Growing a successful garden or running a farm takes more than putting seeds in the ground, especially at high altitudes. Here, the environment creates challenges that take careful planning to beat. Before you start mapping out your garden plots, consider these tips.

Farm Supplies & Techniques for Growing at High Altitudes

1. Choose the Right Plants

Your growing season is the part of the year when it's warm enough for growing. The rest of the year, frost will kill off all but the hardiest plants. In warmer areas, growing seasons can be five months or more, but in other climates, they can be under two months. This variance means you need vegetables that need only a short season. Root vegetables like beets, cucumbers, broccoli, okra, snap beans, and many leafy greens all have short growing seasons.

2. Start Indoors

If you want slower-growing crops, you'll have to start them indoors. Plant your seeds in pots or seed trays, and keep them in a warm, sunny home or a well-maintained greenhouse. This process will lengthen your growing season long enough for squash, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers.

3. Choose Your Site

Your seeds need every drop of sunlight they can get, so make sure your garden location is in full sun for at least six to eight hours each day. Also, test for soil quality. The most common problems with soil at high altitudes are a sandy texture, a lack of nutrients, and high alkalinity. Once you've identified the issues with your dirt, you can treat it with natural or processed fertilizers which have the right chemical balance for your needs.

For seeds and farm supplies to get your garden started, come to Carhart Feed & Seed Co in Dove Creek, CO. Serving Dolores County for 40 years, their knowledgeable staff is committed to going above and beyond for their customers. If they don't have what you need, they'll help you find it, whether that's tires, feed, or veterinary supplies. Call (970) 677-2233 for questions about their stock, or learn more about them on Facebook.