When planning a vegetable garden, at first it doesn’t seem very simple. But once you get the hang of it, nothing’s easier or more rewarding than growing your own food. There are four things to consider when planning a vegetable garden: space, time, cost, and what vegetables to grow.
The first thing to take into consideration is the space available. Someone who lives in a rural area more likely has space that can be devoted to gardening. Someone who lives in a city apartment can still garden but with less space. There are many options when considering space.
Container gardening is easy to do. Almost any container will do. There are many creative choices as well. Pots found at any home and garden store or supermarket work sufficiently. Empty milk jugs work. Buckets and even an old boot will do, as long as some holes are drilled for drainage.
A bigger garden can work if you have space. A raised bed made of wood (usually two inch by eight inch or two inch by ten inch planks) or concrete blocks can be put together to form a box built to contain the garden. The advantages of a raised bed system include better moisture control and generally less pest, disease, and weed maintenance. The disadvantages can be higher cost and time to prepare. It’s best to plan out small five foot by five foot spots. Give some room in between the plots. Smaller sections are easier to maintain.
The type and quantity of vegetables can often affect the amount of space needed. Ask these questions. Do I only want to supplement what I buy from the store? How much and what will I and my family eat?
Place the garden away from any shading trees. Proper growth can depend on climate and availability of sun. Make sure the garden will get at least five hours of good strong sunlight. Generally place rows in a north to south direction so that sunlight absorption is even.
Think about how much time can actually be spent watering and weeding. A bigger garden means slightly more time spent in these mundane yet very necessary garden tasks. But bigger is not always better. Proper spacing and using plants that go well together can save time, money, and space.
You can find seeds and plants at any supermarket, farm market, or home and garden store. You can also find many catalogs with seeds and plants. Check each individual packet of seeds or instructions that come with the plant package to see if there are any other restrictions and modifications needed. Seeds needn’t cost much.
Here is a list of common vegetables and some helpful tidbits.
1. Squash (and zucchini) - Squash can grow just about anywhere in any type soil. They are warm loving creatures that need hardly any maintenance. They are vigorous so be careful not to plant too many.
2. Lettuces - Lettuces are just about as easy as squash to grow and there so many types to choose from. There are even fall and winter lettuces that can be grown in temperatures most vegetables can’t survive in.
3. Radishes - Radishes grow quickly, usually in less than a month. Several crops can be grown in one season.
4. Spinach - Spinach is as easy as lettuce but make sure you can get your family to eat it first.
5. Tomatoes - Tomatoes are warm loving creatures that generally need staking and a good amount of water. They can be bought as pre-germinated plants or started from seed. Tomatoes have a longer growing season, about three months.
6. Peppers - Bell peppers are popular and need a good warm to hot growing season to be of the highest production. Hot peppers such as habanera and jalapeno need a longer growing season.
7. Carrots - Carrots need a deep soil. They take some time (sometimes up to two or three weeks) to germinate. They usually produce about three months after they germinate.
8. Corn - Corn needs space. A plot with five rows of at least five to six plants is recommended. Each corn plant only produces on average of two to three ears.
9. Peas - Peas are cooler weather loving plants. They grow relatively fast, in about two months. A climbing pole or fence will be needed.
10. Beans - Beans are like peas in that they love to climb. There are some varieties that are more like a bush than a vining plant. Beans are warm loving and will take at least two months before any production occurs.
11. Cold crops - These crops include broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. They like cooler temperatures. They need lots of space. About one every foot or so.
Some plants naturally go together. Spinach can be grown amongst lettuce. Fast growing radishes mark rows of the slower growing carrots and save space as well. Peas are a fast and easy growing crop to put along the sides of lettuce beds. Having plants that work with each other saves a lot of time. Use lettuces and radishes to fill in areas normally weed prone. With lettuce in the way, weeds have a harder time coming up.
Gardening can be fun and easy. Garden plans take a little time and perhaps some creativity. A little can go a long way. Remember, that a little patience coupled with some effort, vegetable gardening has vary productive rewards.
