Planning and Starting Your Vegetable Garden
There is nothing quite like enjoying a meal made with fresh vegetables from your own garden. If you’re wondering how to start a vegetable garden, you’ve come to the right place! Below is all the important information you need to plan and start your very own vegetable garden, including when to plant vegetables and some easy vegetables to grow for beginners.
Choose Where To Plant Your Vegetable Garden
The first thing you should do is look at the location and layout of where you’d like to plant the garden. Keep in mind that most vegetables like a lot of sun, so try and use areas in your garden that will get the most sunlight for the longest amount of time during the day. You will also need to make sure your vegetable garden has some sort of drainage system to prevent plant roots from getting waterlogged.
Another thing to consider is the quality of the soil. It’s best to till your soil a couple of weeks before planting. This will ensure that the nutrients have been properly mixed into the ground and provide optimum space for planting. You will also want to add compost or fertilizer before planting to help your garden grow full and healthy.
If you don’t have a lot of space or if you have bad garden soil or poor drainage in your area, then consider planting a raised vegetable garden. Raised vegetable gardens are a great solution to less-than-ideal conditions and are just as effective and fun for growing vegetables.
Plan Your Vegetable Garden Layout and Spacing
Once you’ve chosen a location, draw out a “game plan” on a piece of paper, showing exactly where in the garden plot you’d like to plant each vegetable group. Making a vegetable garden layout and spacing plan is important because it will help you strategize on where you need to plant your vegetables. Certain plants, like squash, grow wide and full, while other vegetables grow narrow and tall, like corn. Be sure you allow enough space between these plants to let them grow as full and wide as they need to so they can produce good crops. Click here for our vegetable seed planting chart that tells you how and where to plant vegetable seeds.
Know When To Plant Vegetable Seeds & Seedlings
Depending on your climate, you can have fresh vegetable crops all year long. Research which crops grow optimally for each season and rotate them as the seasons change. For example, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage and radishes are vegetables that grow in cooler weather, while warm-weather veggies like tomatoes, melons and cucumbers grow best in the spring and summer. All vegetables have an ideal season, so you’ll want to research each of your plants to help plan your planting and harvesting schedule.
Keep in mind it is also important to choose the right gardening seeds for your climate to ensure a good yield of vegetables.
Prep Vegetable Seeds & Seedlings for Planting
Once you’ve chosen a desirable location and planned what vegetables you’re going to plant, it’s time to choose between seeds and seedlings. Seedlings are different from seeds in that they have already started growing roots. You can buy seedlings from a nursery or grow them inside your home until they are strong enough to be transported to the outside vegetable garden. Growing seedlings is usually a two- to three-week process, so you’ll need to consider that when you start planning your garden timeline.
Do a little bit of research and find out which vegetables grow best from seedlings and which can be planted directly from the seed itself. Some veggies, such as beans and pumpkins, do better when planted as seeds, while others, such as peppers and cauliflower, do well when they are planted as seedlings.
Be sure to purchase high-quality vegetable seeds and seedlings to ensure a healthy, vibrant garden. Certified-organic vegetables are a little bit more costly but can thrive without the assistance of pesticides and chemicals.
Easy Vegetables To Grow for Beginners
For those who don’t exactly have a green thumb, there is still hope for a successful vegetable garden. We’ve compiled a list of some of the easiest vegetables to grow. Click on each one to learn more and shop our premium seeds in bulk.
With careful planning, starting a vegetable garden is fairly easy and a whole lot of fun. Get your kids involved and let them help you. They will have a great time learning about plants and watching the vegetables grow. Then when your vegetables are ready to be harvested, the whole family will enjoy eating them fresh, grown from your very own garden. For more tips and tricks, read our Vegetable Gardening Ideas guide.
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