Introduction
I’ve been gardening for years, so I thought it was time to share some of my tips with you. If you’re just starting out in the world of vegetable gardening but want to make sure your first attempt is a successful one, these are the basics you need to know:
Choose a sunny location.
Sunny, warm locations are best for vegetable gardening. If your yard and garden have lots of shade or is cool, it may be hard to grow vegetables there. Keep in mind that gardens exposed to full sun will dry out faster than those with some shade.
Test your soil.
If you’re new to gardening and don’t know what kind of soil your garden has, now is the time to find out. If your soil is heavy clay, it might not be the best choice for growing vegetables.
Some people like to take their samples in the fall so they can get a better idea of what type of soil they have. Others prefer testing their gardens right before planting in springtime. Either way works fine; just make sure that if you’re going to test your garden’s soil at home, it’s done using a reliable method!
There are many different types of tests available: Some are more accurate than others and some will give more specific results than others (i.e., not all tests will tell you whether or not there are adequate amounts of phosphorus). If you’d like to go with an official lab test, visit a garden store or order online from companies such as Soil Testing Laboratories Incorporated (STL) or The Soil Doctor LLC–these two companies offer affordable services that allow customers access to professional-grade equipment at home for personal use!
Add compost to your soil.
Compost is a great way to improve the soil in your garden. It’s made from organic matter like leaves, grass clippings and vegetable scraps; it’s basically nature’s version of Miracle-Gro. If you have space for a compost pile at home, this is an easy way to make sure all those scraps don’t end up in the trash can!
If you don’t have space for a compost pile or want an alternative method, talk with your local nursery about buying bags of pre-made compost. Organic fertilizers are also available in powdered form that can be sprinkled on top of your plants’ beds during planting time or just before adding them back into the ground when spring comes around again next year.
Grow your greens.
Greens are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, so they’re a great place to start. You can plant them in pots on your porch or balcony, or you can grow them in your garden. Greens are also very easy to harvest and cook with, making them a great way to get your family eating more vegetables!
Know when to plant what.
To have your very best vegetable garden ever, it’s important to know when to plant what. Knowing the planting dates for each vegetable is an essential part of gardening in the first place. For example, if you wait too long to plant your tomatoes or squash, they may not have enough time to grow large enough before frost sets in. As another example, if you plant too early in the season and your lettuce gets eaten by insects or mildewed by humidity before it has a chance to mature into a good harvestable size (or both), then it won’t be worth growing again next year!
So how do you know when these things should happen? It depends on where you live—and even then there are no guarantees! But one way or another there is usually a consensus among experts about what constitutes “good” weather for certain plants at different times during their lifecycle. The following chart shows some common vegetables along with their optimal planting dates:
Give vines something to climb on.
Whether you’re planting your first vegetable garden or have been at it for years, here are five tips to help you have your very best vegetable garden ever.
- Give vines something to climb on. Vines are easy and rewarding to grow, but they need something tall and sturdy enough to support them as they grow up through the season. You can use a trellis or arbor, a fence or wall. You might even be able to use an existing tree (make sure it’s sturdy) or large shrub that has plenty of room for the vine(s) to spread out and climb up through its branches as well as along its trunk. And don’t forget about tomato cages—they make great supports!
Keep weeds at bay.
If you want to keep weeds at bay, try one of the following methods:
- Cover the soil with a thick layer of mulch. This will make it harder for weeds to grow and give your garden a nice finished appearance. Mulch comes in many different types, including wood chips and straw.
- Use a garden rake to pull up any weed roots as soon as they appear.
- Use a hoe or long handled weeding tool for larger areas that need attention, such as between rows of plants in your garden beds or along walkways between them where weeds tend to pop up more often than in the bed itself due to their proximity to pathways used by people walking through the area on a regular basis (which may include pets).
Water early in the day.
Watering early in the day is a good practice because it allows the water to soak into the soil. Watering in the evening can encourage fungus and disease, as well as making your plants more vulnerable to temperature changes. You’ll be able to keep your plants cooler by watering them in the morning instead of at night. If you do decide to water at night, be sure to use a sprinkler or drip irrigation system so that you don’t add too much moisture to one part of your garden.
Don’t fertilize every time you water.
Once you have a vegetable garden, it’s tempting to feed your plants every time you water them. After all, fertilizing is supposed to make them grow faster and healthier, right?
Not necessarily. It’s true that fertilizing can increase the yield of your crop—but too much fertilizer can actually cause more harm than good. For example, too much nitrogen can lead to soft growth and even rotting roots under the soil (yuck!). So how do you know when and how much to add? Here are some tips:
- Don’t fertilize every time you water. Fertilizer should only be added once per month during periods of growth—and never during drought conditions! In fact, watering less is better for your plants than watering more; plant roots need oxygen just like our lungs do…so don’t drown them with too many buckets each morning!
- Use organic fertilizer sparingly when necessary: Only use organic options such as compost or worm castings if there aren’t any other options available nearby (such as store-bought products). These materials break down into natural nutrients over time which will benefit both human health and environmental sustainability; however these alternatives may cost more money upfront but save money overall since they don’t contain harmful chemicals like synthetic pesticides or herbicides that can harm wildlife living nearby
Use mulch in your garden.
Using mulch in your garden is a great way to keep weeds down, keep soil moist, reduce the need for watering and cover tree roots. Mulch can also be used to cover compost or soil around plants. The type of mulch that you choose depends on what it will be covering, as well as your personal preference and budget.
Follow these quick tips, and you will have a vegetable garden that you are proud of!
If you want to have a vegetable garden that you are proud of, follow these tips. They’re easy to follow and quick!
- Make sure the soil is well-drained. Soil should drain quickly when water is added, so it doesn’t stay soggy for long periods of time. This will help prevent disease in your plants and keep them healthy all season long.
- Plant your seeds at the right time of year. You can find out when this is by going online or checking with someone who has grown veggies before (like an experienced neighbor). Doing it too early will risk their not having enough time to grow big enough; doing it too late could mean bad weather comes before they have time to ripen properly!
Conclusion
Vegetable gardening is a rewarding hobby, and it doesn’t need to be difficult. These tips will make starting your own vegetable garden easier than ever before. If you are new to vegetable gardening, we recommend following these steps: