Getting Started Vegetable Gardening

If you follow these basic guidelines you will soon be on your way to having a great garden producing tasty fresh vegetables. Growing your own produce will give you a great deal of satisfaction and as an added bonus the work involved will help to keep you fit and healthy.

Choosing a Site

Your ideal site should have plenty of direct sunshine over six hours a day would be preferable. It should be well drained but as level as possible, because if it is too steep the soil could erode down the slope. Your site should not border high hedges or large trees because they could have roots which extend over a large distance which will tend to draw the moisture out of the soil and leave little for your seeds and plants.

Planning Your Garden

Before you actually plan your vegetable garden you will need to decide on the type of vegetables and the varieties you would like to grow. You must select varieties which are suitable and hardy enough for the area you live and suitable for the type of soil you have. Next draw a plan on paper how you would like to arrange your garden bearing in mind to position taller plants so that they do not block out the sun and shade the smaller ones.

Preparing The Soil

The soil for vegetables should ideally be fertile, well drained and contain at least 20% organic matter. The organic matter will hold the nutrients in the soil for the plants to use and also improve the aeration and drainage of the soil. The whole vegetable plot should be dug over to a depth of 8 - 10 inches and should be worked until the soil is loose and friable. Additional organic matter in the form of well rotted manure or compost can be dug in to the soil to provide the plants with nitrogen and other nutrients to use.

Seeds or Seedlings

Growing your vegetables from seed is the most economical and rewarding way and you will have more plants to harvest. Some vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers are usually planted as transplant seedlings others such as carrots, beets, turnips, and parsnips which are all root crops don't like to be transplanted. They're cold-hardy vegetables, so you can direct seed them pretty early anyway. Seeds are easier to start growing indoors than outdoors because you can more easily provide the perfect conditions for germination, including the ideal temperature, moisture, and fertility. You can then transplant them outdoors later.

Planting

Before planting the soil the soil should be raked to make it level with a fine tilth on the surface. Seeds should be put in a slight furrow made with a hoe or the edge of your trowel. The depth, spacing and distance between the seeds and rows will be found on the seed packet, these instructions should be followed for best results. When planting seedlings/starter plants be careful when removing them from their individual cells or trays and place them in suitable sized holes made in the soil. Seedlings should only be planted outdoors when all dangers of frosts have passed. Once your vegetables have been planted you will need to water them well to give them a good start.

Your vegetable garden will require regular weeding, fertilizing and watering inorder for your crop to grow and flourish. If you follow this simple advice you should be rewarded with a fine crop of tasty vegetables.