Really want to grow my own vegetable garden?

[Andrea]

What are the steps I will need to take to have my own vegetable garden? What kinds of veggies to you have in yours?

 

[Trace]

There are several considerations to a veggie garden. You'll need to consider:

• Your geographic region/zone
• What veggies you like to eat
• How much space you have
• How much time you have to devote to it
• Whether you want to grow from seeds or seedlings
• What kind of soil you have OR how much you can spend to improve/replace it

Your zone determines what will grow where you are. Some things will grow almost anywhere, while others are very picky. Check with your local feed store or nursery if you're not sure. They will almost never carry anything that can't be successfully grown locally unless it's an exotic that would only be grown indoors.

What veggies you like is probably one of the most important things to think about. The first time I had a garden I bought seeds for everything under the sun, including stuff I don't eat and don't even know anyone I could give it to. These days I grow tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, green beans, strawberries, and occasionally, potatoes. I also do lettuces sometimes and I'll be doing some variety of peppers this year, I think.

My gardens are Square Foot Gardens. I have two that are 4' x 2', and one that is 16' x 1'. I plan to put peppers in boxes or pots separate from the rest, so that the flavors don't cross. I also put lettuces in pots when I do them, because they don't like the same conditions the rest of my veggies like. Using the SFG method means that the soil in the yard doesn't matter. I've built raised beds, and mixed up the custom soil mixture that I need. I have a stack of tires for growing my potatoes in, when I think to get them in (I didn't this year).

I don't have a lot of time to weed and give the garden the attention I'd like to, and that's where SFG methods help, too. I put down weed blocking sheeting when I built my gardens, which helps cut down on weeds. I plant my plants closer together, which also helps prevent weeds. I use companion plants to help keep veggies healthy (marigolds, for example). This way, the weeds and critters don't get too far out of hand between weekends.

I was very gung ho for my first garden, and started everything from seed. Some worked well, some did not. I made many mistakes that first year, so it's very hard to say whether starting from seed was one of them. I did enjoy watching them sprout and grow, though. If you want to start from seeds, you need to start earlier in the year, and usually indoors. In recent years, I've bought seedlings for most things from local farmers. That way I know where they've come from, and how well the previous lines of those seedlings have produced. Probably more important, though, if I'm honest, is that by buying seedlings, all I have to do is get them in the ground on time, water, weed, and harvest. I don't have to go back and thin back extra plants.

One other thing to consider on the amount of space you have is this: you can grow enough veggies for yourself and a small family all summer in very little space. You need good lighting - most vegetables are sun loving, and want 6-8 hours of full sun a day - but not that much space. If you have a porch that gets that much sun, you can grow veggies in pots on your porch.

Finally, get to know someone at a local greenhouse or nursery, or a local gardener. These folks usually love to talk about gardening, and they're an invaluable source of information, assistance, and sometimes seeds or seedlings. My first year, I had a ton of help from a neighbor, including his offer to plow up my garden plot with a cultivator, and getting a few tomato seedlings from him, along with a lot of great advice.

 

[dconklin]

I also started my first year from mostly seeds (well my first time on my own, I used to garden with my mom when I was little.) I was all excited and bought a ton of seeds and big starter kits to start the seeds. It didn't go as well as I expected but plants that I bought from a local grower did great.

We had bought small cucumber plants, small pepper plants and also small tomato plants that year too. The seedlings didn't do so well, probably because I was knew to it. The plants I purchased and transplanted did great!

It takes patience and learning. The garden also takes a bit of TLC (tender loving care.) Trace had some great points and tips so I really don't have any other advice at the moment.

As for the question what do I have in my garden? I have: tomatoes, cucumbers, onions (with little success yet), garlic and peppers planned for this year. Want to try asparagus but I don't have a lot of room for it so I am still debating.

 

[ChanellG]

It really depends on where you live, how much space you have, and the quality of your soil. Also, how much time you have to spend tending to your garden will be a major factor. You should start with plants from a local nursery or garden center and you should choose things that are low maintenance.

If you've never had a vegetable garden before you should start with just a few easy to care for herbs, tomatoes, and peppers are fairly easy, but check out this article on 10 Easy Vegetable Gardening Crops. http://www.the-locavores-garden.com/vegetable-gardening-easy-crops.html

 

[headfullofbees]

You can change the structure of your soil with enough work.
The two things you can't change are the local climate and the aspect of your garden. (Which way it faces)
Research all the fruit and veg that you like with those two perameters in mind, and start with the easiest for your soil, whilst working on that soil such that it will accommodate more of your favourites.
I'm sure that if you were to provide that information on here, a few of us would be only too willing to help you get started.
Gardeners are like that.

 

[ChanellG]

Actually, you don't have to change the structure of your soil at all. You can use containers to garden and that way you have control of what's in the soil for the specific needs of specific plants, or you can use raised beds and avoid the topsoil issues altogether. Vegetables don't have such deep root systems and they are only going to be growing in the beds for a short time. You can rotate the crops and probably avoid amending the soil for a long time.

 

[InvasiveCreeper]

Andrea,

What zone are you in? What country?

 

[Disha]

Vv nice and informative post

 

[Corzhens]

Our backyard garden is only 40 square meters and the middle is a sort of a lawn. The sides have planter boxes that are planted to vegetables although one planter box has a grape vine. I would suggest that you define the location of your garden and determine the measurement. Choose your vegetable. It is a nice feeling to harvest vegetables and fruits that you really like. So that's the basic step for me.

 

[Pulse]

Tomatoes are super ez. Im trying to grow pinto bean, asparagus,lettuce,onions,round squash, carnival bell peppers,jalapeno, sweet banana peppers, sugar snap peas, watermelon, and cantaloupe.

I want to grow my own grains that would be fun, and cabbage.