How to Plan and Plant a New Vegetable Garden
Vegetable gardens that are well planned provide a full harvest that may last through the winter. Plan gardens the fall before they are planted, so the soil can be prepared and the garden planted as soon as the soil is ready. Plant gardens right after the last chance of frost. For the best results, change the layout of the garden each year so the vegetables consume the nutrients that the previous year's crop leave behind. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Select an area to grow your garden. Choose an area that is sheltered from strong winds but gets plenty of sun. If you live in a hot, dry climate, choose an area that has some shelter from the sun during the day. Decide how large your vegetable garden will be. Gardens can be any size, from a small plot that's 5 square feet to your entire yard. They can be any shape: square, rectangular or angled to fit unusual spaces.
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Dig the garden plot using a rototiller or spade. Dig 12 to 18 inches deep and turn the the dirt over. Loosen any clumps and remove any large debris such as rocks. If grass is growing on top, turn it upside-down so the grass dies without contact with the sun.
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Mix in a rich compost or other organic fertilizer to the soil. Add 2 to 6 inches of compost to the surface of the garden and dig it in using a spade or rototiller. This can be compost from your compost bin, worm castings or another fertilizer that your local supply store has in stock. This will provide nutrients for the vegetables as they grow. If the soil seems heavy and clay-like, add some sand to the mix to help it drain. Use sand that is clean like you would find for a sand box or at a garden supply store.
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Plant seeds according to the demands of each specific plant. Corn is usually planted in a square in one section of the garden where it won't block much light from other plants. Potatoes take up a lot of room; dedicate them to one whole side of the garden. Other plants like carrots and onions grow in rows so they are easily spotted and weeds are pulled from around them.
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Water seeds thoroughly after they are first planted and daily until germination -- when leaves sprout. After that, water the garden according to the needs of the climate. Hot climates still need daily watering, but cool, damp climates may need less. Water during the cooler parts of the day like morning and evening so the water doesn't evaporate as quickly. Leafy greens such as spinach and Swiss chard like to be watered from the top, whereas tomatoes, squash and other vine plants don't like to have their heads wet and prefer the water to go straight to the roots. Plants that flower, such as potatoes and corn, need extra watering at flowering times.
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Weed the garden regularly to keep weeds from taking over. Make sure you are pulling weeds instead of new plants by marking the garden rows clearly and weeding in between them. Pull the weeds out by grasping them at the base, right above the soil, and pulling out the roots. Do this at least once a week but more often if weeds are growing quickly. A light, daily weeding will make this chore more manageable.
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Harvest the garden as the vegetables are ready. This varies according to each plant. Some take an entire season to grow; others will grow quickly and can even be replanted in longer growing seasons. Radishes may take only 21 days to grow whereas tomatoes can take up to 75 days. This will vary depending on the variety of seed you buy.
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Tips & Warnings
Start with a small garden the first year or two to see how much work it is and then expand your garden if you feel you can handle a larger plot
Grow more vegetables than you think your family needs and donate them to the local food bank.
References
Resources
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