7 Simple Tips To Totally Refreshing Your Vegetable Garden
How to Grow a Vegetable Garden
A vegetable garden isn't too difficult to cultivate when you follow the correct steps. It will require patience and time.
Most vegetables require a full day's worth of sunlight in order to grow well. Your garden should be situated in a sunny location, away from large shrubs which can shade it during the day.
Picking a Site
The success of any vegetable garden depends on a myriad of factors including field site selection, soil type, the availability of water as well as its the quality. According to experts in horticulture from Iowa State University, a successful vegetable gardener is able to minimize production issues by choosing the best soil and planning it carefully.
Start by choosing a sunny location for your garden. Vegetables require full sunlight for at least six hours each day. You might want to plant the lettuce or radishes you want to grow in a spot which only gets partial sunlight.
Vegetables require plenty of water to grow It is crucial that your vegetable garden site is close to an area of freshwater. If you have to drag a water hose far to get to the garden, there is a high risk that you don't tend it regularly enough, and your plants will suffer. The ideal vegetable garden should be near either a spigot or an irrigation pump in the event that you have a well water system. This way, you can easily hook up the garden to the pump for easy irrigation.
You should also choose the location for your vegetable garden where you can easily access it and will be frequent visitors. If your garden is distant, you will likely overlook it, and the plants will quickly take over. However when the garden is right in your own backyard, you'll be much more inclined to go out of your way to maintain it, and your garden will benefit from your efforts.
Another consideration to be aware of is the possibility of underground utility lines, such as gas, power and water lines. If garden plant hit one of these lines when digging it could be hazardous for you and other people and it's important to check with your local utility companies prior to settling on a location.
In the end, if you have pets, you may need to fence your vegetable garden to keep them out. If they don't, they'll use it as a private bathroom, and you might encounter a troublesome patch of weeds, in addition to the plants you're trying to cultivate.
Soil Preparation
The quality of your soil is a major factor in how your vegetable garden performs. You want a nutrient-rich organic mix with plenty of nutrients. Vegetables are a major source of nutrients and when your soil is not as good you will require lots of organic material to allow them to grow.
Ideally you should begin to work the soil in your vegetable garden in autumn (for clay soils) or in spring (for light, sandy soils). This allows the soil to be broken down and improved by rain and frosts before planting.
If you are planning to cultivate the soil, make sure to let it dry completely before planting. It is not a good soil for vegetables, as it can cause root rot and other problems.
Choose a location that is near an source of water such as a garden hose or sprinkler. Vegetables are highly dependent on moisture, and a system for watering allows you to keep your soil evenly moistened throughout the growing season without overwatering.
Perennial weeds will battle your crops for water and nutrients in the new garden, therefore they must be killed before you plant. This can be accomplished by repeated cultivation or tillage, or by mulching. In the majority of cases, it takes several seasons to kill all perennial weeds on a brand new site.
Vegetables thrive under full sun; look for a spot that receives at least 8 hours of direct sunlight every day. It should also be sheltered from the wind, especially if it is an area of dryness where the soil can stay wet after a rainstorm. If your soil is rocky or compacted, or has poor drainage, you might be considering the possibility of a raised garden bed.
It is recommended to amend the soil with organic matter at least six months prior to when you plan on planting. This will help to loosen up the clay soil, making it easier to dig and work, and enrich it by organic matter that will increase the nutrients. Compost, made from decomposed or broken plant material, such as leaves and vegetable scraps, is a great organic material. gardening vegetable is also a good alternative. However, it is a source of more salts and must be worked into the soil some time before planting.
Planting
You can begin your garden when the weather is dry, warm and sunny. You can either plant seeds or seedlings that have been cured. It is important to not over-seed your garden as plants that are too close together will battle for space, nutrients, and moisture. It is best to begin your garden in the spring earlier to allow the plants to be established before it becomes too hot and arid.
Plant your vegetables in beds or rows to make it easier for you to weed, cultivate and harvest. Plant tall vegetables (like beans and corn on a fence) in the north of your garden. This will keep them from shading plants that are smaller. You should also avoid planting your vegetables where there is lots of shade since many of them require full sun to thrive.
If you don't plant your vegetable garden in the fence, you can cover it with chicken wire or bird netting to keep animals and birds out. This will stop them from eating your plants and getting into your garden. Also, be sure to keep the garden well-watered. New seeds and transplants must be watered regularly until they become established, while mature plants must be watered regularly throughout the year, based on rainfall and temperature.
Mulches won't just stop the growth of undesirable and invasive plants, but they will also help maintain the health and quality of your soil. Mulches can also be used to control weeds since they block the light and warmth that weeds need to grow. It is also a good idea to use non-toxic methods of pest control, including floating row covers, hand-picking or using slug traps, to limit the amount of chemicals entering the food chain.
Be sure that your garden is close to a water source so that you don't need to carry heavy buckets or hoses through the backyard. It is important to remember that a lot of work in vegetable gardening is labor-intensive, and being able to get the water where it is needed to be without having to carry it across long distances will save you time and energy.
Harvesting
A vegetable garden requires regular attention. Vegetables aren't ornamental plants that can be left to awaited for the perfect time to water or weed. They require constant vigilance and a keen eye for signs of disease and insect damage. With the right direction and patience even the most novice gardeners will reap the benefits of a plentiful crop.
Vegetables are a great way to add fresh flavor and nutrition to your diet. A juicy, crisp tomato is a favourite of many people. Cucumbers are also delicious and crunchy. These foods can cut down on your family's reliance on supermarket-bought vegetables and fruits.
Some vegetable gardens in the home are planted in containers on patios, decks porches or balconies. Many popular vegetables can be grown in these containers, such as beans, kale, Swiss chard and tomatoes. For the best yields, pick a container that's at least 12 inches in diameter.
Find a location that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. If you can, place the container close to a tap so that it is easy to water the plants. This will reduce the effort of carrying water hoses around the yard. It is essential to water your garden, particularly during the growing season, when pests are more likely to attack vegetables.
When it's time to harvest a vegetable it is important to ensure it's mature. The best-tasting veggies are those that are harvested at their best eating quality, which isn't always straightforward to determine. Beginning okra farmers tend to leave their crop on the plant for too long in hopes of larger pods. However, they often get over-mature, woody veggies that are unusable.
The positive side is that a majority of vegetables offer clues to their state of readiness to be picked. You can tell when a particular vegetable is ready to harvest by examining the seed packet or information on the transplant tag. These projections can vary based on the fertility of soil and the weather conditions. It takes practice to be able to discern these subtle signals.