/images/header.png)
Growing Vegetable Plants From Seed
Ellen Bell asked:
If you’re one of the many Americans who will be cultivating a vegetable garden this year, one of the first decisions you’ll have to make is whether to grow your plants from seed or purchase transplants from a nursery. In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons to both methods, and we’ll provide a basic how to guide for starting your own plants from seed.
There are two primary deciding factors in whether to start plants from seed. The first is time. Starting seeds certainly requires a larger investment in time and effort than purchasing transplants. However, the knowledge that you have grown the plants yourself from their very inception is also quite rewarding. The other primary consideration is cost. Seeds are far more economical to purchase than young plants. A packet of 50 or more seeds might cost you a few dollars. Transplants, on the other hand, will cost you that same amount per plant. In short, if you have the time and the inclination, growing your own plants from seed is a very rewarding and economical way to start a vegetable garden.
Most gardening experts will agree that the best method of starting seeds is in a greenhouse. Greenhouses provide optimal conditions for germination and growing: long warm days and ample sunlight during times of year when it is still to cold to even consider planting outside. Many hobby greenhouses also feature auto venting systems that help regulate the inside temperature.
If you’re not ready to invest in a large outdoor greenhouse, consider a smaller portable unit that can sit on a deck or patio. There are also small indoor greenhouses available that occupy no more space than a shelf or tabletop, and these are ideal for the urban gardener who is limited on space.
Seedlings also need plenty of moisture for germination and early growth. Planting in a mixture that contains plenty of peat moss will aid in moisture retention. In the early stages, before seeds have germinated, fill a spray bottle with water and use this to keep the soil moist. This will prevent overwatering, which can cause seeds to dislodge and wash away.
The last important step in growing your own plants from seed is hardening off before transplanting outdoors. Hardening off refers to the process of preparing plants for the rigors of growing outdoors. Some gardeners harden off their seedlings by placing them outdoors on a deck or patio during favorable weather conditions for a week or so before transplanting is to occur. Other methods of hardening off include lowering the temperature where the plants are located, watering only when plants show signs of wilting, and placing a fan nearby to blow a gentle breeze on the seedlings.
By following these tips, along with a good dose of patience, any gardener can successfully start their own vegetable plants from seed. The process may be time consuming, but it is also very satisfying, and you’ll be rewarded with dozens of young plants at a fraction of the cost of purchasing them from a nursery or garden center.
If you’re one of the many Americans who will be cultivating a vegetable garden this year, one of the first decisions you’ll have to make is whether to grow your plants from seed or purchase transplants from a nursery. In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons to both methods, and we’ll provide a basic how to guide for starting your own plants from seed.
There are two primary deciding factors in whether to start plants from seed. The first is time. Starting seeds certainly requires a larger investment in time and effort than purchasing transplants. However, the knowledge that you have grown the plants yourself from their very inception is also quite rewarding. The other primary consideration is cost. Seeds are far more economical to purchase than young plants. A packet of 50 or more seeds might cost you a few dollars. Transplants, on the other hand, will cost you that same amount per plant. In short, if you have the time and the inclination, growing your own plants from seed is a very rewarding and economical way to start a vegetable garden.
Most gardening experts will agree that the best method of starting seeds is in a greenhouse. Greenhouses provide optimal conditions for germination and growing: long warm days and ample sunlight during times of year when it is still to cold to even consider planting outside. Many hobby greenhouses also feature auto venting systems that help regulate the inside temperature.
If you’re not ready to invest in a large outdoor greenhouse, consider a smaller portable unit that can sit on a deck or patio. There are also small indoor greenhouses available that occupy no more space than a shelf or tabletop, and these are ideal for the urban gardener who is limited on space.
Seedlings also need plenty of moisture for germination and early growth. Planting in a mixture that contains plenty of peat moss will aid in moisture retention. In the early stages, before seeds have germinated, fill a spray bottle with water and use this to keep the soil moist. This will prevent overwatering, which can cause seeds to dislodge and wash away.
The last important step in growing your own plants from seed is hardening off before transplanting outdoors. Hardening off refers to the process of preparing plants for the rigors of growing outdoors. Some gardeners harden off their seedlings by placing them outdoors on a deck or patio during favorable weather conditions for a week or so before transplanting is to occur. Other methods of hardening off include lowering the temperature where the plants are located, watering only when plants show signs of wilting, and placing a fan nearby to blow a gentle breeze on the seedlings.
By following these tips, along with a good dose of patience, any gardener can successfully start their own vegetable plants from seed. The process may be time consuming, but it is also very satisfying, and you’ll be rewarded with dozens of young plants at a fraction of the cost of purchasing them from a nursery or garden center.
Growing Vegetables in Small Gardens – Space Saving Techniques
Jane Thomas asked:
You don’t need a large area to have a vegetable garden. All you do need is good soil, plenty of sunshine, a water source and probably a fence. Limited gardening space doesn’t necessary need to be an obstacle for growing vegetables. A well-planned and organized garden can make planting go quickly and efficiently for maximum yields in minimum space. If space is limited use the land twice, or try these intensive cropping techniques.
Space Saving Techniques in Small Vegetable Gardens
Companion crops – This can be accomplished by sowing the seeds of a fast and slow growing vegetable together in the same row. For example, radishes (fast maturing) and carrots (slow maturing) can be sown together. Mix radish and carrot seeds and plant together. Radishes are a short-season crop so will be harvested before the carrots need room to grow. This is also a good method of thinning the carrots. Another method is to alternate rows of fast and slow maturing vegetables. An example would be a row of leaf lettuce between two rows of tomatoes.
Succession planting – As soon as one crop is finished, plant another. After short-season crops such as lettuce, spinach, radishes and peas have stopped bearing, they can be removed. Plant carrots, beets, Swiss chard, turnips or green beans for a later crop.
Interplanting – Grow two or more vegetables in one area by planting slow (long season) and fast maturing (short season) crops. The fast maturing vegetables will be harvested before the crops begin to crowd each other. Harvesting the short season crop also provides additional space for the later maturing vegetables. Slow starting, late-planted crops, such as tomatoes, peppers, bush squash, and cucumbers, may be transplanted between rows of peas, spinach, and other short-season crops. The short-season vegetables will stop producing when hot weather begins and can then be removed.
Bush varieties – Plant “bush” varieties of cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, peppers and squash that produce fruit on much shorter vines. “Bush” refers to growing habit. These plants take up less space in the garden than standard varieties.
Use vertical space by staking and trellising – Some crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and pole beans may be supported by stakes, poles, trellises, or fences and grown upright rather than on the ground. Use a trellis or fence to support pole beans, cucumbers, and squash; cage or stake tomatoes, they will take much less room this way.
Square foot gardening – This is a form of intensive gardening in which the garden is marked off into squares of space for crops rather than planting in straight rows. The name comes from partitioning blocks of garden space that are 1 ft. x 1 ft. A common arrangement is to mark off squares that are 4 ft. x 4 ft. (16 sq. ft.). This area is then divided into four parts that are 2 ft. x 2 ft. One tomato plant or equally spaced seeds are then planted in these square areas, depending on the space needs of the plant.
You don’t need a large area to have a vegetable garden. All you do need is good soil, plenty of sunshine, a water source and probably a fence. Limited gardening space doesn’t necessary need to be an obstacle for growing vegetables. A well-planned and organized garden can make planting go quickly and efficiently for maximum yields in minimum space. If space is limited use the land twice, or try these intensive cropping techniques.
Space Saving Techniques in Small Vegetable Gardens
Companion crops – This can be accomplished by sowing the seeds of a fast and slow growing vegetable together in the same row. For example, radishes (fast maturing) and carrots (slow maturing) can be sown together. Mix radish and carrot seeds and plant together. Radishes are a short-season crop so will be harvested before the carrots need room to grow. This is also a good method of thinning the carrots. Another method is to alternate rows of fast and slow maturing vegetables. An example would be a row of leaf lettuce between two rows of tomatoes.
Succession planting – As soon as one crop is finished, plant another. After short-season crops such as lettuce, spinach, radishes and peas have stopped bearing, they can be removed. Plant carrots, beets, Swiss chard, turnips or green beans for a later crop.
Interplanting – Grow two or more vegetables in one area by planting slow (long season) and fast maturing (short season) crops. The fast maturing vegetables will be harvested before the crops begin to crowd each other. Harvesting the short season crop also provides additional space for the later maturing vegetables. Slow starting, late-planted crops, such as tomatoes, peppers, bush squash, and cucumbers, may be transplanted between rows of peas, spinach, and other short-season crops. The short-season vegetables will stop producing when hot weather begins and can then be removed.
Bush varieties – Plant “bush” varieties of cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, peppers and squash that produce fruit on much shorter vines. “Bush” refers to growing habit. These plants take up less space in the garden than standard varieties.
Use vertical space by staking and trellising – Some crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and pole beans may be supported by stakes, poles, trellises, or fences and grown upright rather than on the ground. Use a trellis or fence to support pole beans, cucumbers, and squash; cage or stake tomatoes, they will take much less room this way.
Square foot gardening – This is a form of intensive gardening in which the garden is marked off into squares of space for crops rather than planting in straight rows. The name comes from partitioning blocks of garden space that are 1 ft. x 1 ft. A common arrangement is to mark off squares that are 4 ft. x 4 ft. (16 sq. ft.). This area is then divided into four parts that are 2 ft. x 2 ft. One tomato plant or equally spaced seeds are then planted in these square areas, depending on the space needs of the plant.
Organic Fruit And Vegetable Boxes
Anna Hart asked:
Organic fruit and vegetable boxes are gaining in popularity as consumers become increasingly alarmed by the dangers of pesticide residue. Organic fruit and vegetable boxes are not available in every place, but some places have wonderful programs that accept standing orders.
In London, organic fruit and vegetable boxes are delivered weekly. It’s a great way to get nutritional organic fruit and vegetables without relying on a local market. A typical box delivered in May might contain fresh organic fruit and vegetables such as broad beans, carrots, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, loquats, onions, pears, potatoes, radishes, rhubarb, spinach, and tomatoes.
London organic fruit and vegetable boxes offer families a range of fresh organic fruit and vegetables. Box contents change from week to week, and from season to season. Organic fruit and vegetables that are at their peak locally are chosen. If certain produce cannot be grown locally, imported organic fruit such as bananas, for example, are included.
London organic fruit and vegetable boxes are sold according to family size. Small boxes of organic fruit and vegetables suit a couple; medium boxes feed 3 people; large boxes feed 4.
Customers simply go online and order the size of organic fruit and vegetable boxes they want. They may then add extra organic fruit and vegetables. They tell how many weeks they want to receive boxes, and give a name and address. The boxes are delivered automatically as many weeks as they wish.
Some organic fruit and vegetable box shippers in Great Britain include the option of organic items such as eggs, cheese, jam, and salmon.
After finding 7 London organic fruit and vegetable boxes, we found many more throughout England, Scotland, and Wales.
Other Organic Fruit and Vegetable Programs
The organic fruit and vegetable boxes of Great Britain are not alone in offering shipment of organic fruit and vegetables. Other companies are also providing fresh organic fruit and vegetables with the convenience of delivery. Many offer weekly or bi-weekly deliveries that you can start, stop, or hold at any time.
Organic fruit and vegetable boxes may contain a vegetable or organic fruit that you have never prepared. Most of these companies take that into consideration, and offer online recipes. Some organic fruit and vegetable box delivery companies also invite subscription to a regular newsletter.
Here are a few organic fruit and vegetable box shippers we found in other English-speaking countries. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list.
1. Australia: Organic fruit and vegetable boxes in Australia and New Zealand make it easier for customers in the country areas to have fresh organic produce, even if they themselves can’t engage in organic gardening. We found regular delivery of organic fruit and vegetable boxes in Perth and western Australia – in Melbourne and Victorian areas – and in the Sydney area.
2. Canada: from British Columbia eastward to Ontario and beyond, many Canadians also enjoy home delivery of organic fruit and vegetable boxes. We found a great place in Ontario that named their box sizes, small to large: Harvest, Family Harvest, and Super Harvest. Like others, their box contents change weekly due to seasonal changes, but you can visit their website to hear what’s in your box ahead of time. If you don’t like an organic fruit or vegetable that’s scheduled, you can make substitutions. Another great option offered by the same company is the opportunity at sign-up to indicate items you never want to receive!
3. New Zealand: Organic fruit and vegetable boxes from Auckland are delivered across New Zealand’s North Island in a plan similar to those found in Great Britain and Australia. On New Zealand’s South Island, customers can order organic fruit and vegetable boxes from shippers in Nelson and the Canterbury area. A 5-year old in the Nelson, New Zealand area summed up the fun of getting surprise organic fruit and vegetables in a box each week: “I like your veggies that come in the box. Thank you.” Lara.
4. United States: Organic fruit and vegetables from Texas are available online for shipment to various parts of the U.S. On most websites, you type in your zip code to see if delivery is available in your area. Organic fruit and vegetable boxes from Texas feature a wide variety of produce. Climate makes these boxes available year round. Organic fruit and vegetable boxes from California, Oregon, and Florida are also plentiful. You can find shippers that ship to all 48 contiguous states, usually with next-day delivery.
Suggestion
If you are a member of a group that would like to help a family in need, you could arrange weekly delivery of organic fruit and vegetable boxes to the home or office. To be truly helpful, do it anonymously.
Organic fruit and vegetable boxes are gaining in popularity as consumers become increasingly alarmed by the dangers of pesticide residue. Organic fruit and vegetable boxes are not available in every place, but some places have wonderful programs that accept standing orders.
In London, organic fruit and vegetable boxes are delivered weekly. It’s a great way to get nutritional organic fruit and vegetables without relying on a local market. A typical box delivered in May might contain fresh organic fruit and vegetables such as broad beans, carrots, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, loquats, onions, pears, potatoes, radishes, rhubarb, spinach, and tomatoes.
London organic fruit and vegetable boxes offer families a range of fresh organic fruit and vegetables. Box contents change from week to week, and from season to season. Organic fruit and vegetables that are at their peak locally are chosen. If certain produce cannot be grown locally, imported organic fruit such as bananas, for example, are included.
London organic fruit and vegetable boxes are sold according to family size. Small boxes of organic fruit and vegetables suit a couple; medium boxes feed 3 people; large boxes feed 4.
Customers simply go online and order the size of organic fruit and vegetable boxes they want. They may then add extra organic fruit and vegetables. They tell how many weeks they want to receive boxes, and give a name and address. The boxes are delivered automatically as many weeks as they wish.
Some organic fruit and vegetable box shippers in Great Britain include the option of organic items such as eggs, cheese, jam, and salmon.
After finding 7 London organic fruit and vegetable boxes, we found many more throughout England, Scotland, and Wales.
Other Organic Fruit and Vegetable Programs
The organic fruit and vegetable boxes of Great Britain are not alone in offering shipment of organic fruit and vegetables. Other companies are also providing fresh organic fruit and vegetables with the convenience of delivery. Many offer weekly or bi-weekly deliveries that you can start, stop, or hold at any time.
Organic fruit and vegetable boxes may contain a vegetable or organic fruit that you have never prepared. Most of these companies take that into consideration, and offer online recipes. Some organic fruit and vegetable box delivery companies also invite subscription to a regular newsletter.
Here are a few organic fruit and vegetable box shippers we found in other English-speaking countries. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list.
1. Australia: Organic fruit and vegetable boxes in Australia and New Zealand make it easier for customers in the country areas to have fresh organic produce, even if they themselves can’t engage in organic gardening. We found regular delivery of organic fruit and vegetable boxes in Perth and western Australia – in Melbourne and Victorian areas – and in the Sydney area.
2. Canada: from British Columbia eastward to Ontario and beyond, many Canadians also enjoy home delivery of organic fruit and vegetable boxes. We found a great place in Ontario that named their box sizes, small to large: Harvest, Family Harvest, and Super Harvest. Like others, their box contents change weekly due to seasonal changes, but you can visit their website to hear what’s in your box ahead of time. If you don’t like an organic fruit or vegetable that’s scheduled, you can make substitutions. Another great option offered by the same company is the opportunity at sign-up to indicate items you never want to receive!
3. New Zealand: Organic fruit and vegetable boxes from Auckland are delivered across New Zealand’s North Island in a plan similar to those found in Great Britain and Australia. On New Zealand’s South Island, customers can order organic fruit and vegetable boxes from shippers in Nelson and the Canterbury area. A 5-year old in the Nelson, New Zealand area summed up the fun of getting surprise organic fruit and vegetables in a box each week: “I like your veggies that come in the box. Thank you.” Lara.
4. United States: Organic fruit and vegetables from Texas are available online for shipment to various parts of the U.S. On most websites, you type in your zip code to see if delivery is available in your area. Organic fruit and vegetable boxes from Texas feature a wide variety of produce. Climate makes these boxes available year round. Organic fruit and vegetable boxes from California, Oregon, and Florida are also plentiful. You can find shippers that ship to all 48 contiguous states, usually with next-day delivery.
Suggestion
If you are a member of a group that would like to help a family in need, you could arrange weekly delivery of organic fruit and vegetable boxes to the home or office. To be truly helpful, do it anonymously.
Growing Vegetables In Your Spare Time
Juliet Spalding asked:
As a product, I remember many sunny summer afternoons meeting on the veranda shelling more than my descent allocate of peas and butter beans in the innate shadowy affection of the old south. There were other vegetables we grew in our summer gardens that had to be picked and stored for coldness but the peas and butter beans forever seemed to take the most time and awareness and are one of the stuff I truly forget having left my home in the south for much cooler climes. One thing while, has never gotten away from me and that is the cavernous and abiding fondness I have for the smell of newly plowed soil and the savor of vegetables light from the plot.
I advantage out the truth that my childhood desired summer plot vegetables only look to boom in the south to push home the detail that you truly will want to seek the vegetables you factory in your summer plot as they associate to the definite sphere in which you live. Not all vegetable plants are shaped total in their tolerance for temperature or rain (or lack thereof), which could awfully blow their suitability for your particular vegetable summer backyard depending of course, on where you are located.
Some great plants to involve in your summer vegetable plot should of course be dictated by those vegetables that you like intake as well as those vegetables and herbs that use a good trade when cooking. If you use peppers a lot in your cooking then peppers are probably an admirable select for your summer patch. If you don’t like peppers, then they are not expected to be a good picking, as they will probably be exhausted. My children will eat green peppers off the place so they make an admirable diversity for our backyard. Tomatoes are another currents favorite for summer gardens. Some have even gotten creative and fashioned killing tomato plants in which the tomatoes factually grow upside down. If pause is imperfect in your summer patch this may be a great way to have your tomatoes and grow them too-lacking pleasing up valuable honest estate within your vegetable plot.
For those who darling their greens summer gardens offer an admirable atmosphere for upward greens such as broccoli, lettuce, and cabbage. Collard greens, mustard greens, and turnip greens are also good summer backyard inclusions. I also have dazzling memories of boiling massive vats of greens to be frozen for frost when the detailed influence of the gather was ahead us. There was always something to be done with the vegetables as coldness approached and during those bend chill months we were so grateful for the hard work and shot we had made to insure these great vegetables would sustain us during the months they weren’t so speedily unfilled.
Having a summer garden packed with vegetables is a satisfying pursuit in many habits. First you are producing something that is expedient to you and your family. Second, you are providing a way for you and your family to have the vegetables you dear most throughout the year. Finally, you are able to make vegetables that are fit for consumption and enjoyment at a, much slash expense than you would pay for these vegetables at the limited supermarket. The helps except money for some of the more important and more entertaining stuff most of us would like to do with our families.
As with any summer garden you will hardship to design prudently the residency of your vegetables and do some research on individual watering and shade requirements. It helps to plant those that necessary partial sunlight in the shadow of those plants that will grow taller and present shade for the slighter plants. It also helps to keep the thirstier plants faster together and foster away from those plants that compel minus water to sustain them. You should also take tension to be realistic in your planting and prevent planting more than you can comfortable consume or return, as that will be shattered time and stab on your part.
As a product, I remember many sunny summer afternoons meeting on the veranda shelling more than my descent allocate of peas and butter beans in the innate shadowy affection of the old south. There were other vegetables we grew in our summer gardens that had to be picked and stored for coldness but the peas and butter beans forever seemed to take the most time and awareness and are one of the stuff I truly forget having left my home in the south for much cooler climes. One thing while, has never gotten away from me and that is the cavernous and abiding fondness I have for the smell of newly plowed soil and the savor of vegetables light from the plot.
I advantage out the truth that my childhood desired summer plot vegetables only look to boom in the south to push home the detail that you truly will want to seek the vegetables you factory in your summer plot as they associate to the definite sphere in which you live. Not all vegetable plants are shaped total in their tolerance for temperature or rain (or lack thereof), which could awfully blow their suitability for your particular vegetable summer backyard depending of course, on where you are located.
Some great plants to involve in your summer vegetable plot should of course be dictated by those vegetables that you like intake as well as those vegetables and herbs that use a good trade when cooking. If you use peppers a lot in your cooking then peppers are probably an admirable select for your summer patch. If you don’t like peppers, then they are not expected to be a good picking, as they will probably be exhausted. My children will eat green peppers off the place so they make an admirable diversity for our backyard. Tomatoes are another currents favorite for summer gardens. Some have even gotten creative and fashioned killing tomato plants in which the tomatoes factually grow upside down. If pause is imperfect in your summer patch this may be a great way to have your tomatoes and grow them too-lacking pleasing up valuable honest estate within your vegetable plot.
For those who darling their greens summer gardens offer an admirable atmosphere for upward greens such as broccoli, lettuce, and cabbage. Collard greens, mustard greens, and turnip greens are also good summer backyard inclusions. I also have dazzling memories of boiling massive vats of greens to be frozen for frost when the detailed influence of the gather was ahead us. There was always something to be done with the vegetables as coldness approached and during those bend chill months we were so grateful for the hard work and shot we had made to insure these great vegetables would sustain us during the months they weren’t so speedily unfilled.
Having a summer garden packed with vegetables is a satisfying pursuit in many habits. First you are producing something that is expedient to you and your family. Second, you are providing a way for you and your family to have the vegetables you dear most throughout the year. Finally, you are able to make vegetables that are fit for consumption and enjoyment at a, much slash expense than you would pay for these vegetables at the limited supermarket. The helps except money for some of the more important and more entertaining stuff most of us would like to do with our families.
As with any summer garden you will hardship to design prudently the residency of your vegetables and do some research on individual watering and shade requirements. It helps to plant those that necessary partial sunlight in the shadow of those plants that will grow taller and present shade for the slighter plants. It also helps to keep the thirstier plants faster together and foster away from those plants that compel minus water to sustain them. You should also take tension to be realistic in your planting and prevent planting more than you can comfortable consume or return, as that will be shattered time and stab on your part.
Your Vegetable Garden Design Depends on Elbow Grease and Soil
Hank Gordon asked:
Having a vegetable garden is a great asset to your live, with the right vegetable garden design and the right soil you can grow your own healthy and delicious vegetables for your self and your family. But how do you determine what kind of soil you have and do you need to base your vegetable garden design to these findings?
A vegetable garden takes a lot of effort and you need to make sure what kind of soil you have before you start planning and creating your first vegetable garden design.
You Need The Right Soil for a Successful Vegetable Garden Design
To grow vegetables you need good soil and you can define soil in roughly three types. The first and best type of soil to grow vegetables in is loam. This type is rich of humus, dark, crumbly and soft. It holds water but it also allows for good drainage. This type is an organic matter build up from all kind of living plants, fungus and other living things that have died, decomposed and have returned to the ground. It is also very easy to dig. In this type of soil your veggies will grow like crazy. So start making that vegetable garden design, you don’t need to do anything to enhance this type of soil.
The next type of garden dirt is clay, this is not as rich as loam and needs a bit of work. Clay consists of very tiny particles and these stick together which causes real poor drainage. You can enhance the clay by mixing it with sand, peat moss, bone meal and other soil nutrients. Mixed together makes the clay suitable for vegetable garden design.
The last soil type is sand, this is the opposite of clay because the structure is loose and much larger partials. This means the dirt is dry and poor, but with some work and adding some soil nutrients, you can make it definitely good enough to start with your vegetable garden design.
It is likely that your garden is a combination of the these three basic types. There are kits you can buy that test the dirt and it tells you what to add to enhance the soil. You can also ask a nurseryman for some exact advice before you start with your vegetable garden design.
Prepare the land for your vegetable garden design
Whatever soil you have you will only grow good vegetables and fruits if it is properly prepared. The best way to do this is in the autumn or early winter. You need to make sure that the soil is thoroughly spaded and turned to about two spades deep. You can work some (organic) fertilizer in to the ground and during winter the moisture can properly sink in. This will improve the condition of the soil tremendously.
During winter you can start drawing your vegetable garden design and add in all the vegetables and fruits you want to grow. You can dig in to books instead of the ground and get some real knowledge about the growing methods and the soil type the many different vegetables need to be very productive.
When you add this knowledge to your vegetable garden design you will have a great time when harvest time comes.
Having a vegetable garden is a great asset to your live, with the right vegetable garden design and the right soil you can grow your own healthy and delicious vegetables for your self and your family. But how do you determine what kind of soil you have and do you need to base your vegetable garden design to these findings?
A vegetable garden takes a lot of effort and you need to make sure what kind of soil you have before you start planning and creating your first vegetable garden design.
You Need The Right Soil for a Successful Vegetable Garden Design
To grow vegetables you need good soil and you can define soil in roughly three types. The first and best type of soil to grow vegetables in is loam. This type is rich of humus, dark, crumbly and soft. It holds water but it also allows for good drainage. This type is an organic matter build up from all kind of living plants, fungus and other living things that have died, decomposed and have returned to the ground. It is also very easy to dig. In this type of soil your veggies will grow like crazy. So start making that vegetable garden design, you don’t need to do anything to enhance this type of soil.
The next type of garden dirt is clay, this is not as rich as loam and needs a bit of work. Clay consists of very tiny particles and these stick together which causes real poor drainage. You can enhance the clay by mixing it with sand, peat moss, bone meal and other soil nutrients. Mixed together makes the clay suitable for vegetable garden design.
The last soil type is sand, this is the opposite of clay because the structure is loose and much larger partials. This means the dirt is dry and poor, but with some work and adding some soil nutrients, you can make it definitely good enough to start with your vegetable garden design.
It is likely that your garden is a combination of the these three basic types. There are kits you can buy that test the dirt and it tells you what to add to enhance the soil. You can also ask a nurseryman for some exact advice before you start with your vegetable garden design.
Prepare the land for your vegetable garden design
Whatever soil you have you will only grow good vegetables and fruits if it is properly prepared. The best way to do this is in the autumn or early winter. You need to make sure that the soil is thoroughly spaded and turned to about two spades deep. You can work some (organic) fertilizer in to the ground and during winter the moisture can properly sink in. This will improve the condition of the soil tremendously.
During winter you can start drawing your vegetable garden design and add in all the vegetables and fruits you want to grow. You can dig in to books instead of the ground and get some real knowledge about the growing methods and the soil type the many different vegetables need to be very productive.
When you add this knowledge to your vegetable garden design you will have a great time when harvest time comes.
How to Grow Vegetables
Joey Simmons asked:
I can hear you thinking that you have no idea about growing vegetables. The truth is that you can easily learn enough to be growing useful crops very quickly, and each session spent in your garden teaches you even more. You will learn much that is unique to your own situation, such as local soil conditions, your particular aspect in relation to the sun, and oddities that relate to your local microclimate. You will learn most of this by getting out and giving it a go.
The taste of home grown vegetables is vastly superior to that of the commercially grown produce. Have you heard people complain that tomatoes no longer have any taste? They will have when you grow your own – you will never taste better. The lack of taste with the commercial crop is not all the fault of the growers, as they are under pressure to produce a crop, of uniform size and colour, to the schedule of the wholesale market, and ultimately the supermarket. You set your own schedule.
The freshness of your own crop is a big plus. Vegetables I have bought from the supermarket, and stored in the refrigerator, have started to become inedible after a few days. I have had home grown produce still fresh in the refrigerator after 2 weeks!
Typically, your home garden will produce a generous yield, and can readily help pay for the cost of growing them. You can effectively end up having free vegetables. Summer, especially, is usually a time of abundance, even glut, as family and friends leave your place with perhaps more produce than they had expected to see. A tip – when giving away fresh produce, try to limit your generosity – it is better to give a small amount to many rather than to give to the few more than they can actually use.
One of the turn-offs to trying something you have not done before is the intimidating flood of information (and misinformation) you will receive. If you are browsing one of the major bookstores, you may find hundreds of books on the topic – which do you buy? To begin with, look for the simple, basic information. Do not bother with those full of jargon – you will learn the technical terms as you go.
You will hear folklore from the family, such as “Uncle Henry always put … (you name it) … on his … (name it again)”. Folklore is part of our heritage, but there is no guarantee of its usefulness. You will hear from the office genius, who has done nothing, but still knows all the answers – nod wisely, and then ignore him.
Plants evolved millions of years before humans, and they actually want to grow. It has been said that in many cases plants grow despite what we do to help them. If you provide the basics, and these are reasonable nutrition and regular watering, Mother Nature does the rest – let her work for you.
I can hear you thinking that you have no idea about growing vegetables. The truth is that you can easily learn enough to be growing useful crops very quickly, and each session spent in your garden teaches you even more. You will learn much that is unique to your own situation, such as local soil conditions, your particular aspect in relation to the sun, and oddities that relate to your local microclimate. You will learn most of this by getting out and giving it a go.
The taste of home grown vegetables is vastly superior to that of the commercially grown produce. Have you heard people complain that tomatoes no longer have any taste? They will have when you grow your own – you will never taste better. The lack of taste with the commercial crop is not all the fault of the growers, as they are under pressure to produce a crop, of uniform size and colour, to the schedule of the wholesale market, and ultimately the supermarket. You set your own schedule.
The freshness of your own crop is a big plus. Vegetables I have bought from the supermarket, and stored in the refrigerator, have started to become inedible after a few days. I have had home grown produce still fresh in the refrigerator after 2 weeks!
Typically, your home garden will produce a generous yield, and can readily help pay for the cost of growing them. You can effectively end up having free vegetables. Summer, especially, is usually a time of abundance, even glut, as family and friends leave your place with perhaps more produce than they had expected to see. A tip – when giving away fresh produce, try to limit your generosity – it is better to give a small amount to many rather than to give to the few more than they can actually use.
One of the turn-offs to trying something you have not done before is the intimidating flood of information (and misinformation) you will receive. If you are browsing one of the major bookstores, you may find hundreds of books on the topic – which do you buy? To begin with, look for the simple, basic information. Do not bother with those full of jargon – you will learn the technical terms as you go.
You will hear folklore from the family, such as “Uncle Henry always put … (you name it) … on his … (name it again)”. Folklore is part of our heritage, but there is no guarantee of its usefulness. You will hear from the office genius, who has done nothing, but still knows all the answers – nod wisely, and then ignore him.
Plants evolved millions of years before humans, and they actually want to grow. It has been said that in many cases plants grow despite what we do to help them. If you provide the basics, and these are reasonable nutrition and regular watering, Mother Nature does the rest – let her work for you.
Can You Really Save Money on Growing Vegetables?
Jane Thomas asked:
There are several good reasons to grow a garden.
And with today’s economy, everyone is looking for ways to cut expenses. Lately, we can read all over the Internet and hear all the time that growing vegetables in your garden can be cheaper, more interesting, and better than buying them at supermarkets.
The biggest concern to most people is the fact that it will save so much money. Growing your own vegetables in the garden or in containers, if done properly, can reduce the amount of money you spent on groceries. But, will you succeed in doing so, depends on the costs involved in growing the crops, amounts and types of vegetables you choose to grow, vegetable yields you could expect from your garden, and many other factors. So, to answer the question from the title: “yes” – if done correctly.
It’s possible to spend a small fortune on a garden. If you go out and buy everything that you need (or you THINK you need) to start a vegetable garden, and then calculate all of the input costs (tools and equipment, fertilizers, pesticides, water, etc.) associated with gardening, you could end up with an astonishing figure. These costs can add up quickly, even for a small vegetable garden. The trick to saving money with a vegetable garden is limiting the costs, while purchasing the things you really need for your vegetable garden.
And one of the most important things that will determinate if you will save money by growing your own vegetables is choosing the types of vegetables to grow in your garden! This is done by factoring in the cost of seeds, fertilizer and water (the cost of growing vegetables) against the cost of purchasing those same vegetables in a grocery store. Some vegetables simply won’t save you much money. For example, corn; because you don’t get a high yield of corn from a small garden and because in season corn is inexpensive to buy, it doesn’t pay off to grow corn in your garden in order to save money on groceries.
So, What Vegetables Will Give You the Most Bang for the Buck?
If you want to start a vegetable garden to save money, consider growing vegetables that give a big yield and have a significant return for an investment. Good way to do this is to select vegetables that are expensive to buy in the grocery store (like tomatoes and melons) or to grow large quantities of vegetables that you purchase regularly.
If you’ve never had a vegetable garden before, take a tip from experienced gardener, and take a look at these six classic vegetables you can grow from seed and harvest throughout the summer, and save some money doing so:
* Bush Snap Beans * Carrots
* Lettuce * Peas
* Bell Pepper s * Tomatoes
These vegetable seeds are top sellers year after year, and for a good reason! Of course, the varieties change yearly, but standby vegetables like tomatoes, beans and carrots all always at the top of the lists.
Except these six vegetables already mentioned, in order to save money growing vegetables consider vegetables like broccoli, beans, beets, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, peas, peppers, potatoes, summer squash, spinach, tomatoes and Swiss chard. All these vegetables will provide the biggest returns on your investment of space and time you spend in your vegetable garden.
Even a relatively small garden, say 20′ x 20′, will give you enough room for variety, without being overwhelmed. Of course how much you save by growing your own vegetables depends on the fluctuating cost of food.
Remember, growing vegetables will save you money in the long run – the first year might actually cost more if you need to buy tools, pots and all your seeds, but the second and following years will be much cheaper!
There are several good reasons to grow a garden.
And with today’s economy, everyone is looking for ways to cut expenses. Lately, we can read all over the Internet and hear all the time that growing vegetables in your garden can be cheaper, more interesting, and better than buying them at supermarkets.
The biggest concern to most people is the fact that it will save so much money. Growing your own vegetables in the garden or in containers, if done properly, can reduce the amount of money you spent on groceries. But, will you succeed in doing so, depends on the costs involved in growing the crops, amounts and types of vegetables you choose to grow, vegetable yields you could expect from your garden, and many other factors. So, to answer the question from the title: “yes” – if done correctly.
It’s possible to spend a small fortune on a garden. If you go out and buy everything that you need (or you THINK you need) to start a vegetable garden, and then calculate all of the input costs (tools and equipment, fertilizers, pesticides, water, etc.) associated with gardening, you could end up with an astonishing figure. These costs can add up quickly, even for a small vegetable garden. The trick to saving money with a vegetable garden is limiting the costs, while purchasing the things you really need for your vegetable garden.
And one of the most important things that will determinate if you will save money by growing your own vegetables is choosing the types of vegetables to grow in your garden! This is done by factoring in the cost of seeds, fertilizer and water (the cost of growing vegetables) against the cost of purchasing those same vegetables in a grocery store. Some vegetables simply won’t save you much money. For example, corn; because you don’t get a high yield of corn from a small garden and because in season corn is inexpensive to buy, it doesn’t pay off to grow corn in your garden in order to save money on groceries.
So, What Vegetables Will Give You the Most Bang for the Buck?
If you want to start a vegetable garden to save money, consider growing vegetables that give a big yield and have a significant return for an investment. Good way to do this is to select vegetables that are expensive to buy in the grocery store (like tomatoes and melons) or to grow large quantities of vegetables that you purchase regularly.
If you’ve never had a vegetable garden before, take a tip from experienced gardener, and take a look at these six classic vegetables you can grow from seed and harvest throughout the summer, and save some money doing so:
* Bush Snap Beans * Carrots
* Lettuce * Peas
* Bell Pepper s * Tomatoes
These vegetable seeds are top sellers year after year, and for a good reason! Of course, the varieties change yearly, but standby vegetables like tomatoes, beans and carrots all always at the top of the lists.
Except these six vegetables already mentioned, in order to save money growing vegetables consider vegetables like broccoli, beans, beets, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, peas, peppers, potatoes, summer squash, spinach, tomatoes and Swiss chard. All these vegetables will provide the biggest returns on your investment of space and time you spend in your vegetable garden.
Even a relatively small garden, say 20′ x 20′, will give you enough room for variety, without being overwhelmed. Of course how much you save by growing your own vegetables depends on the fluctuating cost of food.
Remember, growing vegetables will save you money in the long run – the first year might actually cost more if you need to buy tools, pots and all your seeds, but the second and following years will be much cheaper!
Grow Vegetables At Home – 4 Easy Tips
Abhishek Agarwal asked:
Vegetable gardening at home signifies many things to many individuals – for quite a few people it may be financially prudent to cultivate their own vegetable whereas for many others it is a pleasurable pursuit to grow vegetables. You might be interested in knowing whether your soil is just right for cultivating vegetables. Rest assured that even the most awful soil could be renewed and transformed to produce a decent crop. Four vital aspects need to be committed to memory regarding gardening in general and vegetable gardening at home in particular. To grow and harvest healthy vegetables you should give due consideration to the soil conditions.
1. Every garden requires nutrients and enriched soil contains essential plant elements.
2. Appropriate Cultivation
3. Right Temperature
4. Proper Moisture
In case you are planning to start a vegetable garden at home, then you should be aware that the soil does not continue to stay enriched naturally but rather plants tend to drain the soil of its natural resources. Regular cultivation is necessary for keeping the soil rich as it aids in converting the raw food for the plants into accessible forms of food. A gardener enthusiastic about setting up a home vegetable garden should regularly put in plant food and manure into the soil from external supplies. The gardener should also ascertain the garden spot that receives the maximum sunlight, which in turn indicates a very high temperature in this area. All plants, whether they are trees, vegetables, flowers or fruits require warm sunshine if they need to grow and flourish. Lastly, every garden requires lots of moisture and hence there should be frequent watering to make certain moisture seeps down to the plant roots.
Establishing a successful home vegetable garden calls for locating the ideal place for raising vegetables, having soil that is properly turned over, enriched with nutrients and which is open to plenty of sunlight and heat and has proper drainage. In the first place, you should make up your mind what you wish to grow and where would be the location. Annual plants like rhubarbs, for instance, should be grown together at one corner of the vegetable garden. Vegetables like onions and carrots that are available throughout the season should be planted together. According to the space remaining, you can grow other crops like lettuce or peas. Study garden books for guidelines on sowing seeds and so on and record it against your selected vegetables. In this case, you need not spend countless hours trying to get the necessary information.
If you have a tiny space at your disposal, then your vegetable garden will adopt an intensive approach where the plants are packed densely together. Vegetables that grow best in such conditions are asparagus, beet cauliflower, kale, lettuce, carrots, Swiss chard cabbage, and tomatoes. The optimum season for cultivating vegetables is late in the spring, which produces a yield in the summer season even though beet, cauliflower, and carrots can be sown in June and harvested in October or November.
Vegetable gardening at home signifies many things to many individuals – for quite a few people it may be financially prudent to cultivate their own vegetable whereas for many others it is a pleasurable pursuit to grow vegetables. You might be interested in knowing whether your soil is just right for cultivating vegetables. Rest assured that even the most awful soil could be renewed and transformed to produce a decent crop. Four vital aspects need to be committed to memory regarding gardening in general and vegetable gardening at home in particular. To grow and harvest healthy vegetables you should give due consideration to the soil conditions.
1. Every garden requires nutrients and enriched soil contains essential plant elements.
2. Appropriate Cultivation
3. Right Temperature
4. Proper Moisture
In case you are planning to start a vegetable garden at home, then you should be aware that the soil does not continue to stay enriched naturally but rather plants tend to drain the soil of its natural resources. Regular cultivation is necessary for keeping the soil rich as it aids in converting the raw food for the plants into accessible forms of food. A gardener enthusiastic about setting up a home vegetable garden should regularly put in plant food and manure into the soil from external supplies. The gardener should also ascertain the garden spot that receives the maximum sunlight, which in turn indicates a very high temperature in this area. All plants, whether they are trees, vegetables, flowers or fruits require warm sunshine if they need to grow and flourish. Lastly, every garden requires lots of moisture and hence there should be frequent watering to make certain moisture seeps down to the plant roots.
Establishing a successful home vegetable garden calls for locating the ideal place for raising vegetables, having soil that is properly turned over, enriched with nutrients and which is open to plenty of sunlight and heat and has proper drainage. In the first place, you should make up your mind what you wish to grow and where would be the location. Annual plants like rhubarbs, for instance, should be grown together at one corner of the vegetable garden. Vegetables like onions and carrots that are available throughout the season should be planted together. According to the space remaining, you can grow other crops like lettuce or peas. Study garden books for guidelines on sowing seeds and so on and record it against your selected vegetables. In this case, you need not spend countless hours trying to get the necessary information.
If you have a tiny space at your disposal, then your vegetable garden will adopt an intensive approach where the plants are packed densely together. Vegetables that grow best in such conditions are asparagus, beet cauliflower, kale, lettuce, carrots, Swiss chard cabbage, and tomatoes. The optimum season for cultivating vegetables is late in the spring, which produces a yield in the summer season even though beet, cauliflower, and carrots can be sown in June and harvested in October or November.
Growing Vegetables in Container
Noel Hines asked:
Many of us would like to grow our own herbs and vegetables but have a limited amount of space. I am here to tell you that it can be easily done with the right equipment. Growing vegetables in containers is not as strange as it seems and there are many people doing it successfully. Many of the vegetables we buy from our local store can be grown in pots or containers as long as they are large enough for the right plant. Larger containers are needed for items like carrots or cabbages. While the smaller sized pots will grow herbs and baby vegetables.
If your space is limited then you could grow your herbs and vegetables amongst your flowers, use a small patch in your garden, a corner of the patio or your window sill would make an ideal location. So there is no excuse to not at least try to grow your own.
Below is a list of some herbs and vegetables that can be easily grown in pots or containers and there is a lot more.
Spinach Runner Beans Baby beetroot Cherry Tomatoes Onions Chard Turnips Asparagus Dwarf beans Carrots Celery Artichokes Squash Courgettes Cucumber
You can use almost any container to grow your vegetables as long as they are cleaned properly. If they contain any chemicals like paint use the appropriate cleaner. The idea sized containers should have troughs as deep as 20cm/8″, if space is not too limited. While pots with an average diameter size of 15cm/6″ are particularly good for small vegetables like spring onions, radish or Cherry Tomatoes. To grow herbs you only need small pots with a diameter that can be as small as 8cm/3″. These are ideally suited to the window sill.
Here is a list of suitable containers that you can get you hands on for free and a few you may have to purchase.
Glass/ Plastic Jars Paint Pots Old Fruit and vegetables containers Old Household Bins Cooking Oil Drums (Catering size) Hanging baskets Terracotta pots Wooden pots/boxes Grow bags
Grow-bags are ideal for growing plants such as squash, courgettes and cucumber, you know the trailing kind. There are special grow bag supports for tomatoes and/or peppers if the cordon variety is being used.
Any container maybe used as long as it has drainage holes at the bottom so that the soil/compost can breathe and does not get waterlogged. A good mix soil and compost will keep everything as light as possible and help with aeration.
Your window sill is an idea place to grow and it will give the necessary sunlight for most vegetables and herbs. Some may need a break in the amount of sunlight as it may damage them. For more information check out the link below and go green.
Many of us would like to grow our own herbs and vegetables but have a limited amount of space. I am here to tell you that it can be easily done with the right equipment. Growing vegetables in containers is not as strange as it seems and there are many people doing it successfully. Many of the vegetables we buy from our local store can be grown in pots or containers as long as they are large enough for the right plant. Larger containers are needed for items like carrots or cabbages. While the smaller sized pots will grow herbs and baby vegetables.
If your space is limited then you could grow your herbs and vegetables amongst your flowers, use a small patch in your garden, a corner of the patio or your window sill would make an ideal location. So there is no excuse to not at least try to grow your own.
Below is a list of some herbs and vegetables that can be easily grown in pots or containers and there is a lot more.
Spinach Runner Beans Baby beetroot Cherry Tomatoes Onions Chard Turnips Asparagus Dwarf beans Carrots Celery Artichokes Squash Courgettes Cucumber
You can use almost any container to grow your vegetables as long as they are cleaned properly. If they contain any chemicals like paint use the appropriate cleaner. The idea sized containers should have troughs as deep as 20cm/8″, if space is not too limited. While pots with an average diameter size of 15cm/6″ are particularly good for small vegetables like spring onions, radish or Cherry Tomatoes. To grow herbs you only need small pots with a diameter that can be as small as 8cm/3″. These are ideally suited to the window sill.
Here is a list of suitable containers that you can get you hands on for free and a few you may have to purchase.
Glass/ Plastic Jars Paint Pots Old Fruit and vegetables containers Old Household Bins Cooking Oil Drums (Catering size) Hanging baskets Terracotta pots Wooden pots/boxes Grow bags
Grow-bags are ideal for growing plants such as squash, courgettes and cucumber, you know the trailing kind. There are special grow bag supports for tomatoes and/or peppers if the cordon variety is being used.
Any container maybe used as long as it has drainage holes at the bottom so that the soil/compost can breathe and does not get waterlogged. A good mix soil and compost will keep everything as light as possible and help with aeration.
Your window sill is an idea place to grow and it will give the necessary sunlight for most vegetables and herbs. Some may need a break in the amount of sunlight as it may damage them. For more information check out the link below and go green.
Vegetable Gardening – Reward Yourself With Fresh Vegetables
Abhishek Agarwal asked:
Many people enjoy gardening. It gets you outdoors, lets you commune with nature, give you time to think things through, and gives you a chance to create something beautiful. Gardening flowers is fun, but vegetable gardening has special rewards beyond fragrant flowers. You and your family can eat your harvest of vegetables.
Juicy ripe tomatoes, crisp snap beans, crisp green lettuce, and fresh squash are just a sample of the many food products that you can take straight to your table from your vegetable garden. Just rinse and serve. What better fast food could you want? You can also select your vegetables at their peak. No sifting through under- and over-ripe tomatoes at the grocery store. No questions about whether chemical pesticides or additives hide on and in your supposedly healthy vegetables. That means you know your family is getting healthy, nutritious food when you serve the “fruits” of your vegetable gardening.
Like other types of gardening and yard work, vegetable gardening gets you some good exercise and healthy living. You’re out in the fresh air, not trapped inside a dark stale room in your house. Vegetable gardening assures you get plenty of sunshine and the vitamin D you need to have healthy skin and bones. Not only that, but vegetable gardening is an excellent and effective way to work off the stress of modern life. No hassling with traffic or shopping mall crowds.
Vegetable gardening is a wonderful family activity, too. Preparing the bed, cultivating the soil, thinning seedlings and weeds, and harvesting ripe vegetables bring your family together with a sense of true accomplishment. Everyone at the table can be proud when your family sits down to an abundant table of home-grown vegetables they’ve all worked to produce. Not only that, your family can earn the friendship and gratitude of neighbors when your family shares the harvest.
The rewards of vegetable gardening last well after you’ve harvested the last winter crop. You can make a family game of freezing, canning, and preserving your vegetable harvest. That way, you’ll enjoy the rewards of vegetable gardening throughout the year. You’ll bring some of that summer sun to your table in the dead of a gloomy winter.
You’ll also save a pretty penny when you replace those expensive frozen vegetables with your own. And you can create your own custom preserving recipes for unique, delicious dishes.
You don’t have to own an acre of land for productive vegetable gardening. Any small plot of ground can provide abundant healthy vegetables. Vegetable gardening in containers, window boxes, even indoors, is a worthy pursuit as long as you have the proper soil, sun, and water. You can even extend your growing season indoors with artificial sunlight and warmth.
Give it a try. Buy some seeds, start a test plot indoors or out, and begin to enjoy the rewards of vegetable gardening for you and your family. Before you know it, you’ll be placing a steaming bowl of fresh squash, a beautiful salad, or a big plate of condiments – the greatest rewards of home vegetable gardening.
Many people enjoy gardening. It gets you outdoors, lets you commune with nature, give you time to think things through, and gives you a chance to create something beautiful. Gardening flowers is fun, but vegetable gardening has special rewards beyond fragrant flowers. You and your family can eat your harvest of vegetables.
Juicy ripe tomatoes, crisp snap beans, crisp green lettuce, and fresh squash are just a sample of the many food products that you can take straight to your table from your vegetable garden. Just rinse and serve. What better fast food could you want? You can also select your vegetables at their peak. No sifting through under- and over-ripe tomatoes at the grocery store. No questions about whether chemical pesticides or additives hide on and in your supposedly healthy vegetables. That means you know your family is getting healthy, nutritious food when you serve the “fruits” of your vegetable gardening.
Like other types of gardening and yard work, vegetable gardening gets you some good exercise and healthy living. You’re out in the fresh air, not trapped inside a dark stale room in your house. Vegetable gardening assures you get plenty of sunshine and the vitamin D you need to have healthy skin and bones. Not only that, but vegetable gardening is an excellent and effective way to work off the stress of modern life. No hassling with traffic or shopping mall crowds.
Vegetable gardening is a wonderful family activity, too. Preparing the bed, cultivating the soil, thinning seedlings and weeds, and harvesting ripe vegetables bring your family together with a sense of true accomplishment. Everyone at the table can be proud when your family sits down to an abundant table of home-grown vegetables they’ve all worked to produce. Not only that, your family can earn the friendship and gratitude of neighbors when your family shares the harvest.
The rewards of vegetable gardening last well after you’ve harvested the last winter crop. You can make a family game of freezing, canning, and preserving your vegetable harvest. That way, you’ll enjoy the rewards of vegetable gardening throughout the year. You’ll bring some of that summer sun to your table in the dead of a gloomy winter.
You’ll also save a pretty penny when you replace those expensive frozen vegetables with your own. And you can create your own custom preserving recipes for unique, delicious dishes.
You don’t have to own an acre of land for productive vegetable gardening. Any small plot of ground can provide abundant healthy vegetables. Vegetable gardening in containers, window boxes, even indoors, is a worthy pursuit as long as you have the proper soil, sun, and water. You can even extend your growing season indoors with artificial sunlight and warmth.
Give it a try. Buy some seeds, start a test plot indoors or out, and begin to enjoy the rewards of vegetable gardening for you and your family. Before you know it, you’ll be placing a steaming bowl of fresh squash, a beautiful salad, or a big plate of condiments – the greatest rewards of home vegetable gardening.
