.
Ensure that the container has proper drainage so that when you irrigate, water won’t stay in the container and potentially “drown” the plants.

You can find more information about container gardening here:

Whether you plant a garden in the ground or in containers, you first start with a seed. There are many companies selling seeds and there are many different varieties of each type of plant out there. For example, many people know the sweet corn variety called Silver Queen, but there are many other varieties, like Delectable, Illusion and Allure. So, as you’re looking through seed catalogs, read about the different varieties then decide on what will grow best in your area and whether that vegetable is something you want to grow.

Many types of vegetables do well by planting seeds in the ground or in a container, however some types of plants (tomato, eggplant, pepper, broccoli, melons) can be more successful by planting transplants (small plants). You can generally find transplants in your local garden center. These transplants are generally the most popular varieties. As you advance in your abilities as a gardener, you might want to produce your own transplants. It would be nice to have a greenhouse, but generally a sunroom, south-facing window or grow lights can provide enough light for the plants after they germinate. Here’s a video and publication that provides more information on making transplants:

Remember when you’re planning the garden, every plant has a time to grow and there is generally an optimum time for most vegetables thrive. You don’t have to just think about planting in late spring and summer since there are many plants that grow just as well in the fall, and even some that like cooler temperatures. Check out this publication on planting dates: