How to Plant a Vegetable Garden

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Before attempting to plant a garden for the first time, you should always do your research.  For instance, look at your landscape and find out what the most optimal site is for your garden and for the plants you will grow. 

After your research, if you plan your garden carefully and follow through with your plan, the result will be great tasting, nutritious vegetables that with a little extra work such as freezing and canning, can be eaten throughout the year.  And from a health perspective, planting your own vegetable garden lets you to control whether harmful chemicals are used on the vegetables you and your family eat.

The Roots of How to Plant a Vegetable Garden

There is nothing as enjoyable as reaping the rewards of your own labor of love. I'm speaking of the joys of gardening! Do you ever wonder how others seem to have homegrown, beautiful fruits and vegetables, while yours seem to be lacking something? The following tips should answer some of your questions about how to plant a vegetable garden your neighbors will envy.

Space is always the first consideration. Making the most of what you have is a key element in any gardener’s magic. Plan to grow only a few favorite vegetables if your space is limited. Be aware, however, the bigger the garden, the more work it will take.

A very close second to space, is to prepare the soil properly. Consider that water is your best friend, but can be your worst enemy. This means that you should mix good fertilizer with dirt so that the end result is a loamy soil with plentiful nutrients. If the soil is too porous, water will not stay around the roots long enough to absorb.

On the other hand, soil that does not drain well will drown most roots and stymie growth in others. A good mixture is about a third potting soil, a third fertilizer (or compost) and a third dirt. Thoroughly till these with a spade, or better yet use a commercially available tiller. You cannot over till your garden! Remove large rocks, roots and sticks while tilling.

The Importance of Adding Fertilizer to Your Garden

Choosing a quality fertilizer is important. If you don’t have a compost pile, start one! Dad always used compost and horse manure.  Two year old, or more, manure is excellent and can be found on farms and ranches. If you really want to get fancy, take a sample of your soil to your local conservation district and have it tested.

The feedback they provide will give you the best chance to make your garden the best it can be for your area! In a word, their expert advice may save you disappointing results. Don’t take shortcuts on selecting your seeds or plants. You can prepare your soil or read every book on how to plant a vegetable garden, and yet, if you select aged seeds or wilted plants, you won’t succeed.

You're ready to plant. You've planned, tilled, and purchased the best seeds or plants around. Now what? Plant when the time is right! There is no need to hurry this step because it is what you've been working towards with excitement! A friend of mine uses the almanac religiously. It provides a history on freezes, rain, and growing seasons. It also shows what grows best where you live.

Now that you know how to plant a vegetable garden, begin planting your garden with care. If your instructions say plant one inch deep, don’t plant deeper.  If it says water 3 times a week, don’t do more. Ask the experts at you your garden center what has worked best for them and take heed.

How to Plant a Vegetable Garden: Conclusion

If you have ever thought about having instantly available, great tasting, and healthy vegetables whenever you want, you have probably wondered more than a few times how to plant a vegetable garden.  Planting a vegetable garden is not too difficult if you do your homework, plan, follow through with your plan, and add some TLC.  The result will be delicious, nutritious, and fresh vegetables for the entire family.

Copyright 2009 - Denny Soinski.  All Rights Reserved Worldwide.  Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and give the author credit.

About the Author

Denny Soinski writes about garden decor, gardening, bronze garden sculptures, water fountains, and outdoor metal sculptures.  For more information, please visit http://www.water-fountains-and-garden-decor.com right away!

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