Beginner Guide to Planting a Vegetable Garden
Planting vegetable gardens can be a very rewarding endeavor, not to mention that it’s good for your body because of all the exercise you will get, and the vegetables that you’ll get to eat. Having your own vegetable garden may be intimidating but is beneficial because you know that they were grown pesticide free.
Vegetable gardens are typically easier to maintain than flower gardens because vegetables are more resilient, especially in different types of weathers. Flowers are typically more delicate to changes in the weather, and don’t adapt as easily. Planting vegetable gardens usually demand a lot of space, although some vegetables can also survive in plant boxes. Decide what vegetables you want to plant and what you want from your vegetable garden.
Planting Styles The more traditional way of planting vegetables is laying them out in straight, organized lines. Alternating rows of types of vegetables is a good idea so that when you pick one kind, there is still a row of vegetables growing in the alternating row. The soil structure quickly becomes ruined because gardeners have to walk between rows, though.
A popular way of planting vegetable these days is planting them in beds rather than the traditional rows. The beds have to be small enough in size so that you can reach into it and pull out the weeds that will grow among your plants. Beds can also be raised a bit higher off the ground so that the heat will be kept inside longer during cold weather. This makes a great drainage system for the beds.
Another planting style that is popular is potager which combines vegetables with flowers and herbs and are planted in a way that is aesthetically pleasing.
Using small plant boxes is a great way for people with limited space to have vegetable and herb gardens. Open spaces and maximum sunlight are best for growing your vegetable plants. Want more vegetables? Designate a larger plot of land.
It is important to prepare the soil for your garden. The same holds true whether you are planting in a plant box or in a small piece of land. Soil preparation is an essential step. Soil is either sandy or clay-like with silt being a mixture of both sand and clay. Your soil will retain water better and absorb water faster if it has clay particles mixed with the sand. Soil that contains sand is vital to your vegetable garden as it allows air to reach the plant roots as well as filtering the water to the plants.
Prepare you vegetable garden soil for planting by mixing a balanced combination of sand, clay and silt. Ideally, it should be 40% silt, 40% sand, and 20% clay. To test it, you can scoop up soil and form it into a ball using your hand. Your soil should remain moist so that it retains its shape if you push on it.
Vegetable gardens require patience. You have to find what works for you, and experiment on getting the right type of soil for the right type of vegetables. It is very rewarding to enjoy eating home grown vegetables.
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