Add Flavor to Your Landscape with a Vegetable Garden
Plant a vegetable garden!
Think an outdoor vegetable garden is only for others? Think again! It really doesn’t take much labor to enjoy the fruits. With a just a little planning, preparation and pampering, it’s easy to grow goodies for a fresh summer salad or healthy sides for those backyard barbeques. And if the delicious factor isn’t enough to get you vegetable gardening, consider all those trips to the store you’ll save when you can just step outside and take your pick.
See how simple it is to start your own vegetable garden.
Plan.
Good vegetable garden plans really boil down to this: sun. For the best veggie growing success, choose a spot that gets at least six hours of full sun a day. To prevent shading, base your vegetable garden design on the height of your crops. Run plants from east to west, placing the tallest plants at the north end of the garden bed and shorter plants in front. You’ll also want to plant in an area that’s clear of too many trees or shrubs, so you won’t have roots competing for room and nutrition. And remember to leave space for a pathway so you won’t be stomping on your spouts. Finally, what to eat? Garden vegetables that are great for beginners include tomatoes, peppers, squash, green beans, eggplant, cucumbers, lettuce, spinach, broccoli and peas. Yum!
Prepare.
Loose, rich soil is essential for good vegetable growth. A rototiller will work well to dig up dirt enough to make it easier for plants to take root and absorb moisture and nutrients. For best results, loosen the soil about 12 inches deep. When you’re done digging, enrich the soil by raking in about two inches of compost. Then use the rake to smooth the surface. Before you start planting, also prepare to protect your bounty. Surround your plot with fencing to prevent pets and wildlife using your vegetable garden as a stomping (and snacking) ground.
Plant.
When planting your vegetables, be sure go deep enough – and don’t over crowd. For each plant, dig a hole that is a bit wider and deeper than the root ball. As a good rule of thumb, place your seeds or plants about 18 to 24 inches apart. Then firm the dirt around the plants to make sure the roots have adequate soil contact. Next, give your new vegetable garden a good watering. Mulching between rows is also a good idea to help retain moisture around your plants.
Pamper.
It really doesn’t take much to give your vegetable garden the TLC it needs to flourish. About one or two inches of water each week should be enough, though during dry periods take extra care to be sure the soil is moist at least an inch deep. Then keep an eye out for weeds, pulling them out as you see them so water, sun and nutrients go strictly to your veggies.
Pick!
And now, the really fun part! When your vegetable plants have fruited and matured, take your pick of something delish. And when your crop is harvested at the end of the season, put your spent plants into a compost bin so you can recycle them into your vegetable garden when you start again next spring.
