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.
It is possible, though sometimes more challenging, to start seeds indoors without the aid of a greenhouse.  A large sunny window facing south is ideal.  If you don’t have such a location, consider purchasing fluorescent light fixtures with full spectrum grow lights.  These can be suspended a few inches over young plants and set on timers to provide the necessary 14 hours of light per day.  Ideally, the daytime temperature should be approximately 75 degrees Fahrenheit and the nighttime temperature around 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.  If plants are in warmer temperatures all day and night, they will grow tall and soft, rather than the stock, robust transplants that are hardier for setting outdoors.

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.

Greg F Williams asked:


Weeds are the primary drain on your gardens resources, such as, nutrients, sunlight and revenue for farmers. So the sooner you annihilate them, the better it will be for your garden and crop development. This will take up a extensive amount of your time in different seasons, but if you keep on top of your weeds, then it will for sure be worth the time and effort.

Weeds are ordinarily much worse to get rid of when they have grown. So it might require you need a keen observing eye to really check out and scrutinize your garden for the earliest appearances of these culprits. Cultivating your soil on a regular basis in your garden will help do away with the newer weeds. Once you let those young weeds take hold and get firmly established in your garden, it will become a more serious undertaking to try to take out them from your garden.

The various times of year will also affect the appearing of weeds in your garden. Warm-season and cool-season weeds grow at different times of the year and if you learn to distinguish which weeds are in season, then you can gear up for there coming with your anti weed armoury and deal with the far more efficaciously. Weed seeds also lie in your garden, so it is advised for you to work your soil frequently and the right way

You should make certain your garden is well planted and if you do leave an area unplanted, cover it with a good organic mulch. This will stop any weeds from getting hold in your unplanted area and then from invading your plant territory. Also a organic mulch gives an natural feel to your garden.

In the instance where weeds have already grown when you found them, chopping them off from the ground is the most efficient way to remove them. Some of these weeds may stop once removed, but others will not stop even when you cut them down. But persistent cutting down of those weeds will help eradicate them for good after some time.

The application of herbicides and pesticides is also well advised, but it is not completely needed when you are able to do effective cultivation of your soil. Any pesticides and herbicides, peculiarly the commercially available ones, may prove to have other harmful results. It may also pose as a threat to other useful organisms living in your garden.In the case, when you have a big weed problem, you may use herbicides and pesticides in small amounts.

Mulching and composting are also a effective way to help maintain your soil and fight off any weeds. You should not have to deal with any weed problem, if from the very start, you are able to deter them from growing in your garden in the first place.

If you are really consistent in digging up your space, you will have made the most out of your vegetable garden and have practiced true growth control against weeds that can steal, kill and ruin your organic garden.

Bercle George asked:

Vegetable gardening tips are necessary most especially for beginners. These will surely help you achieve success in vegetable gardening if ever you want to have your own.

With the growing prices of vegetables in the market, it is quite practical that you are able to cultivate your own so that you can economize your spending and eat much healthier food. However, several constraints can hinder you in gardening and one example is the limited space. Don’t be hindered by this. All you need to have are home vegetable gardening tips and if you are new in this area, you’ll need home gardening tips for beginners.

Home vegetable-gardening has no big difference to growing flowers or herbs. That is, if vegetable gardening is done properly,you will surely achieve what you desire and will surely give you a fresher vegetables compared to what is sold in the market.

First, as part of your vegetable-gardening tips, you need to think of the size of your garden that you desire to be planted with vegetables. It must be a place of proper drainage, good soil, and appropriate sunlight. And because home vegetable gardening offers tasty food, it is vulnerable to animals such as dogs, deer, rabbit, etc. To prevent that, you make it sure that you are able to put fence around your garden to make it protected.

Vegetable-gardening for beginners can be quite laborious, however can be rewarding too. Having fresh vegetable is one thing that almost all desire to have and you are lucky if you are able to cultivate your own despite, perhaps, with limited area. You just need to be creative in order to achieve your goal in gardening. And, as I have said, home vegetable gardening tips can help you to achieve that.

Another vital thing to consider in home vegetable gardening is the garden arrangement. One strategy to maximize the space is to plant vegetables that only need limited space- those vegetables that do not expand too much. Remember also to put your tall-growing plants at the back side of your garden so that they do not block the sunlight that the small ones need.

When you are already prepared for planting, be sure that the kind of vegetables you are to plant is suitable for the specific season. You can consult books of vegetable-gardening for beginners for this. You can make an improvised place for a certain plants and get it transferred to its location when the appropriate season comes.

Vegetable gardening for beginners also include doing weeding and maintaining your garden out of foreign grasses because these can take the soil nutrients away from the vegetables. Grasses are their prime competitors. You can also protect your vegetables from insects by putting some organic chemicals.

Vegetable-gardening is one of the favorite pastimes of people. It is because, aside from being able to acquire fresh vegetables, you can also make it as a medium of exercise that is really relaxing. However, before you get started with your own, consider acquiring some vegetable gardening tips so that you can achieve the vegetable garden that you desire.