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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.
Growing Vegetables In Your Garden
Lanny Hintz asked:
Now wouldn’t it be more fulfilling to eat vegetables that come from your very own garden? It feels great knowing that your very own hands have helped grow the vegetables that are in your salad or dish. We have to bear in mind though that growing vegetables is not easy and can sometimes be downright frustrating. But with a lot of patience and hard work you’ll soon be tasting the fruits of your hard labor.
In growing vegetables it is important that the seeds have been properly planted. You have to ensure that the soil is moist and rich in nutrients to help your seeds grow. The seeds must not be planted in loosely packed soil so as to prevent having air spaces that would tend to dry or shrivel the tiny roots once it starts to grow. It is vital that the soil touches the seed to enable it to take root immediately when it starts to germinate.
It is a must for you to know the different needs of the different types and kinds of vegetable that you may be growing. Each vegetable requires different spaces for it to grow and different depths for it to be planted on. Knowing information like these is important so that your vegetables get the right amount of care and tending. Some plants would require having much more water than others so you should try to separate them. When you plant vegetables, you can’t expect all of the seeds to develop so heavy seeding is quite alright. To help your vegetables grow beautifully, fertilize the land or better yet sprinkle some food for your plants.
Now, that you have started to grow your vegetables you need to undertake measures to make sure that your vegetable garden lasts long. Water them regularly and consistently check that they are in good shape to make certain that they will continue to produce and bear fruit. If you encounter any problems, take the necessary action or preventive measures. One of the things that you should avoid doing is to leave your vegetables to over ripen. Harvest them so that your plants will continue to produce. When plants go to seed they stop producing.
If you see any signs of weeds, weed them out. Weeds are one of the pests that could choke your plants since these weeds compete with them for water and nutrients in the soil. Vegetable plants have a life span so consider planting in intervals so that you have new ones to replace the early ones that may have reached their end in producing.
Now wouldn’t it be more fulfilling to eat vegetables that come from your very own garden? It feels great knowing that your very own hands have helped grow the vegetables that are in your salad or dish. We have to bear in mind though that growing vegetables is not easy and can sometimes be downright frustrating. But with a lot of patience and hard work you’ll soon be tasting the fruits of your hard labor.
In growing vegetables it is important that the seeds have been properly planted. You have to ensure that the soil is moist and rich in nutrients to help your seeds grow. The seeds must not be planted in loosely packed soil so as to prevent having air spaces that would tend to dry or shrivel the tiny roots once it starts to grow. It is vital that the soil touches the seed to enable it to take root immediately when it starts to germinate.
It is a must for you to know the different needs of the different types and kinds of vegetable that you may be growing. Each vegetable requires different spaces for it to grow and different depths for it to be planted on. Knowing information like these is important so that your vegetables get the right amount of care and tending. Some plants would require having much more water than others so you should try to separate them. When you plant vegetables, you can’t expect all of the seeds to develop so heavy seeding is quite alright. To help your vegetables grow beautifully, fertilize the land or better yet sprinkle some food for your plants.
Now, that you have started to grow your vegetables you need to undertake measures to make sure that your vegetable garden lasts long. Water them regularly and consistently check that they are in good shape to make certain that they will continue to produce and bear fruit. If you encounter any problems, take the necessary action or preventive measures. One of the things that you should avoid doing is to leave your vegetables to over ripen. Harvest them so that your plants will continue to produce. When plants go to seed they stop producing.
If you see any signs of weeds, weed them out. Weeds are one of the pests that could choke your plants since these weeds compete with them for water and nutrients in the soil. Vegetable plants have a life span so consider planting in intervals so that you have new ones to replace the early ones that may have reached their end in producing.
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!
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.
Vegetable Garden – Take Care Of Them Like Children
Abhishek Agarwal asked:
I’ve been gardening vegetables for quite a while now, and I’ve learned some lessons the hard way. Vegetable gardening offers some great rewards – the pride and satisfaction of cultivating beautiful edible plants and the savings on the weekly grocery bill! Here are some tips that should help you plan and grow healthy fresh vegetables in your vegetable garden.
The Versatile Legume
There are two basic types of beans – bush beans and pole beans. Bush beans do not need support, and pole beans are climbers. In my garden, I normally grow bush beans because they require less work. Call me lazy. Call me well-fed.
But I’ve found that pole beans are best in my vegetable garden are nice because they can climb along old fences or up the stalks of taller plants like sunflowers. I’ve also used pole beans to beautify my vegetable garden. I’ve planted these tall bean plants at the end of each row of the vegetable garden, making arches from tree limbs bound to make arches from row to row. The pole beans grow along the branches, making an attractive frame for the vegetable garden.
Beans are a warm-season crop and are easy to grow. They like rich, warm, sandy soil. They need full sun and well-drained soil. Also, I’ve found that they grow better when I rotate them with other vegetables every other growing season.
For the best tasting beans, I wait until all danger of frost has passed and dig the vegetable garden deep. Normally, I work the garden several weeks before I plant the beans because birds will eat the insect eggs and larvae that might damage my plants later. Then I work some lime into the soil to give the beans a healthy start.
I plant my bush beans from one to 1-1/2 inches in the surface and about eighteen inches apart. My pole beans need more space with rows three feet apart for best results. Bush limas need more space than most dwarf bean plants – as much as pole beans. Remember to plant the beans edgewise with the eye pointed down.
Generous spacing allows for easy cultivation with a hoe through the growing season. And if my bean plants get to high, I just pinch off the ends of the growing plants. This encourages outward, rather than upward, growth.
Bush beans include dwarf, snap or string, wax, limas, and what is called brittle beans. Pole beans include pole limas, wax, and scarlet runner. The scarlet runner is a wonderful decorative addition to my vegetable garden. Its flowers are deep red and look great against my old fence. Scarlet runners are nice additions to flower gardens and anywhere you want a vine. The nicest thing about the scarlet runner is that you get both beauty and food.
You Can’t Beat Beets!
Beets are root vegetables that grow on flowering plants. They’re easy to grow, and you can eat almost all of the plant. The top leafy part (a good source of Vitamin A) can be used fresh in salads, and the roots (good source of Vitamin C) can be cooked. Believe it or not, the leafy green part is more nutritious than the root!
While beets tolerate heat, they do best in a cooler climate. They’re good for a long growing season, and you can stagger planting to assure a continuous supply of fresh beets throughout the rest of the year.
Beets need organic soil to grow well. My beets do best in rich, sandy loam. I learned the hard way that fresh manure is fatal for beets. A particle of manure next to a beet root can doom a young plant. To avoid this, I dig a foot-deep trench, spread a very thin layer of manure at the bottom of the trench, and cover the manure with well-crumbled top soil. That way, you get the fertilizer benefits of the manure while also protecting your young beet plants.
When planting, I space rows about one foot apart to leave enough room for cultivation of my vegetable garden. Beet “seeds” are really clusters of small seeds in a dried fruit. They won’t grow well if they’re transplanted, and they need to be handled more carefully than many other vegetables. I plant the seeds about one-half inch deep in the rows. I’ve also found that I have to thin my beet sprouts to keep them healthy. Beets have very shallow roots, so I have to weed the vegetable garden often so that they don’t have to compete with weeds for important nutrients.
The Diverse Cabbage Family
The Crucifer family – cabbages – include many vegetable plants: cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, and kohlrabi (a combined cabbage-turnip).
The high-classed cauliflower needs rich soil and doesn’t tolerate frost. I’ve learned to give my cauliflower plenty of manure water for extra richness. Like with young cabbage, the outer leaves should be well- bent to get a healthy white head. I’ve found it best to plant and easier to grow the dwarf varieties.
Kale is not so picky. Though it needs rich soil like cauliflower, it can tolerate frost. Because kale matures slowly, it needs to be planted in early spring. But you can also plant it in early fall to get an early crop the following year.
The popular brussel sprout is a good substitute for the larger common cabbage plant. I enjoy growing brussel sprouts in my vegetable garden because their stalk stands tall. Almost like an umbrella, the top is a closed head of leaves. But this is not the part we eat. The umbrella crown shades the delicious small cabbages (sprouts) that grow along the stalk.
Like most Crucifer plants, brussel sprouts need rich soil and lots of water. I plant the seeds in May and then transplant the young plants in late July. My vegetable garden rows for brussel sprouts are 1-1/2 inches apart, and I put the plants about a foot apart in the garden rows.
Kohlrabi bridges the gap between cabbage and turnips. Sometimes called the turnip-root cabbage, its stem expands into a turnip-like vegetable. The true turnip swell is underground, but the kohlrabi’s edible part is above ground. Kohlrabi is easy to grow, but I have to encourage the plants to grow fast. Growing too slowly, the swell gets too woody for good eating.
I like to plant the seeds inside in early spring and then transplant them to my vegetable garden as the weather and soil get warmer. I form my vegetable garden rows two feet apart, and put the young plants about a foot apart when I transplant them to the outdoors. Kohlrabi seeds go a long way – an ounce of seed will produce a hundred-foot row of plants. A great early crop, I prepare and serve my kohlrabi like I do with turnips.
One of my favorite cabbage plants is the Savoy. It’s one of the best varieties for cooking, especially for slaw and salads, and it’s best for growing in poor soils. I plant seeds early in the year (February) under cover and then transplant the young plants to my vegetable garden in the spring (March or April). The closer together I plant the young savoy, the smaller their heads. So I try to provide for at least one foot of space in all directions around each young plant.
What’s Up, Doc, with Carrots?
Carrot is a hardy cool-weather plant that creates a thick root in its first growing season. There are two general types of carrot plant: long roots and short roots. For healthy long-root types, I have to work the soil down to at least eighteen inches. The short carrots do well in eight inches of sandy soil. Like beets, carrots don’t tolerate manure very well.
I’ve also found that I must thin carrots frequently. As the seedlings sprout, they are too close together and compete for nutrients and sunlight. I thin a little, wait a while, and then thin again. I love growing carrots because I can harvest the young tiny carrots for my table. I can also wait and have big Bugs Bunny type carrots for my kids.
Cucumbers – the Fresh Pickle
Cucumbers are really fruit, but they can be grouped with gourds among vegetables. I’ve heard the cucumber originated in India. It’s a creeping vine that roots and grows in spiraling strands or climbs trellises or other supports. Its large leaves shade the fruits.
I get the best plants when I use light, sandy, organic soil. And I’ve also found it’s best to plant them on a slope where drainage is easiest. In hot-houses, they can hang from the ceiling where they become beautiful hanging vines. I’ve seen some brave vegetable gardeners keep a hive of bees in their hot-houses to help with cross-fertilization of their cucumber plants.
I’ve found that it’s best to plant the seeds indoors, covered with one inch of rich soil. In an area of about 30 square inches, I plant six seeds with the germinating end down. When all frosts are past, I plant each set of six plants, together with the original planting soil, in the open vegetable garden. Later, I plant them in hand-made hills with four feet of space on all sides.
Let Us Have Lettuce
Lettuce is one of the earliest human vegetable crops, growing wild before it was cultivated by man. I can tuck it into spaces throughout my vegetable garden. It’s a very decorative plant, with a compact head and lovely big green leaves.
As the lettuce plants age, they go to seed. I pull them up, as I have no interest in going into the seed business. But I do want fresh tender lettuce throughout the season. The only way I have achieved this is by planting in early spring and then planting again every ten days or so throughout the summer.
There are many varieties of lettuce with different planting and growing requirements. I prefer leaf, cos, and butterhead lettuce because I can plant them anytime in the early spring. I’ve found that my lettuce doesn’t do well in the heat, so I stop planting about a month before the hottest part of the summer. But I’ve planted lettuce plants in the shade of other plants in my vegetable garden and planted late in the summer to get good fresh lettuce into the fall.
I plant lettuce seeds shallow – from a quarter to half an inch deep – in rows about a foot apart. Then I thin the seedlings so that plants have six to eight inches between them. The nice thing is that I can serve the seedlings I’ve thinned in my early spring salads. Nothing goes to waste.
More than Veges in My Vegetable Garden – Melons
Though they originated in Asia and parts of Africa, melons pleased the taste of ancient Romans. They’re a summer fruit, often grown in hot-houses. They need a lot of space, a lot of heat, and a lot of sun. They also need 3-4 months of growing time, fertile soil, and lots of water.
I prepare 2-3 foot mounds spaced 4-6 feet apart for my melon plants. The mound soil should be compost-rich. Sprinkling sand or lime on and around the mounds helps prevent insect damage to the young plants.
As they grow, the vines get to heavy to stand on their own, so I provide something like tennis netting for the vines to follow. I plant eight seeds in a mound, setting them about two inches apart, and planting them about an inch deep. Watermelon plants need more space – up to ten feet between each mound.
When the plants reach about four inches in height, I reduce the number to two per mound, always picking the sturdiest plants. I cut the close to or below the surface rather than pulling plants up as this is likely to damage the roots of the remaining plants.
One word of advice – be very careful in watering your melons. They’re vulnerable to fungal diseases, and overhead watering may be dangerous for them. I’ve found that drip-irrigation, a slow trickle at the base of the plant, keeps my melons growing healthy throughout the growing season.
The Joys of Vegetable Gardening
I love my vegetable garden. It gives me many hours of peace and serenity as I work with the soil and gently grow beautiful plants. My vegetable garden repays my family with many fresh, healthy meals and good nutrition.
It’s taken a lot of experimentation and some failures to have a productive vegetable garden, but it’s been worth every minute of work. The joy of handling soil and seed, tending to precious young plants, and harvesting beautiful mature plants is one of the most satisfying things I’ve ever done.
I’ve been gardening vegetables for quite a while now, and I’ve learned some lessons the hard way. Vegetable gardening offers some great rewards – the pride and satisfaction of cultivating beautiful edible plants and the savings on the weekly grocery bill! Here are some tips that should help you plan and grow healthy fresh vegetables in your vegetable garden.
The Versatile Legume
There are two basic types of beans – bush beans and pole beans. Bush beans do not need support, and pole beans are climbers. In my garden, I normally grow bush beans because they require less work. Call me lazy. Call me well-fed.
But I’ve found that pole beans are best in my vegetable garden are nice because they can climb along old fences or up the stalks of taller plants like sunflowers. I’ve also used pole beans to beautify my vegetable garden. I’ve planted these tall bean plants at the end of each row of the vegetable garden, making arches from tree limbs bound to make arches from row to row. The pole beans grow along the branches, making an attractive frame for the vegetable garden.
Beans are a warm-season crop and are easy to grow. They like rich, warm, sandy soil. They need full sun and well-drained soil. Also, I’ve found that they grow better when I rotate them with other vegetables every other growing season.
For the best tasting beans, I wait until all danger of frost has passed and dig the vegetable garden deep. Normally, I work the garden several weeks before I plant the beans because birds will eat the insect eggs and larvae that might damage my plants later. Then I work some lime into the soil to give the beans a healthy start.
I plant my bush beans from one to 1-1/2 inches in the surface and about eighteen inches apart. My pole beans need more space with rows three feet apart for best results. Bush limas need more space than most dwarf bean plants – as much as pole beans. Remember to plant the beans edgewise with the eye pointed down.
Generous spacing allows for easy cultivation with a hoe through the growing season. And if my bean plants get to high, I just pinch off the ends of the growing plants. This encourages outward, rather than upward, growth.
Bush beans include dwarf, snap or string, wax, limas, and what is called brittle beans. Pole beans include pole limas, wax, and scarlet runner. The scarlet runner is a wonderful decorative addition to my vegetable garden. Its flowers are deep red and look great against my old fence. Scarlet runners are nice additions to flower gardens and anywhere you want a vine. The nicest thing about the scarlet runner is that you get both beauty and food.
You Can’t Beat Beets!
Beets are root vegetables that grow on flowering plants. They’re easy to grow, and you can eat almost all of the plant. The top leafy part (a good source of Vitamin A) can be used fresh in salads, and the roots (good source of Vitamin C) can be cooked. Believe it or not, the leafy green part is more nutritious than the root!
While beets tolerate heat, they do best in a cooler climate. They’re good for a long growing season, and you can stagger planting to assure a continuous supply of fresh beets throughout the rest of the year.
Beets need organic soil to grow well. My beets do best in rich, sandy loam. I learned the hard way that fresh manure is fatal for beets. A particle of manure next to a beet root can doom a young plant. To avoid this, I dig a foot-deep trench, spread a very thin layer of manure at the bottom of the trench, and cover the manure with well-crumbled top soil. That way, you get the fertilizer benefits of the manure while also protecting your young beet plants.
When planting, I space rows about one foot apart to leave enough room for cultivation of my vegetable garden. Beet “seeds” are really clusters of small seeds in a dried fruit. They won’t grow well if they’re transplanted, and they need to be handled more carefully than many other vegetables. I plant the seeds about one-half inch deep in the rows. I’ve also found that I have to thin my beet sprouts to keep them healthy. Beets have very shallow roots, so I have to weed the vegetable garden often so that they don’t have to compete with weeds for important nutrients.
The Diverse Cabbage Family
The Crucifer family – cabbages – include many vegetable plants: cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, and kohlrabi (a combined cabbage-turnip).
The high-classed cauliflower needs rich soil and doesn’t tolerate frost. I’ve learned to give my cauliflower plenty of manure water for extra richness. Like with young cabbage, the outer leaves should be well- bent to get a healthy white head. I’ve found it best to plant and easier to grow the dwarf varieties.
Kale is not so picky. Though it needs rich soil like cauliflower, it can tolerate frost. Because kale matures slowly, it needs to be planted in early spring. But you can also plant it in early fall to get an early crop the following year.
The popular brussel sprout is a good substitute for the larger common cabbage plant. I enjoy growing brussel sprouts in my vegetable garden because their stalk stands tall. Almost like an umbrella, the top is a closed head of leaves. But this is not the part we eat. The umbrella crown shades the delicious small cabbages (sprouts) that grow along the stalk.
Like most Crucifer plants, brussel sprouts need rich soil and lots of water. I plant the seeds in May and then transplant the young plants in late July. My vegetable garden rows for brussel sprouts are 1-1/2 inches apart, and I put the plants about a foot apart in the garden rows.
Kohlrabi bridges the gap between cabbage and turnips. Sometimes called the turnip-root cabbage, its stem expands into a turnip-like vegetable. The true turnip swell is underground, but the kohlrabi’s edible part is above ground. Kohlrabi is easy to grow, but I have to encourage the plants to grow fast. Growing too slowly, the swell gets too woody for good eating.
I like to plant the seeds inside in early spring and then transplant them to my vegetable garden as the weather and soil get warmer. I form my vegetable garden rows two feet apart, and put the young plants about a foot apart when I transplant them to the outdoors. Kohlrabi seeds go a long way – an ounce of seed will produce a hundred-foot row of plants. A great early crop, I prepare and serve my kohlrabi like I do with turnips.
One of my favorite cabbage plants is the Savoy. It’s one of the best varieties for cooking, especially for slaw and salads, and it’s best for growing in poor soils. I plant seeds early in the year (February) under cover and then transplant the young plants to my vegetable garden in the spring (March or April). The closer together I plant the young savoy, the smaller their heads. So I try to provide for at least one foot of space in all directions around each young plant.
What’s Up, Doc, with Carrots?
Carrot is a hardy cool-weather plant that creates a thick root in its first growing season. There are two general types of carrot plant: long roots and short roots. For healthy long-root types, I have to work the soil down to at least eighteen inches. The short carrots do well in eight inches of sandy soil. Like beets, carrots don’t tolerate manure very well.
I’ve also found that I must thin carrots frequently. As the seedlings sprout, they are too close together and compete for nutrients and sunlight. I thin a little, wait a while, and then thin again. I love growing carrots because I can harvest the young tiny carrots for my table. I can also wait and have big Bugs Bunny type carrots for my kids.
Cucumbers – the Fresh Pickle
Cucumbers are really fruit, but they can be grouped with gourds among vegetables. I’ve heard the cucumber originated in India. It’s a creeping vine that roots and grows in spiraling strands or climbs trellises or other supports. Its large leaves shade the fruits.
I get the best plants when I use light, sandy, organic soil. And I’ve also found it’s best to plant them on a slope where drainage is easiest. In hot-houses, they can hang from the ceiling where they become beautiful hanging vines. I’ve seen some brave vegetable gardeners keep a hive of bees in their hot-houses to help with cross-fertilization of their cucumber plants.
I’ve found that it’s best to plant the seeds indoors, covered with one inch of rich soil. In an area of about 30 square inches, I plant six seeds with the germinating end down. When all frosts are past, I plant each set of six plants, together with the original planting soil, in the open vegetable garden. Later, I plant them in hand-made hills with four feet of space on all sides.
Let Us Have Lettuce
Lettuce is one of the earliest human vegetable crops, growing wild before it was cultivated by man. I can tuck it into spaces throughout my vegetable garden. It’s a very decorative plant, with a compact head and lovely big green leaves.
As the lettuce plants age, they go to seed. I pull them up, as I have no interest in going into the seed business. But I do want fresh tender lettuce throughout the season. The only way I have achieved this is by planting in early spring and then planting again every ten days or so throughout the summer.
There are many varieties of lettuce with different planting and growing requirements. I prefer leaf, cos, and butterhead lettuce because I can plant them anytime in the early spring. I’ve found that my lettuce doesn’t do well in the heat, so I stop planting about a month before the hottest part of the summer. But I’ve planted lettuce plants in the shade of other plants in my vegetable garden and planted late in the summer to get good fresh lettuce into the fall.
I plant lettuce seeds shallow – from a quarter to half an inch deep – in rows about a foot apart. Then I thin the seedlings so that plants have six to eight inches between them. The nice thing is that I can serve the seedlings I’ve thinned in my early spring salads. Nothing goes to waste.
More than Veges in My Vegetable Garden – Melons
Though they originated in Asia and parts of Africa, melons pleased the taste of ancient Romans. They’re a summer fruit, often grown in hot-houses. They need a lot of space, a lot of heat, and a lot of sun. They also need 3-4 months of growing time, fertile soil, and lots of water.
I prepare 2-3 foot mounds spaced 4-6 feet apart for my melon plants. The mound soil should be compost-rich. Sprinkling sand or lime on and around the mounds helps prevent insect damage to the young plants.
As they grow, the vines get to heavy to stand on their own, so I provide something like tennis netting for the vines to follow. I plant eight seeds in a mound, setting them about two inches apart, and planting them about an inch deep. Watermelon plants need more space – up to ten feet between each mound.
When the plants reach about four inches in height, I reduce the number to two per mound, always picking the sturdiest plants. I cut the close to or below the surface rather than pulling plants up as this is likely to damage the roots of the remaining plants.
One word of advice – be very careful in watering your melons. They’re vulnerable to fungal diseases, and overhead watering may be dangerous for them. I’ve found that drip-irrigation, a slow trickle at the base of the plant, keeps my melons growing healthy throughout the growing season.
The Joys of Vegetable Gardening
I love my vegetable garden. It gives me many hours of peace and serenity as I work with the soil and gently grow beautiful plants. My vegetable garden repays my family with many fresh, healthy meals and good nutrition.
It’s taken a lot of experimentation and some failures to have a productive vegetable garden, but it’s been worth every minute of work. The joy of handling soil and seed, tending to precious young plants, and harvesting beautiful mature plants is one of the most satisfying things I’ve ever done.
Vegetable Gardening Tips on Planting and Maintenance
Mary Hanna asked:
Here are some tips on vegetable gardening that should help make your gardening experience easier and a very gratifying experience. Preparing the soil for your garden is the most important step. The basis of any successful garden is proper soil that creates good seed germination. Vegetables enjoy garden soil that is well drained, deep, contains high organic matter and retains moisture. Make sure the soil is dry before you try plowing or working the dirt. Check the soil acidity or PH for the different vegetables you are going to plant as some may require varying degrees of PH levels. Another tip on vegetable gardening is that you need easy access to water to keep your garden moist during the growing season. Regularly watering is necessary to keep your garden healthy. In most gardening areas, a vegetable garden requires approximately one inch of rainwater or tap water weekly during the growing season. So, if you experience a dry spell, make sure you water your vegetable garden sufficiently to keep the plants healthy and growing.
Another couple of helpful tips on vegetable gardening are making yourself knowledgeable about the requirements of the vegetable seeds and vegetables you want to plant in your garden. Find out information, such as tendency toward insects, germination qualities, light required, vigor of the plants and the planting zones. This will help you determine the best varieties and types of seeds and plants for your area and garden. A great tip on vegetable gardening is, when you sow your seeds, always plant a few extra to replace ones that fail to germinate. Keep the garden moist until the seedlings have emerged and never thin them until their second set of leaves appears. Thinning out the row when the seedlings are small keeps you from disturbing the other vegetables roots. Test your soil periodically to determine if you need fertilizer and the amount you need. Having your own compost is a great and natural way to fertilize your vegetable garden and cuts down on garbage.
The best way to keep pests away or under control is to start by having healthy soil and plants, using compost, regular watering and adequate drainage. When considering tips on vegetable gardening, do not forget weed control. Weeds rob plants of water, light and nutrients. Hoe or cultivate the soil between your plants after it rains, as this kills any newly sprouted weeds. Use a mixture of pine needles and grass if available, to keep the weeds down or a layer of wet newspaper between the rows of vegetables. Try planting marigolds around the vegetable garden border in order to discourage aphids.
A very good homemade deterrent for pests is:
In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests.
Most important of all is that you enjoy your vegetable garden. You will gain a lot of satisfaction from the fact that you grew the vegetables yourself. Not only will you have fun from your garden hobby but now you can start a culinary hobby with all your fresh produce.
Happy Gardening!
Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
Here are some tips on vegetable gardening that should help make your gardening experience easier and a very gratifying experience. Preparing the soil for your garden is the most important step. The basis of any successful garden is proper soil that creates good seed germination. Vegetables enjoy garden soil that is well drained, deep, contains high organic matter and retains moisture. Make sure the soil is dry before you try plowing or working the dirt. Check the soil acidity or PH for the different vegetables you are going to plant as some may require varying degrees of PH levels. Another tip on vegetable gardening is that you need easy access to water to keep your garden moist during the growing season. Regularly watering is necessary to keep your garden healthy. In most gardening areas, a vegetable garden requires approximately one inch of rainwater or tap water weekly during the growing season. So, if you experience a dry spell, make sure you water your vegetable garden sufficiently to keep the plants healthy and growing.
Another couple of helpful tips on vegetable gardening are making yourself knowledgeable about the requirements of the vegetable seeds and vegetables you want to plant in your garden. Find out information, such as tendency toward insects, germination qualities, light required, vigor of the plants and the planting zones. This will help you determine the best varieties and types of seeds and plants for your area and garden. A great tip on vegetable gardening is, when you sow your seeds, always plant a few extra to replace ones that fail to germinate. Keep the garden moist until the seedlings have emerged and never thin them until their second set of leaves appears. Thinning out the row when the seedlings are small keeps you from disturbing the other vegetables roots. Test your soil periodically to determine if you need fertilizer and the amount you need. Having your own compost is a great and natural way to fertilize your vegetable garden and cuts down on garbage.
The best way to keep pests away or under control is to start by having healthy soil and plants, using compost, regular watering and adequate drainage. When considering tips on vegetable gardening, do not forget weed control. Weeds rob plants of water, light and nutrients. Hoe or cultivate the soil between your plants after it rains, as this kills any newly sprouted weeds. Use a mixture of pine needles and grass if available, to keep the weeds down or a layer of wet newspaper between the rows of vegetables. Try planting marigolds around the vegetable garden border in order to discourage aphids.
A very good homemade deterrent for pests is:
In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests.
Most important of all is that you enjoy your vegetable garden. You will gain a lot of satisfaction from the fact that you grew the vegetables yourself. Not only will you have fun from your garden hobby but now you can start a culinary hobby with all your fresh produce.
Happy Gardening!
Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
Fun and Food in Home Grown Vegetable Gardening
Samuel Quino asked:
Growing vegetables in your garden can save you money. During harvest time, your own produce becomes part of your meals. Home gardeners feel deep satisfaction in preparing salad or seasoning the casserole with freshly picked plants from their own vegetable gardens. Their feeling of the taste is incomparable. Fresh surplus are distributed to friends and love ones while some are keep frozen.
It doesn’t require much space to grow vegetables. Even a container pot or a window box will do the trick. Where space is limited, you can grow a mini-garden indoor or outdoor. If you have a good sun, access to water and enough containers, growing a garden’s worth of fruits and vegetables in a limited space is a no-brainer. You can even harvest more than one crop if your choice of plants and planting schemes are all well planned and executed. Windowsills, balconies and doorstep areas can be used, as well as empty packs of milks, pails, plastic buckets and cans.
When planting in containers, proper spacing is very important. One sturdy plant is better than several weak ones. Crowding chokes root systems will slow growth and poor production. With container vegetable garden, you no longer need to worry about poor soil types and bad drainage, or heavy-duty tiller to break up hard clay and rocks. There is no weeding to worry about and you can change the looks of your container placements by simply moving them around anytime to a place you wanted to.
Vegetable gardening offers a change from the monotony of the supermarket. You can grow variety of vegetables that you want. When choosing plants for your vegetable container garden, consider container worthy crops such as beans, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and radish. Other root crops such onions and turnips can also do well in containers, but remember to always take care of these crops by ample fertilizers and water. Also consider grapes and berries. Though some take a while to get established, they bear fruits more each year. Planting for fall crops can be started in early summer, though summer planting can still be done in June in most regions.
One great advantage of growing vegetables and spices in containers involves the advent of the upside-down gardening. Crops with the likes of tomatoes, basil, parsley, rosemary and peppers do well with this approach. The ideas is that the vines will cascade downward instead of growing up a stake. A grow box can be treated by punching perforations through the bottom of a container. The other option is to purchase a device specially designed for this purpose. Upside gardens do not require a great deal of space and is perfect for balconies and patios.
Equally important, seeds and soil must properly be taken cared of in your vegetable container garden. Seeds do not always have to be bought. Reasonably fresh dill, anise, fennel, coriander and other seeds already on the spice rack should grow. If not, they are too old to add much to food anyway and should be replaced. Scoop out seeds from vegetables you’ve bought, dry them a week or so before planting.
Soil preparation on the other hand is very crucial for good results. Have the soil tested. Every state has a land-grant college that will test soil for a small fee. It will give abundant basic gardening advice, and garden resources tips. Start growing those veggies in your garden and turn your home made meals into something truly special. Take care of your plants to make them productive by keeping them watered and harvested.
Growing vegetables in your garden can save you money. During harvest time, your own produce becomes part of your meals. Home gardeners feel deep satisfaction in preparing salad or seasoning the casserole with freshly picked plants from their own vegetable gardens. Their feeling of the taste is incomparable. Fresh surplus are distributed to friends and love ones while some are keep frozen.
It doesn’t require much space to grow vegetables. Even a container pot or a window box will do the trick. Where space is limited, you can grow a mini-garden indoor or outdoor. If you have a good sun, access to water and enough containers, growing a garden’s worth of fruits and vegetables in a limited space is a no-brainer. You can even harvest more than one crop if your choice of plants and planting schemes are all well planned and executed. Windowsills, balconies and doorstep areas can be used, as well as empty packs of milks, pails, plastic buckets and cans.
When planting in containers, proper spacing is very important. One sturdy plant is better than several weak ones. Crowding chokes root systems will slow growth and poor production. With container vegetable garden, you no longer need to worry about poor soil types and bad drainage, or heavy-duty tiller to break up hard clay and rocks. There is no weeding to worry about and you can change the looks of your container placements by simply moving them around anytime to a place you wanted to.
Vegetable gardening offers a change from the monotony of the supermarket. You can grow variety of vegetables that you want. When choosing plants for your vegetable container garden, consider container worthy crops such as beans, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and radish. Other root crops such onions and turnips can also do well in containers, but remember to always take care of these crops by ample fertilizers and water. Also consider grapes and berries. Though some take a while to get established, they bear fruits more each year. Planting for fall crops can be started in early summer, though summer planting can still be done in June in most regions.
One great advantage of growing vegetables and spices in containers involves the advent of the upside-down gardening. Crops with the likes of tomatoes, basil, parsley, rosemary and peppers do well with this approach. The ideas is that the vines will cascade downward instead of growing up a stake. A grow box can be treated by punching perforations through the bottom of a container. The other option is to purchase a device specially designed for this purpose. Upside gardens do not require a great deal of space and is perfect for balconies and patios.
Equally important, seeds and soil must properly be taken cared of in your vegetable container garden. Seeds do not always have to be bought. Reasonably fresh dill, anise, fennel, coriander and other seeds already on the spice rack should grow. If not, they are too old to add much to food anyway and should be replaced. Scoop out seeds from vegetables you’ve bought, dry them a week or so before planting.
Soil preparation on the other hand is very crucial for good results. Have the soil tested. Every state has a land-grant college that will test soil for a small fee. It will give abundant basic gardening advice, and garden resources tips. Start growing those veggies in your garden and turn your home made meals into something truly special. Take care of your plants to make them productive by keeping them watered and harvested.
So You Want A Vegetable Garden
Fred Myers asked:
The growing of vegetables is less difficult than other types of plants. You can easily accomplish this with just a little planning,proper planting and some care for those vegetables you selected to plant.
The very first considerations are how much time do you have to devote to the gardening project. This will certainly dictate how much or little you will be planting. What is the size of the area you can easily convert to garden if you don’t already have a plot in the works? You must take into consideration the type of climate in your area. The growing of your vegetables will certainly be effected by your temperate zone as many areas of the world cross over dozens of temperature zones.
The location of your garden is the next consideration. You need to think about the shade of the area and maybe even the wind that prevails over the selected location. Your vegetable garden will like at least five hours of sunlight per day regardless of the type of vegetables you plan to raise but ten hours is ideal. The other thought to keep in mind when planting your vegetable garden is the height of each plant. For example don’t plant corn,which is tall,where it will shade the other lower vegetables. Always plant taller vegetables like corn to the north of the shorter vegetables. Your lettuce needs to be near the southern part of the garden.
It is not a good idea to place your vegetable garden in a low spot,or at the bottom of a hill or especially at the base of a sloping area which is bordered by a solid fence. These areas tend to warm up very slowly in the spring. It is also easy for frost to form in these areas since cold air is naturally present in these low areas.
Your vegetable garden will flourish best in a level section with good drainage and good loose soil. It is best not to locate the vegetable garden in an area which is littered with rocks and stones for two reasons. Vegetables will have a difficult time of it in endeavoring to root and you will have little fun in preparing the area to plant your vegetables. It is also important to locate the garden so that water is easily accessible. You might need to engage a length of hose to reach the garden which is ok. It is not ok if the location means dragging water to the site.
In order to arrive at the types of vegetables you can grow,after personal preference,you must know what type of soil in which the seeds will be planted. A simple and very inexpensive soil testing kit will provide you with the answer.It will test for levels of nutrients and most important the ph. There are vegetables that desire a more acidic soil while other vegetables prefer an alkaline soil. Most vegetables enjoy a range of 6.0 to 6.5 when it comes to ph. All of this can be handled by use of compost added to the topsoil or you can add commerical fertilizer to the soil to improve whatever the results of your testing produced. You can usually find the soil conditions required on the seed packet or ask the garden center if you are purchasing plants.
In regards to watering,approximately an inch of water per week is good for most vegetable gardens. The amount can vary based on the type of soil you have used to plant your vegetables. Example clay soil will remain wetter than loamy soil and sandy soil will require more water than either of the aforementioned two.
If you are interested in a lot of detail concerning planting of vegetables and the planting of many different types of vegetables then you need to visit this web page below at gardenersgardening for more information
Garden Fencing Solutions For Growing Vegetables
Martha Drew asked:
Things were going great in the early stages. I had just recently started growing vegetables in my back yard and things were moving along very well. Certain vegetables were growing somewhat slowly, and I didn’t expect things to be so smooth forever, but I had faith things would turn out well no matter what obstacles I would have to face. It wasn’t long before I faced one of the first setbacks in cultivating a vegetable garden and discovered that I would have to put in garden fencing.
I had grown vegetables in the past but it was a communal garden and it was ages ago so when the rabbits started to ruin my garden, I was totally caught off guard. Luckily, because of my experience, I not only knew the answer was garden fencing but I also knew exactly what kind of garden fencing was required.
Straightaway I went and purchased the wire garden fencing and had it put in as soon as possible. It’s not necessarily a job you need to hire someone for as anyone with basic construction skills should be able to handle it. Personally my construction skills could use some work but luckily I had the help of my husband. The first thing we did was we checked the border of the garden to determine what length of garden fencing we needed. I decided to include a somewhat larger area than the actual vegetable garden because I knew I would be adding more vegetables when things were under control. Now what we used was wire garden fencing with a green vinyl coating. It wasn’t panels but a rolled up sheet of fencing that was unraveled around metal posts. We had each post installed on the border of the garden and then had the wire fencing affixed around the garden.
One thing you may want to be sure of is that there are no spaces within the garden fencing. Shortly after having the fence put in, I went into the yard to discover a rabbit trapped inside of the garden. The rabbit must’ve gotten in through a gap but couldn’t find its way out! What we did was check the fencing and make sure all gaps were gotten rid of and we also made sure that the fencing was firm against the ground so that no rabbit would be able to sneak under the garden fencing either.
The wire garden fencing turned out great and not only did it keep animals from ruining my garden, but some vegetables ended up developing better with the fence as support. Wire garden fencing is very functional and practical but after we had it for a while I found some time to have it replaced. In the end I put in a much more visually appealing one that still protects my vegetables. Not all garden fencing can be used for keeping rabbits away from your vegetables but there is garden fencing available that can do the job of protecting vegetable gardens and is also much nicer looking than simple wire garden fencing.
