Home Topics ...Garden TypesVegetable Garden

Vegetable Gardening Tips For Beginners

Vegetable gardens are among the oldest of all garden types. This is no surprise as humans have had to think of ways to live off the land for centuries and a vegetable garden was the obvious choice for many.

In modern times, vegetable gardens are still incredibly popular. Imagine the satisfaction of sitting down to eat your own homegrown vegetables. Children also find vegetable gardens wonderful fun and easy to create. You don't have to be an expert gardener or even have a lot of space to grow a successful and tasty vegetable garden that the whole family can enjoy.

Planning a Vegetable Garden

Draw a sketch of your garden area, to scale, so that you can design the layout of your vegetable garden.

Select vegetables for early, mid and late season so that you will have a permanent supply of fresh vegetables.

On your plan, mark out the beds, containers or rows that you plan to use for each vegetable so that you know exactly what to expect and where.

Vegetable Growing Tips

Growing vegetables is not just about liberally sprinkling seeds around your patch. To get the most out of your vegetable garden consider the following vegetable growing tips:

Investigate which vegetables are shallow rooted and which have deep roots and use them in alternate rows so that they don't crowd each other. Lettuce, in particular, grows well in between rows of peas.
Read the vegetable seed packets carefully. Plant rows of fast growing vegetables in between the slower growing vegetables to ensure that you make the most of limited space and have a constant supply of fresh vegetables.
If your garden runs from east to west, make sure that you plant the tallest crops in the north so that they don't throw too much shade on the rest of your garden. You can also start at the rear of your garden and arrange plants in height order from tallest to shortest.
Keep insects at bay and encourage natural deterrents such as ladybugs by planting herbs such as fennel, cumin and dill.

Growing Vegetables in Containers

When you have very limited space, growing vegetables in containers is a great way to retain flexibility and maximize your garden area.

As a general rule, having one container for one vegetable works well because you'll know exactly what to expect. You can move the containers around to ensure that all vegetables get the sunlight that they need.

Pay particular attention to how deep the roots are likely to grow, as a shallow pot won't work and your vegetables won't thrive.

To prepare a container, place some black plastic over the area so that the soil is able to warm up adequately. Most vegetables thrive in soil of at least 55 degrees and benefit from a sheet of plastic to retain the heat. Don't forget to cut planting holes to allow the vegetables to grow freely.

When growing vegetables in containers, add nutrients to the soil regularly. Plenty of fertilizers are available for this job or, if you prefer an organic approach, try a seaweed extract based mix.

Buying Vegetable Seeds and Plants

Quite simply, the best vegetable seeds to choose are those that produce vegetable plants that you and your family enjoy eating.

Broccoli is a wonderful vegetable to grow, as it is a slowly growing vegetable and offers shade for quicker growing vegetables such as beets.
Tomatoes enjoy a great deal of sun so are ideal for growing in containers on the patio.
Eggplants, on the other hand, thrive in the slightly cooler parts of the garden and grow over a long period of time.
Runner beans are a popular option that are very decorative and can grow to an impressive height, sheltering your other vegetables.

Gardening: A Pastime for the Whole Family

Growing vegetables is a great introduction for budding young gardeners and an ideal way to tempt your children away from the computer.

Children love to get dirty, so harvesting vegetables such as potatoes is the perfect opportunity to enjoy some family time in the garden.

Why not start with a small container that your children can nurture their own garden? By doing this, you will not have to consider a detailed garden design and, if you have several children, this will help to prevent territorial disputes.

Opt for faster growing vegetables such as tomatoes, radishes, beans, peppers and onions, as children are eager to see results and regular crops will help to retain their interest.

Growing vegetables is both easy and satisfying for gardeners of all ages. Set aside some containers or a small patch in your garden and you'll most certainly reap the rewards for years to come!

Other Topics in this Section

Add a Comment

Print this Article

Email to a Friend

Tell A Friend