It causes plants to shrivel as I walk through the nursery section at Wal-Mart. It brought about the untimely end of two deserving, low-maintenance houseplants. It is my black thumb of death, and it is a big part of why I haven’t joined first lady Michelle Obama and a host of others by planting a vegetable garden this year.

Thankfully, Denton County Master Gardener Al Kirchhoff has two very green thumbs and was willing to offer me some tips about starting a successful vegetable garden.

When beginning, Kirchhoff says to consider three L’s — location, location, location — and three S’s — sun, soil and seeds.

Sun & soil

“You need nearly full sun for a successful vegetable garden,” Kirchhoff said.

Your spot should also have fertile, granular soil. Kirchhoff said it should have lots of nutrients and that most existing soil needs fertilizer. This can be tricky, so Kirchhoff says to consider a soil test, available from the TexasA&MUniversity soils lab. He also says the soil should drain well, so water won’t collect and drown the plants, and should be loose, to allow air to reach the roots. Any grass in the garden should be killed by removal or herbicides before planting to avoid a hostile takeover.

Kirchhoff says one good option is to use an existing flower bed or to make beds by filling containers with potting mix.

Selecting seeds

Factors to consider when selecting vegetables to plant include personal and family preferences, the date you are planting and the size of your garden.

First things first — read the instructions on the seed package.

“The package is so important,” Kirchhoff said.

It will tell you, among other things, when the seeds should be planted. You can supplement this information with planting guides available at aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu. There, you can find information on individual vegetables, planting times, spacing, seeds versus transplants and more. It also includes tips on the kinds of plants that do well in small gardens and those that thrive in big gardens.

Among the list of ones to avoid in a small garden are cucumbers, melons and other spreading or vining plants, simply because of the space required Kirchhoff said.

Enjoy the fruits … er, vegetables

Gardening is not cheap, Kirchhoff said.

“I think they’ll find that growing it themselves is probably not less expensive, but it gives them so much of a better quality of produce that they may well continue because of the quality,” he said.

The freshness and heightened nutrition of the vegetables are just two of the benefits Kirchhoff sees in gardening. Others are physical exercise and the healing nature of the activity.

“It’s just therapeutic,” he said. “It’s quiet, peaceful.”

Al Kirchhoff contributed to this article. Find more from The Helpless Housewife, also known as neighborsgo senior editor Ruth Haesemeyer, at neighborsgo.com/helplesshousewife.

Follow more of my gardening adventures (and misadventures!) in this video episode.

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Learn from the Masters

Get more tips May 9 at the Denton County Master Gardener Association’s 2009 Spring Garden Tour and Plant Sale, themed “Learn from the Masters.”

The event will include ongoing “Diggin’ Deeper Demos” at each of the tour’s seven gardens and chances to visit with Denton County Master Gardeners at each location.

Admission is free for the plant sale, which will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at TrinityUnitedMethodistChurch, 633 Hobson Lane in Denton.

The tour will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Advance tickets are $8; tickets can be purchased at the gate for $10 or $5 for a tour of an individual garden. Admission is free for children under age 14.

To purchase advance tickets, contact any DCMGA member or call 940-349-2883.

For more information, visit dcmga.com.