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Basic Vegetable Garden Tips

by Ruth Taylor

Overview

Growing your own vegetables is a wonderful way to add vitamins and nutrients to your diet, as well as ensuring that you and your family eat the freshest food available. A little planning will go a long way to ensure that you have the variety and amount of vegetables you wish for to enjoy all year long!

An Edible Garden!
Preparing for Your Vegetable Garden

All you really need for a good vegetable garden is a well-drained plot of land that is some distance from trees and shrubs. Make sure the plot will get plenty of sun, but it is not necessary or even desirable for it to be in full sun all day. You may have to clear some rocks or weeds from the patch you choose. Before you rush out and buy seed packets of your favorite vegetables, 30 minutes of planning can save you hours of work later in the growing season. Decide how much time you will spend gardening each week and how many people you will grow vegetables for. For example, a 15 by 20 foot garden will provide enough vegetables for a family of four. Of course, your vegetable garden can be bigger or smaller. Draw a diagram on a sheet of paper to plan the rows of vegetables and the walk spaces between them. A good rule of thumb for the diagram is to use a scale of one inch equals one foot. Take into account how tall each vegetable will grow and how much space will be needed between each row. Some vegetables grow quickly and take up very little space, such as chives or radishes. Others, such as corn and some beans grow tall. Even plants such as broccoli and cabbage grow to considerable size.

Sunlight and Planting Tips

Some vegetables will need more sunlight than others. This can work to your advantage. Plant sun-sensitive plants, such as lettuce or spinach near sun-seeking taller plants such as Brussels sprouts, which will offer some shade as they grow. Another good way to take advantage of space is to plant vegetables that you will soon harvest, such as mustard greens or radishes, in intervals with plants that grow more slowly, such as carrots or tomatoes. That way your garden will yield a number of different crops at varying times. Some vegetables are very productive, so you will not want to plant more than can be eaten by you, your family and friends at one time. Instead, plant fast-growing vegetables at staggered times so that you can enjoy them for a longer period. If you have an over abundance of vegetables, can or freeze the surplus, especially vegetables such as tomatoes, beets and carrots. Take advantage of the cooler spring weather by planting peas, spinach, broccoli and cauliflower. They are hardy enough to resist colder temperatures at night but will not do as well in very hot weather. With a little planning, you will be eating vegetables soon after you plant them and for many months afterward!
Caring for Your Vegetable Garden

Once your plants start growing, you may notice that they are spaced too closely together. This will impede plants from fully developing and the result will be deformed or undersized vegetables. If you notice this happening to your seedlings, carefully remove every second or third plant, pulling carefully so as not to disturb neighboring plants. Your vegetable garden will also need frequent weeding. It is best to gently hoe the surface once or twice a week so that growing vegetables will not accidentally be torn out. Watering is also essential, since your vegetables will not develop properly in dried out soil. However, be careful not to over water! Too much moisture can make the soil form a muddy clay like surface which will prevent seedlings from growing. If one of your plants becomes diseased, it is best to pull it and discard it before it infects other plants. A diseased plant is not appropriate for composting, but compost the plants that have already borne fruit to fortify and enrich the soil. Next season, rotate your vegetable crops. Different families of plants affect the soil in distinct ways and rotating the plants will avoid depleting the soil of its minerals. Treat your garden well, and you will reap the benefits for a long time!