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Vegetable Gardening: The Basics

According to a 2009 study conducted by the National Gardening Association, it was discovered that the average vegetable gardening household saved just over 500 dollars per year by growing plants and cultivating their own harvest. Most couples used just 70 dollars to get started with their garden supplies, seeds and garden tools. It is estimated that 34% of all American households now grow some of their own food – a number that rose 10% from 2007-2008, and another 19% from 2008-2009.

The first thing you’ll need to do when creating a vegetable garden is selecting the best location and size. Firstly, be sure your location gets a lot of sunshine. The majority of vegetables need around six to eight hours of direct sunshine each day for optimal outcome. If you have a more shaded location, you can plant your spinach and lettuce there. As you assess your property, make certain to take into consideration the shadows cast by your house and trees throughout particular times of the day.

In a perfect world, the garden will be handily located in close proximity to the kitchen, so you can tend to it with less effort and harvest your crop without walking long distances. The perfect soil will be filled with nutrients and drain properly, so you might need to add organic compost and use the right tools to aerate the earth before you start.

A gardening expert will usually tell you that raised beds are the best method for effective vegetable gardening. Garden guides love raised beds because they increase the growing area by reducing the amount of garden used for paths, they save fertilizer and compost materials, they are easy and convenient to work with, they work well with trellises, they are 12-15 degrees warmer than the ground so you can plant earlier, and they are beautiful to look at. To begin creating your raised beds, measure and stake down each garden bed and outline the beds with string. To raise the bed, loosen the soil with a shovel or fork and nestle your bed into the plot. Smooth the soil on the surface of the bed with the tines and back edge of a rake. Take your time when shaping the beds, for this step is very important. Each bed should rise eight inches above ground when all is said and done and the most productive raised beds are about three feet wide. You can line the beds with bricks, stones or wood, whichever you prefer.

There are several strategies when it comes to choosing which plants to use in your vegetable gardening endeavor. Some vegetables are grown from seeds in a method known as “direct-sow.” A few weeks before the last frost (check the Farmer’s Almanac to get this date), sow your beets, carrots, parsnips, peas, radishes, chard, turnips and salad greens. After the last frost, sow your beans, corn, squash and herbs like dill and cilantro. Next, you may want to use some transplants for broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, parsley, peppers and tomatoes. Your summer squash, lettuce and broccoli will grow equally well from seeds or transplants, so that choice is up to you. Growing plants like beets, chard, green beans, lettuce, parsley, peppers, tomatoes, radishes and summer squash is rather easy in most parts of the country, so you may want to include a lot of these crops to start.

Eating healthfully doesn’t have to be expensive when you plant a vegetable garden. For useful vegetable gardening tips, visit the Vegetable Garden Site.