Starting a Home Vegetable Garden

Whether it's a large patch in the backyard or a small strip of space along the side of your house, transforming bare land into a productive garden can be a rewarding undertaking. Taking the following simple steps will have your project off the ground in no time.

Preparing Your Garden Plot

• Find a flat spot with full sun. Flat ground will help with water retention, and most vegetables require full sun for most of the day. Avoid spots shaded by buildings, trees, or bushes.
• Decide which vegetables to grow. The most important consideration is the local climate. Find a local guide to vegetables and see which ones are right for growing in your area. If you live in an area that freezes over the winter, find a guide with the average duration of freezing days to help you decide which vegetables to grow.
• Plan your space. Once you know which veggies you would like, look up details on how they grow and how much space they need. Each vegetable has its own space requirements, and your garden can be divided up in many different ways depending on what you decide to grow.

Planting Your Vegetables

• Schedule your plantings. Most vegetables are classified as either cool season or warm season plants. Cool season plants grow best in the spring and fall while warm season plants grow best in the summer.
• Buy seeds or seedlings. Once your planting date is close, it is time to select your plants. Some vegetables can be planted directly as seeds, while other vegetables grow better as seedlings. You can buy each of these at local nurseries, online, or by mail-order. Nursery staff experienced in vegetable growing can assist you with this process.
• Plant your seedlings within three days to prevent them from wilting.

Routine Maintenance

• Water your garden regularly.
• Monitor your plants for bugs or yellow leaves. Yellow leaves can be a sign of disease and plants with extensive yellowing should probably be removed. Use natural pest control techniques to keep your garden healthy.
• Use compost to fertilize your soil. Composting of kitchen waste is a natural way to provide your garden with plenty of nutrients and lowers the amount of waste that you throw in the landfill.

Home vegetable gardens are a great way to reduce your grocery spending and ensure that you are getting fresh, chemical-free produce. Experiment with new recipes that include your vegetable crops as ingredients and taste the difference of freshly picked produce.

For delicious and creative recipes to try with your home grown veggies, visit CD Kitchen here.
Joseph Devine

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