Home gardeners know the many benefits of growing their own fresh produce. It's not only fun and easy, but the pride you'll feel when serving and eating your own vegetables is definitely worth the effort. You'll know whether herbicides or pesticides have been used. Best of all, it costs just a fraction of what you'd pay to shop for produce at a local market.
These days, vegetable gardening is almost as popular as shopping for produce at the market. Backyard, patio and rooftop gardens can produce a bounty of crops. The vegetables usually taste better, and are far cheaper than buying at the store. If you've grown flowers or herbs, you can use the same degree of care and effort to plant and pick healthy vegetables.
In planting a successful vegetable garden, the first step is finding the right space. You'll need to decide how big you want your garden to be, and then choose the best spot on your property. Look for an area that has rich, deep soil, proper air circulation and good drainage. Choose a spot that has maximum exposure to the sun, and shelter wherever possible. Remember, you're not the only one who will want to harvest the tasty treats in your garden; there are also all kinds of animals hungry for a taste. Even if you have a rooftop garden, you need to protect your plants from wildlife. Surround your garden with a fence or set traps for small animals.
Before planting, you need to be sure that the soil is properly prepared. Soil preparation for vegetable gardens includes careful cultivation and the application of organic materials. The soil must be tilled, turned or plowed to help control weeds and mix mulch into the soil. If you have a small garden, spading will certainly do the trick. Mulching is another vital step in soil preparation. In order to thrive, plants need to grow in soil that has been enriched with nitrogen, minerals and other nutrients plants found in organic material. The most popular and beneficial type of mulch you can use is compost. Simple sheep manure is another cost-effective application that will do wonders for your plants.
The type of fertilizer and application depends on the types of plants you'll be growing. Leafy plants like lettuce, cabbage and spinach usually grow best with more nitrogen. Root crops like carrots, beets, turnips and even potatoes with thrive with more potash. Beans and tomatoes require less fertilizer, while celery, onions and potatoes need a larger amount.
The arrangement of your garden is a big factor in the overall success. Depending on your specific garden conditions, you can't always guarantee that any one particular type of vegetable will thrive. For this reason, it's a great idea to plant several varieties. One popular method of arranging vegetable gardens is to plant varieties needing limited space in one area. Radishes, beets, lettuce and spinach grow on compact plants that can easily share a single bed. Other varieties, such as pumpkins, squash, corn and potatoes, need more elbow room. Tall plants, such as tomatoes and corn, should be planted at the back of the garden, providing shelter and sunlight for smaller plants.
When the preparations are complete and you're ready to begin planting, make sure that the time and weather are just right. Some seeds, like lettuce and peas, do very well if they are planted in the cool springtime soil. Most tender plants, however, can be killed by frost. Be sure the danger of frost has passed before you plant young tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables. If you'd like to get an early start, you can begin your garden inside in a hotbed or even on a windowsill, and then transplant when the weather permits.
After you have planted all of your vegetables, be sure to water them regularly. Different varieties of vegetables have individual watering needs, but on average most plants will need the equivalent of about an inch of water per week.
Weeds are often the biggest threats to healthy vegetable gardens. Weeds will rob plants of water, soil and nutrients, and they can attract insects and disease. Besides, weeds are real eyesores. If weeds are a problem, don't be too quick to apply potentially harmful herbicides. You can usually stay on top of the problem by pulling the weeds as soon as they emerge, to prevent them from spreading. Some varieties of plants are resistant to disease, so check seed packets or ask for a professional opinion at your garden centre.
It can be a lot of work to grow your own vegetables, but your effort will be worth every penny you saved and every delicious bite of produce that you grew yourself.
Writer Phillip Blunzon provides material for several popular web sites, on family parenting and home improvement themes. You are welcome to reprint this article - but get your own unique content version here.
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