Vegetable Gardening Guide : Vegetable Gardening Tip

Our vegetable gardening guide for people who are new to gardening will cover the basics to growing your own vegetable garden. We talk about planning, your garden location, when to plant your garden, and more. Please scroll down:

A Vegetable Gardening Guide for the Beginning Gardener

Planting, reaping and eating vegetables you have grown yourself is one of the great pleasures of life. In fact, many gardeners take great pride in sharing vegetables they have grown themselves. Apart from the pleasure of gardening, the exercise obtained is an added bonus.

A vegetable garden can be large or small depending on the space you have. In fact, living in an apartment is no deterrent to having a vegetable garden, once you are creative. Many vegetables can be grown successfully in containers.

Getting Started

The first step is to decide what to plant. For many first timers, tomatoes tend to top the list. Tomatoes are great for both outdoor and container gardens, and are easy to grow and care for. Other vegetables to consider are:

• Sweet peppers
• Cucumbers
• Carrots
• Lettuce
• Radishes
• Corn

Picking a Spot for your Garden

Don’t just make your garden anywhere in your yard. Most plants need a minimum of six hours of sunshine to do really well, so choose a spot that isn’t too shady. Also, don’t plant in a spot where drainage is poor. Most vegetables do not thrive in areas that are constantly wet.

Once the soil has been prepared it’s time to do the actual planting. It is a good idea to plant in rows. You can even place a marker in each row indicating what you have planted there. This will be helpful when the tiny plants start popping up.

Tools

In the beginning your needs are very simple. All you will need are:

• Fork for turning the soil
• Small shovel for lifting soil
• Spade
• Hoe

Although some crops grow year round it is a good idea to follow the planting guide available on seed packets. This is especially important if you live in an area where the temperature changes drastically. For indoor gardens this is not such a big issue. You can have vegetables year round if you set up your containers in the right way and provide the necessary lighting for growth.

Space plants about two to three inches apart. Some may need even more space, but check the planting guide to be sure.

Caring for the Plants

One of the biggest issues beginner gardeners have is how often to water. Read about caring for the plants you have and follow the guidelines. Observe how the plants react to the watering schedule and adjust accordingly. If you are watering weekly and growth seems stunted or the plants look droopy, water more frequently. Over time you will know what works best.

Help keep your soil rich and healthy by making compost. Depending on your needs this can be as simple as turning kitchen waste (except for meat and grease) into the soil before planting. If you have the space for it, get a compost pail and go all out making real compost by storing food cuttings and allowing it to decompose before use. You can find useful information on making compost online.

Natural Ways to Control Pests

For home gardens it is best to control pests naturally. One tried and proven method for most pests such as whiteflies and aphids; combine one cup vegetable oil with about four ounces of dishwashing liquid and a gallon of water. Shake together and use on plants every two weeks. You can use more or less often depending on need.

Reaping

With some vegetables, like tomatoes, the color can indicate their readiness. Most vegetables ripen based on how long they have been planted. For example, cucumber normally ripens within 55 to 67 days depending on the variety.

Tip: Start small for your first garden. If you start too big you may find yourself overwhelmed with how much you have to do.

Thank you to Jessica McCurdy Crooks for this "Vegetable Gardening Guide" article.

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