8 Things you should know before you start a vegetable garden
05/05/2020 / By Joanne Washburn / Comments
8 Things you should know before you start a vegetable garden

You don’t need an expansive yard or years of experience to start a vegetable garden. Most vegetable gardeners start out with pots of herbs on the windowsill or planter boxes of sprouts on the porch.

If the idea of a vegetable garden intimidates you, don’t fret. It’s easier than you think. At the very least, you need to prepare a game plan before you grab pots and seeds at random.

Here are eight important things to consider before you get started:

Select a good location

Plants require plenty of sunlight. Before you dig holes or build planter boxes, spend some time in the yard and observe which areas get the most sun.

Use appropriate beds

Some vegetables do well in the ground, while others thrive better in pots. Most gardeners like to use raised garden beds as well, which you can easily build at home. Determine how you want the vegetable garden to look like, and decide which beds to use from there.

Choose the right plants

Certain plants thrive best in cold temperatures, while others prefer hot and humid weather. Soil quality is also an important factor to consider. Heavy soil can make it difficult for roots to flourish, while loose soil cannot retain water and nutrients. Look up the vegetables you want to plant so you don’t waste time on those that are ill-suited to both the climate and soil that you have.

Decide how you’ll water the plants

If you don’t live in a place that gets regular rain showers, you’ll need to plan for water access and water supply. Some gardeners like to use a hose to water several garden beds in a short amount of time. But you can still go for a large and sturdy watering can like most gardeners still do.

Prepare for pests

Bugs, birds and small rodents are long-time nemeses of gardeners. Birds and rodents tend to go for bright vegetables like tomatoes and peppers, while bugs often wreak havoc on leaves and stalks. Still, there are various natural ways to keep pests out of the garden. But as a rule of thumb, pests are less likely to stick around if you have healthy soil.

Nourish the soil

That said, you shouldn’t over-nourish the soil since excess nutrients can attract birds and insects. But if your saplings look weak and aren’t growing as well as you’d like, add organic fertilizer or compost to the soil every three to four weeks.

Know the best time to plant

You can’t just plant different vegetable varieties in one go. Beans and broccoli, for example, grow best in the summer. Meanwhile, cold-hardy vegetables like turnips and potatoes do better when planted in the fall. For starters, stick to vegetables that grow well in your area. As you get the hang of gardening, you can then branch out and try your hand at other vegetables.

Learn from an experienced gardener

You won’t get the hang of gardening overnight. Even with the best preparation, chances are you’ll encounter rookie slip-ups as you go. If you live in a small town, learn from a neighbor who has kept a vegetable garden for years. If there’s a community garden in the area, drop by every once in a while and get involved.

A vegetable garden saves you money over time, and it also gives you food security in case of food crises.

Sources:

SeasonedHomemaker.com

GreenLeafCommunities.org

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