Saturday, April 12, 2014

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Veggie Gardens Are Fun


There are many benefits to growing your own vegetables. It's easy and fun to do. You know whether or not pesticides have been used. The initial cost is a fraction of what you'd pay for market produce. Best of all, you can revel in the pride of reaping the rewards of your hard work.Vegetable gardening is becoming as popular as shopping at the local market. Backyard vegetable gardens can produce a bounty of crops that are far cheaper than buying at the store, and the produce usually tastes much better. If you've ever grown flowers or herbs, then you will be able to plant and pick healthy vegetables that have been grown with the same degree of care and effort.Finding the right space is the first step to a planting a successful vegetable garden. First, determine the size of the garden, and then look for the best spot. Find an area that has rich soil, good drainage and plenty of air circulation. Your garden will need as much direct sunlight as possible, and should be sheltered. There are all kinds of wildlife that will be interested in sampling the treats in your garden, so you'll have to protect the plants. Even rooftop gardens are prone to pests. Put up a fence to surround the garden and use traps to catch smaller animals.The soil must be properly prepared before you plant. Carefully cultivate the soil and apply beneficial organic materials. You should plow, till or turn the soil to incorporate mulch and control weeds. Spading is usually sufficient for smaller gardens. Mulching is required while preparing your beds, because plants need the minerals, nitrogen and other nutrients found in organic materials. Compost is the most popular and beneficial type of mulch used by modern gardeners, but simple material like sheep manure is every bit as beneficial and more cost-effective.The type of fertilizer and application depends on the types of plants you'll be growing. Leafy plants like lettuce, cabbage and spinach usually grow best with more nitrogen. Root crops like carrots, beets, turnips and even potatoes with thrive with more potash. Beans and tomatoes require less fertilizer, while celery, onions and potatoes need a larger amount.It's important to consider the arrangement of your garden before you begin planting. No one variety of vegetable is guaranteed to thrive in every garden condition. To ensure the overall success of your garden, you should plant several varieties of vegetables. Most successful gardeners will arrange their plots according to the space needed by the individual plants. Crops like pumpkins, corn, potatoes and squash should be allowed plenty of room to grow. Varieties such as beets, radishes, spinach and lettuce, on the other hand, are compact plants that can easily share a garden space. Place your tall plants like corn and tomatoes toward the back of the garden. This will provide shelter for the smaller plants, and allow the most amount of sunlight to the rest of the gardenAfter you've fully prepared your garden beds, you'll need to be sure that the weather is just right before you begin planting. Most tender plants, like peppers and tomatoes, can be killed by frost. However, peas, lettuce and other seeds will do quite well when sown in the cool springtime soil. If you'd like to get a head start on your garden before the danger of frost has passed, you can always start the plants on a windowsill or hotbed. Then, simply transplant the young plants when it's safe to do so.After you have planted all of your vegetables, be sure to water them regularly. Different varieties of vegetables have individual watering needs, but on average most plants will need the equivalent of about an inch of water per week.Deal with weeds promptly and properly, or they'll cause big problems in your garden. Weeds are not just eyesores, but can rob your vegetables of precious water, light and soil nutrients. Insects and disease are more common when weeds are present. There are other methods of controlling weeds and disease than simply using herbicides. Pull the weeds as soon as they emerge to keep them from spreading. Some seeds will produce disease-resistant plants, so look for these properties before you plant.Planting and cultivating a vegetable garden can be a lot of work, but the rewards you'll reap are absolutely delicious.