Your own garden provides the pleasure of harvesting juicy tomatoes, crisp green beans and hearty potatoes straight from their own seedlings. Although growing vegetables requires space in your yard or on a balcony or patio, containers also work fine to grow your own edible bounty!
Start by asking yourself why and how much time you want to devote to tending your plants.
Vegetables
Growing vegetables is both rewarding and educational – not to mention delicious! There is plenty of choice in growing herbs, tomatoes, carrots or squash; just some things to keep in mind before getting started: which veggies your family likes eating; light requirements per vegetable variety and when to plant.
An ideal location for a vegetable garden is an area in full sun that has been adequately prepared and fertilized with organic matter. Avoid sandy or powdery soils as they won’t hold in moisture or nutrients effectively, while for heavy clay soil amending with compost or manure may help.
Vegetables require plenty of sunlight in the spring when they first emerge and start growing rapidly, especially if your yard is small. Consider planting some veggies in containers to free up space for your main garden, while in larger yards consider creating raised beds or garden boxes which extend growing seasons and give more control over environmental factors for an abundant harvest.
When and how often to plant veggies depends on your location and last frost date. Use a vegetable planting calendar or follow instructions on the seed packet to decide when you start sowing your seeds. Certain plants grow best when planted during cool weather such as leafy greens, peas and radishes while others like peppers and tomatoes thrive when temperatures warm up late spring/early summer.
Choose vegetable varieties recommended for your climate and area, or consult neighbors who grow successfully in your region, such as lettuces, spinaches, kale, Swiss chard, beans or garlic that don’t require much care and maintenance to remain healthy and productive – be sure to grow extras so you can freeze or can the surplus for later enjoyment! Also look out for varieties with special characteristics like smaller plants that make harvesting easier or disease resistance – traits which will make gardening even more productive and enjoyable!
Herbs
Step Two – Determine Why You Want to Grow Vegetables.
Before purchasing seeds or seedlings, decide why and how you wish to start your vegetable garden and plan how you will use the harvest from it. For example, if your goal is saving money on groceries by growing cheaper vegetables such as bell peppers, tomatoes and herbs; or to preserve food by canning, drying or pickling then choose crops such as cucumbers pole beans and squash that suit these methods of food storage.
If space is at a premium, consider vertical structures like trellises or raised beds to maximize your growing area. Select plants that thrive within that space – for instance leafy vegetables such as kale, lettuce and radishes are excellent choices; vine crops like cucumbers or peas can even save more room by being planted vertically.
Your soil type in your garden is also an important consideration. To get the most from your gardening experience, select rich, well-draining soil that’s free from clay or sand. To test its texture, dig up a handful and squeeze it between your fingers; any gritty feeling indicates too much sand while stickyness indicates too much clay content in the mix. If additional amendment is necessary for improving its condition you could add compost or organic matter such as manure as remedies.
Determine the ideal time and method for planting each vegetable. Depending on its crop, some require longer growing cycles while others can be quickly planted in springtime – for instance, second early potatoes can be sown in April with maincrop planted mid-May while leafy greens such as chard, pak choi and spinach can be directly seeded from March under cloches.
Prior to planting, make a list of herbs that appeal to both you and your family. From perennial varieties like lavender and sage, to annual herbs such as basil, dill, and parsley that will be ready for harvest later this summer – you have your pick.
Fruits
Gardening provides both an impressive sense of accomplishment and fresh, flavorful meals. If you are new or experienced at gardening, planning the layout of your vegetable garden carefully is the key to a successful harvest. Determine your goals: Are you trying to save money on groceries by growing homegrown greens for family consumption or do you prefer growing low maintenance edibles like kale, Swiss chard beans or collard greens that produce quickly? Summer spinach peas and spring onions also produce quickly!
Define how much space you have available for your vegetable garden and select a site with at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. While most vegetables need full sunlight to grow properly, some species such as tomatoes can tolerate partial shade or even darkness well enough. If your garden is located in an shady spot, consider installing trellises with climbing vegetables as this will create more productive growing spaces.
March and April are typically the best months to plant hardy annual vegetable seeds outdoors. Seeds may also be started indoors in February using greenhouse conditions or sunny window sills in order to give the seeds more warmth when the weather warms up – giving them time to be planted outdoors once spring has sprung!
Before sowing in your planting beds, ensure the soil is ready by tilling or spading to break up any clumps and improve drainage. Moisten but do not wet the soil before pressing between your fingers and thumb to check its consistency. Crumbled earth is ideal for planting vegetable gardens; anything remaining intact after molding in your hand indicates too much dryness. When the time comes to establish your veggie patch, sow or transplant seeds or transplant seedlings at the depth and spacing recommended on their respective seed packet. Remind yourself to control weeds, water regularly (two to three times weekly during the growing season), and not overdo it with too much irrigation as this could rot your vegetables. For help controlling pests or diseases, reach out to your university county cooperative extension agent for advice.
Trees
Step one in creating your vegetable garden should be to identify your goals. For instance, if saving money is your priority, planting expensive grocery store vegetables like bell peppers, garlic and herbs might be your ideal choices. But if nourishing family is of higher priority to you then choosing highly productive crops like zucchini tomatoes kale and beans might be more suitable options.
Consider how much time you can invest each week into gardening. Some vegetables need to be harvested more than once each week while others require regular monitoring for pests and diseases. If time is tight, choose low-maintenance vegetables like lettuce or radishes as they require less attention from you.
If you’re starting a vegetable garden from scratch, it is advisable to measure out your site and create a sketch as a planning aid for its layout. This will also enable you to determine how many seed packets or plants will need to be purchased.
Before planting vegetables in your garden, prepare the soil by loosening and clearing away clumps of dirt or debris. For larger spaces, it may be easier to divide it up into rows for easier management as well as use mechanical equipment for fighting weeds.
Plant your vegetables in an area that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day, although full sun would be ideal. If your garden is shaded, select varieties that thrive under partial shade conditions or can tolerate shade-loving plants such as lettuce.
If sowing seeds indoors, begin seed germination six to eight weeks prior to the season (or your last frost date). When seedlings have reached maturity, transfer them directly from indoors into your garden approximately one week later or as instructed on the vegetable seed packet.
Whenever planting a tree, dig a hole that is at least twice as deep and wide as its root ball. For containers containing your plant, gently tap around its sides until released, then tip over carefully to release its contents and slide out your plant.