Vegetable Gardens

Home gardeners know the many benefits of growing their own fresh produce. It's not only fun and easy, but the pride you'll feel when serving and eating your own vegetables is definitely worth the effort. You'll know whether herbicides or pesticides have been used. Best of all, it costs just a fraction of what you'd pay to shop for produce at a local market.

Vegetable gardening is becoming as popular as shopping at the local market. Backyard vegetable gardens can produce a bounty of crops that are far cheaper than buying at the store, and the produce usually tastes much better. If you've ever grown flowers or herbs, then you will be able to plant and pick healthy vegetables that have been grown with the same degree of care and effort.

In planting a successful vegetable garden, the first step is finding the right space. You'll need to decide how big you want your garden to be, and then choose the best spot on your property. Look for an area that has rich, deep soil, proper air circulation and good drainage. Choose a spot that has maximum exposure to the sun, and shelter wherever possible. Remember, you're not the only one who will want to harvest the tasty treats in your garden; there are also all kinds of animals hungry for a taste. Even if you have a rooftop garden, you need to protect your plants from wildlife. Surround your garden with a fence or set traps for small animals.

Proper soil preparation is necessary for a successful garden. A healthy vegetable garden must be carefully cultivated, and you should apply organic materials. Till, turn or plow the area to help control weeds and mix mulch into the soil. Spading a small garden is usually enough to do the trick. Mulching is also required. Plants will only thrive in soil that has been enriched with the nitrogen, minerals and other nutrients that are present in organic material. Compost is the most popular and beneficial type of mulch that you can use. Simple sheep manure is another inexpensive application that will do wonders for your plants.

The types of fertilizer and application that you choose depends on the types of plants you'll be growing. Nitrogen is required for leafy plants like lettuce, cabbage and spinach. Root crops like carrots, turnips, beets and potatoes do best when enriched with potash. Celery, onions and potatoes need larger amounts of fertilizer, while beans and tomatoes require less.

The overall success of your garden will also depend on the arrangement of the plants. No one vegetable is guaranteed to thrive in every type of garden, so it's best to plant several different varieties. It's best to arrange your vegetable garden by the amount of space required by the plants. For example, lettuce, spinach, beets and radishes are all compact plants that can easily share a single bed. Varieties such as corn, potatoes, pumpkins and squash need room to spread and thrive. Tall plants like corn and tomatoes should be planted at the back of the garden, providing shelter and allowing sunlight to reach the smaller plants.

When the preparations are complete and you're ready to begin planting, make sure that the time and weather are just right. Some seeds, like lettuce and peas, do very well if they are planted in the cool springtime soil. Most tender plants, however, can be killed by frost. Be sure the danger of frost has passed before you plant young tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables. If you'd like to get an early start, you can begin your garden inside in a hotbed or even on a windowsill, and then transplant when the weather permits.

After you have planted all of your vegetables, be sure to water them regularly. Different varieties of vegetables have individual watering needs, but on average most plants will need the equivalent of about an inch of water per week.

Weeds are often the biggest threats to healthy vegetable gardens. Weeds will rob plants of water, soil and nutrients, and they can attract insects and disease. Besides, weeds are real eyesores. If weeds are a problem, don't be too quick to apply potentially harmful herbicides. You can usually stay on top of the problem by pulling the weeds as soon as they emerge, to prevent them from spreading. Some varieties of plants are resistant to disease, so check seed packets or ask for a professional opinion at your garden centre.

It can be a lot of work to grow your own vegetables, but your effort will be worth every penny you saved and every delicious bite of produce that you grew yourself.

Article Source: http://www.associatedigest.com

Freelancer Phillip Blunzon contributes articles to several Internet sites, on home garden and family activity topics.

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