Vegetable gardens require only minimal financial investments but can reap enormous rewards. Furthermore, it requires time and dedication in keeping it free of weeds.
Overcrowded plants compete for nutrients and sunlight, which can reduce their yield. Staggered planting can increase harvest; this method works particularly well when planting vine-growing vegetables such as cucumbers.
Plan Your Garden
As soon as you begin planning a vegetable garden layout, assess your available space. Starting small may help newcomer gardeners avoid becoming overwhelmed and save both time and effort in managing multiple vegetables at once. It is therefore wise to start small.
Make sure your garden receives adequate sunlight and remove weeds, shrubs and trees that compete for nutrients and moisture in the soil. Also ensure there’s easy access to water sources – this will make remembering to water more likely!
Once you’ve chosen an ideal location, sketch out a scaled graph paper plan of your planned layout to determine how many beds will fit into the available space. Aim for beds whose width doesn’t exceed four feet as wider beds make it harder to access all areas around plants without trampling soil, compacting or compacting outer rows; additionally make sure paths between beds are wide enough so a wheelbarrow or cart can easily pass between each bed.
When planning your garden, be sure to place taller plants like corn and indeterminate tomatoes near the back so as to not shade lower-growing crops. Also plan for trellising/staking needs for some plants like tomatoes and pole beans (these usually need it to reach full height). Finally, stagger your planting schedule so as to have fresh vegetables available year-round while reducing overcrowding risks that could cause diseases to emerge.
Choose Your Plants
Growing your own vegetables provides both an incredible sense of accomplishment and deliciously fresh meals, but there’s more to vegetable gardening than choosing crops and designing your garden space; regular maintenance must also take place to keep plants happy and healthy, which means it should be located somewhere easily accessible for watering, weeding and picking tasks.
Vegetables require 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day for optimal growth. Position your vegetable garden so it receives direct sun most of the day, such as on the south, east or west side of your home. Remove grasses as these compete with vegetable plants for sunlight and moisture; compost can be mixed into the soil to enhance healthful growth in this way.
Once you have selected a site for your garden, the next step should be deciding what plants and vegetables to grow and when. Choose an array of vegetables so you’ll always have something available for harvest throughout summer and fall; beginners should start with easy-to-grow produce like lettuce before moving on to more complex produce as their skills advance.
Research the needs of each vegetable you wish to plant before sowing seeds directly in the garden or starting them indoors first and transplanting out later. Depending on your schedule and level of expertise, choose either starting seeds yourself or purchasing seedlings or plugs at a garden center; just be sure to read all instructions provided with each package for best growth conditions!
Prep Your Soil
Experienced gardeners know the key to growing healthy vegetables lies in the soil. Soil provides air, moisture and nutrients for plants while anchoring them securely in place. Ideal soil features rich organic matter with friable texture that holds onto water well; however most soils need help before supporting a vegetable garden.
Start by conducting a soil test to get an understanding of its needs. The results will tell you if your soil is acidic or alkaline as well as levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash present – you can purchase one easily at most hardware or garden stores.
Amend your soil by mixing in compost, manure and mulch to strengthen its structure, texture and water-retaining capacity. Aim for a ratio of one part compost to one part topsoil for raised beds; or choose premixed herb/vegetable potting mixes when planting containers.
As early as possible if planting in spring, incorporate these ingredients into the soil so it has time to warm up and become more conducive to welcoming seeds.
Vegetables need plenty of sunlight, so find an area with 6 to 8 hours of daily sun. Some crops, however, such as spinach, mustard greens, kale and scarlet runner beans can tolerate less.
Before beginning to dig in your vegetable garden, use a garden rake to cover its surface with soil. This will remove any rocks, sticks or debris while creating finer soil texture so the seeds you plant can penetrate more easily into it and sprout quickly.
Install Your Raised Beds
An easy way to create a vegetable garden is with raised beds made of wood like cedar (shown here), which can provide plenty of direct sunlight and will eventually turn silvery gray with age. Beds may be situated anywhere – grass, dirt or concrete patio are all good locations – just ensure there is at least six hours of direct sun each day and ensure easy access for watering, maintenance and harvest.
Raised beds can be filled with a blend of native soil, compost and commercial container mix in order to achieve optimal soil conditions for raising plants. The goal is to create an abundant, well-draining soil that can be easily worked by hand; loam soil is ideal as it holds onto moisture while draining excess waste away.
Once the bed has been constructed, a layer of mulch should be spread over it to suppress weeds and retain soil moisture. Next comes adding growing medium like standard potting soil or an organic material-enriched compost mix, to boost fertility of soil structure while helping retain moisture levels in your garden bed.
Vegetables need good drainage, so avoid planting them in areas that collect too much water. Wet roots can rot and weaken vegetables while rocky soil may limit root development. Amending your soil with organic materials such as compost can also improve drainage while making the bed healthier; but wait at least a year after beginning growing vegetables there before adding further amendments.
Plant Your Vegetables
Finding an appropriate site is the first step toward successfully growing a vegetable garden. To do this, select an area that receives six to eight hours of direct sun each day and is within close proximity of a water source; that way you can easily reach your plants with garden hose or rain barrel without hauling far away vegetables. Vegetables prefer rich soil that drains well with plenty of organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure, however any type of soil type can benefit from additional compost or fertilizers to increase health of soil health by adding compost, well-rotted manure or additional fertilizers to any type of soil type.
For larger spaces, you might prefer laying out your vegetables in rows so you can use mechanical equipment like tillers to combat weeds. If space is an issue, try planting them instead in blocks or circles.
Though experienced gardeners no longer turn the soil regularly in established gardens, if you’re starting a new vegetable garden you should definitely loosen and mix the compacted soil to bring more nutrients closer to its roots and ensure optimal growing conditions for all your vegetables and other crops.
Once your planting site is prepared, the next step in creating your raised beds should be quick and cost-effective construction of raised beds. We suggest choosing our Birdies Heritage modular raised bed range as they come prefabricated ready to install but can always be expanded later if your garden grows bigger than expected. When building raised beds allow 18-24 inches between each raised bed so you can tend to the veggies without stepping in between rows themselves; depending on your garden size you might choose between growing old favorite vegetables as well as new varieties!