Planting a vegetable garden can be a very rewarding project. It is also great for your body simply because of all the exercise you will get, and the healthy vegetables you will eat. Nowadays it is also desirable to have pesticide free vegetables, yet people often feel intimidated by the idea of planting vegetable gardens especially in a city. What with the busy lifestyle, tight spaces and air pollution, it might seem unlikely a vegetable garden would survive. The fact is you can grow vegetables even if the center of a busy city. To maximize your chances of success, though, it is important you start by getting the basics right.
Vegetable gardens are typically simpler to maintain than flower gardens because vegetables are a lot more resilient, particularly if you have a variety of types of weather. Flowers are normally a lot more sensitive to changes in the weather, and do not adapt as easily. Vegetable gardens usually demand a lot of space, although a few veggies will thrive in plant boxes. It really depends on what type of vegetables you plant, and what you anticipate from your vegetable garden.
Whether you plan to use a plot of land inside your backyard or begin a vegetable garden in plant boxes, soil preparation plays an essential role in whether your vegetable garden will survive. There are three varieties of soil: sand, clay and silt. Sandy soil will be loose and helps the roots of plants breathe because it lets the air pass via very easily. Clay soil absorbs water faster and keeps it inside longer; a soil composition with more clay particles in it would be perfect for places that are too hot, and also the soil dries up quickly. Silt could be a fine mixture of sand and clay particles.
You need to make sure you have just the right mixture of sand, silt, and clay prior to you begin planting vegetable gardens. In the ideal mix silt and sand will both be 40% and clay makes up the remaining 20%. This mix is important because it will make sure that water drains adequately. Too much water will choke the roots or cause them to rot. The best way to test the composition of your soil is to scoop a handful and form it into a ball. If the soil can not hold the shape, you might have too much silt or sand. If the soil holds the shape but does not crumble easily when you poke it, it might have too much clay. Try this until you are sure you have the right balance between the silt, sand and clay.
To prepare the soil for your vegetable garden, dig up the soil and break up the lumps. Take out the rocks, roots, and weeds while you're at it. Once you finish cultivating the soil, pick what kind of vegetable you want to grow there. Keep in mind, some veggies do not grow well when planted too close to certain other types. For example, avoid planting potatoes close to squash or tomatoes because it inhibits their growth. They can co-exist but just not beside each other.
The normal method of planting veggies is to lay them out in straight, organized row. Some individuals prefer to plant alternating rows of diverse sorts of veggies. When one type of vegetable might be ready for harvest, the rows in between them have vegetables that are not yet ripe. An excellent alternative method is to plant in beds rather than rows. Plan the size of your beds to allow you to easily reach in and pull out weeds. Also, raising the beds slightly allows for better heat retention during cold weather and helps with drainage.
After you decide on the kind of vegetables you want and plant them, you need to learn about how to water them adequately. Vegetables require consistent watering. When planting a vegetable garden in a big space, think about utilizing a soaker hose. A soaker hose has numerous holes along its body and waters your garden by letting the water seep through its holes.
Planting a vegetable garden will require some work and a fair amount of patience. The rewards are easily worth it all, though. Particularly for people concerned with the state of their health. Growing your own veggies allows you to raise crops without the use of pesticides. Besides contributing to your wellness, it is a great feeling knowing that your are eating something that you grew in your own vegetable garden.
Vegetable gardens are typically simpler to maintain than flower gardens because vegetables are a lot more resilient, particularly if you have a variety of types of weather. Flowers are normally a lot more sensitive to changes in the weather, and do not adapt as easily. Vegetable gardens usually demand a lot of space, although a few veggies will thrive in plant boxes. It really depends on what type of vegetables you plant, and what you anticipate from your vegetable garden.
Whether you plan to use a plot of land inside your backyard or begin a vegetable garden in plant boxes, soil preparation plays an essential role in whether your vegetable garden will survive. There are three varieties of soil: sand, clay and silt. Sandy soil will be loose and helps the roots of plants breathe because it lets the air pass via very easily. Clay soil absorbs water faster and keeps it inside longer; a soil composition with more clay particles in it would be perfect for places that are too hot, and also the soil dries up quickly. Silt could be a fine mixture of sand and clay particles.
You need to make sure you have just the right mixture of sand, silt, and clay prior to you begin planting vegetable gardens. In the ideal mix silt and sand will both be 40% and clay makes up the remaining 20%. This mix is important because it will make sure that water drains adequately. Too much water will choke the roots or cause them to rot. The best way to test the composition of your soil is to scoop a handful and form it into a ball. If the soil can not hold the shape, you might have too much silt or sand. If the soil holds the shape but does not crumble easily when you poke it, it might have too much clay. Try this until you are sure you have the right balance between the silt, sand and clay.
To prepare the soil for your vegetable garden, dig up the soil and break up the lumps. Take out the rocks, roots, and weeds while you're at it. Once you finish cultivating the soil, pick what kind of vegetable you want to grow there. Keep in mind, some veggies do not grow well when planted too close to certain other types. For example, avoid planting potatoes close to squash or tomatoes because it inhibits their growth. They can co-exist but just not beside each other.
The normal method of planting veggies is to lay them out in straight, organized row. Some individuals prefer to plant alternating rows of diverse sorts of veggies. When one type of vegetable might be ready for harvest, the rows in between them have vegetables that are not yet ripe. An excellent alternative method is to plant in beds rather than rows. Plan the size of your beds to allow you to easily reach in and pull out weeds. Also, raising the beds slightly allows for better heat retention during cold weather and helps with drainage.
After you decide on the kind of vegetables you want and plant them, you need to learn about how to water them adequately. Vegetables require consistent watering. When planting a vegetable garden in a big space, think about utilizing a soaker hose. A soaker hose has numerous holes along its body and waters your garden by letting the water seep through its holes.
Planting a vegetable garden will require some work and a fair amount of patience. The rewards are easily worth it all, though. Particularly for people concerned with the state of their health. Growing your own veggies allows you to raise crops without the use of pesticides. Besides contributing to your wellness, it is a great feeling knowing that your are eating something that you grew in your own vegetable garden.
About the Author:
Heath Mowath specializes in websites on exercise, weight reduction and internet marketing, but his latest website www.kedswomensshoes.com evaluates and lists the best Keds Women's Shoes.
