Beginners Guide To Vegetable Gardening

Posted By Cathy Scholes On 25-04-2016

Having your own vegetable garden is a very attractive prospect: not only can you ensure that all of your vegetables will be pesticide-free and that you always have garden-fresh vegetables on hand, but you will also save money in the process as well. Luckily, vegetable gardening doesn’t require a green thumb, either. If you are a beginner and looking to get into vegetable gardening, here are some tips to help you along the way:

General Tips:

Plant Vegetables in a Sunny Area. They require about 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each and every day.
Plant in Good Soil. Consider enriching your soil with compost to provide your plants with extra nutrients. Allow ensure proper drainage for your plants as well.
Space Plants Correctly. Avoid having your plants compete for water and nutrients. Follow the instructions on seed packets for their spacing needs.
Purchase High-Quality Seeds.

Easiest Vegetables to Grow:

The first task in setting out to start your own vegetable garden is deciding which vegetables to grow. However, there are some vegetables that are better for beginners since they are low-maintenance. Of course, also consider what vegetables you enjoy and what might be difficult to find at the grocery store.

Lettuce and other Salad Greens. Lettuce grows quickly and can be harvested really easily as well. Lettuce can grow in partly shaded areas and can also be grown in containers.
Tomatoes. Starter plants from your nearest garden center are the easiest to grow. Tomatoes can be grown in hanging baskets or in containers as long as their stalks are supported (with a cage or stake). Simply ensure that they get a lot of sunlight. Consider planting basil next to your tomato plants as basil will naturally ward off any insects.

Determining Space You Will Need:

Keep in mind that a vegetable garden necessarily require a lot of space. In fact, many vegetables can simply be grown in a container or pot on your deck or balcony. However, for those with more space, an ideal sized vegetable garden for beginners is 16×10 feet. This would feed a family of four for one summer.

Make your garden 11 rows wide, with each row 10 feet long. The rows should run north to south so as to receive maximum amount of sunlight. Remember that you do not have to have a garden this large. You can plant less rows and you can also make them shorter, depending on space.

Extra Tips:

Gardening Apps. There are a few apps that can help you keep on top of the organization that’s required for keeping your garden healthy. There’s a selection of free or inexpensive apps that offer suggestions on which plants would grow best in your location, the time of year to plant them and where to place them (even factoring in the type of sun you receive). These apps can also tells you how to care for each plant and will send you alerts and reminders.

Vegetable gardening has never been easier with these simple tips.

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