What vegetables do you and your family like to eat?
Which ones would you like to grow? Do you want to eat fresh or have enough to freeze and can?
Why do you want to grow vegetables?
To save on the grocery bill? Growing your own veggies is one way to save some money. For healthier vegetables? I believe organic food is healthier for you and by growing your own you know exactly how they are grown. For exercise? You can burn up to 200 calories an hour gardening. You stay limber and can enjoy the outdoors.
How much time do you want to spend gardening?
It will take some time o set up and plan your first garden site, but once that is done most home gardeners will probably spend 4 – 8 hours a week depending on the garden size.
How large is your site?
For a beginner gardener it is important to start small. 100 square feet is plenty of garden space to start with. This is a 10 foot by 10 foot garden area or 3 – 8 foot by 4 foot raised beds.
After you’ve answered these questions, it’s time to get busy, and if you follow these six steps, your thumb will surely turn green—along with your garden!
Step 1: Find garden site
Step 2: Plan garden layout
Step 3: Prepare soil
Step 4: Select and Sow seeds
Step 5: Garden maintenance
Step 6: Harvest your crop
Step 1 – Find your garden site
When choosing a garden site consider the following factors:
Where can you grow your vegetables?
Do you have an existing garden area?
Can you dig up a patch of grass?
Do you have a sunny side of the house that could be planted?
Do you live in an apartment? Is all the space you have on a balcony?
Is there a community garden in your area?
Can you rent or lease some land?
What size is this area?
Sunlight
How much sunlight does this area get during the day, keeping in mind that the sun alters its path during the year. A certain amount of sunlight is essential for growing vegetables.
Soil
The best soil for growing vegetables is a rich humus soil with good drainage that will hold moisture during the hot months. Choose an area that is away from trees and large shrubs as their roots will compete with your vegetable roots. If you have poor soil consider building raised garden beds or learn how to amend your soil for best results.
Water
You will want the water supply to be near where you are planting vegetable garden to save time and make it easy to water the plants.
Is there a water source nearby?
Where is the nearest tap, will hoses reach?
If not, how easy is it to get water to the site?
Climate
Do you live in a warm or cold climate?
How long of a growing season do you have?
Can you start planting in March or is it not until May that you can get to your plot?
Is it a windy area? If so, you will need to consider building a fence or planting shrubs as a windbreak.
Step 2 – Plan your Vegetable Garden Layout
Planning a vegetable garden layout before you start working the soil, buying seeds or plants is an important step. This will save you time, energy and money later on. In this step you will draw your vegetable garden plan to scale on a piece of paper. This is something I do during the long winter months.
If you do not have the time to plan your own garden check out my vegetable garden plans ebooks . Here you will find easy to follow diagrams on where and when to plant a vegetable garden for raised beds, row gardening and square foot gardens.
Here are some tips to start you off in planning your own veggie garden:
How are you going to grow?
Are you going to grow in raised beds, in containers, in level rows, in a greenhouse? Your choice will depend on where your garden site is located. If you can, make your vegetable rows face north to south for best distribution of light.
Mark your pathways.
Make sure you leave room to walk between rows to make it easier to water, weed and observe the plant without crushing it. 12-16 inches is needed for a pathway, a little more if you plan to bring a wheelbarrow or cart through. I suggest making wider pathways at the end of the rows so you can maximize your growing area.
What vegetables do you want to grow?
If you need help with this there are questions you can answer at planting a vegetable garden.
Vegetable crops should be rotated each year because plants require different amounts of nutrients and attract particular pests and disease. By using crop rotation you are promoting healthier plants and soil in your vegetable garden layout. A simple way to start learning about vegetable gardening crop rotation is to divide your vegetables into three basic groups:
Root crops – beets, carrots, potatoes
Brassicas – broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, radish, turnip, rutabaga, kale
Everything else – lettuce, onion, peas, spinach, swiss chard, beans, corn, peppers, squash, tomatoes
You will then plant each group in a different area each year.
What does each vegetable require for best growth?
What kind of spacing does it need?
Is it a cool or heat loving plant?
Does it mature quickly or need a long growing season?
Does it need lots of heat to grow well? Is indoor growing possible?
Do you have a shady area? Which plants will grow best?
Do you have dry or wet areas? Which ones like more moisture?
Will the plant need some kind of support or trellising?
This vegetable list will help your answer the above questions. Now that you have your list in hand you can start placing each vegetable on to your vegetable garden layout.
Placement of your vegetables.
Divide the site into three sections (4 if you are planting perennial vegetables). Label them A,B,C,D. Each year plant a different vegetable group (listed above) in each section. Perennials remain in the same section each year. Within each section organize the vegetables by how much space they need. Place the ones that mature earlier in one area so you can plant something else later in the season in that same spot.
Place any perennial type vegetables (i.e. asparagus, herbs) on the outside area of the garden so they will not be disturbed when you till the other three sections of the garden. If you want to keep the garden growing all season you will need to consider a spring vegetable gardening plan, a summer plan, a fall vegetable gardening plan as well as winter indoor gardening plan. Remember, this is planning a vegetable garden layout on paper for now, use a pencil so you can easily move things around. Have fun! Use my garden journal to start this process and stay organized while planting your incredible vegetable garden.
Step 3 – Soil Preparation
Soil preparation is one of the most important steps to having a successful vegetable garden. The best garden soil is fertile, well drained yet retains moisture, and gets enough air circulation which is needed for healthy roots. Find more information on what are your soil types.
Early spring is the time to start your soil preparation. Starting with soil testing will tell you how much nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium you have in your soil and what the pH (a measure of acidity and alkalinity) is. From these results you can tell what soil amendments are needed for the best plant growth.
When starting a new garden site these are the steps to follow:
- Remove any grass. This is done if you are starting a new garden site from an existing grassy area. If you have an existing garden area start with step 2.
- Plow, spade or rototill the area. Make sure the soil is ready to work, if it is too wet or too dry you will harm the soil structure. To test the soil take a handful and squeeze it. If it stays in a ball it is too wet. If is is powdery or has hard clumps it is too dry. If it crumbles freely it is just right. Another sign is if you are turning the soil with a spade and the soil sticks to the end of the tool it is too wet to work. If the soil is too wet wait a week and do your test again.
- Break down any large clumps. Clumps may be left after you rototill, so break these up with a hand cultivator or garden fork.
- Apply manure or compost and soil ammendments.
Add well rotted manure or compost and dig this into the top few inches of soil with a hand cultivator or rake.
for the Roots area – add 1/2 – 1 inch
for the Brassicas area – add 2 inches
for Everything else – add 2-3 inches
- Add in lime
Only lime the area where you will be planting your brassica group. If you have really acidic soil (pH below 5.5) you can lime the “everything else” group as well but do not lime the “root” group area. It is best to lime 1 month after you have added manure or compost to your garden soil. Use 6 lbs per 100 sq feet if clayey soil, 4 lbs per 100 sq feet if loamy soil, 2 lbs per 100 sq feet if sandy soil.
- Rake the bed.
This is done to make the bed smooth and level. Pick out any large debris or small stones. You want the soil to be the consistency of coarse breadcrumbs, especially if your are planting vegetables with fine seeds.
Step 4 – Vegetable Seeds
Select your vegetable seeds from reputable seed companies. Calculate the number of seeds that you require based on your vegetable garden layout. Then choose varieties that will grow best in your conditions and place the order. This can be done early in the spring to assure you get the varieties you want.
Starting vegetable seeds outdoors:
1 – Sow seeds when conditions are right for that particular vegetable. If the soil is too cold or wet the seed
will rot.
2 – Mark out the row with a stick, edge of a hoe or your fingers to the depth recommended on the seed packet. If you plant the seed too deep it will not sprout.
3 – Water soil if it is dry.
4 – Sow thinly along the row. Never pour directly from the packet, pour the seeds into your hand and then take the vegetable seeds between your thumb and finger. That way you have more control of how much is planted.
5 – Cover the seed by gently replacing the soil with your hand or the back of a rake. The general rule of thumb is to cover the seed with soil twice the size of the seed.
6 – Firm down the seed bed with your hand or the bottom of a hoe. \
7 – Water the seed bed with a fine spray of water; too heavy of a water may wash the seeds away. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. If the weather is hot you may need to water your beds twice a day until the seeds sprout.
8 – Thin the plants after 2-4 weeks of growth.
Starting vegetable seeds indoors:
Vegetable crops that are difficult to grow outdoors or require a long growing season should be started indoors. With indoor growing you have more control over the amount of light, heat and moisture. You also get a head start on the growing season.
You can buy seed starting kits in most nurseries. The basic items you need are: sterilized potting soil and containers with drain holes – peat pots, cubes, pellets, or paper cups. (Clean used containers with a dilute solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water).
1- Fill the containers with the potting soil mix, firming the soil to just below the top edge.
2 – Water the containers so the soil is moist.
3 – Sow seeds to the depth recommended on the seed packet.
4 – Cover the seeds with soil. The rule of thumb is to cover the seed to the depth of twice the size of the seed.
5 – Use a heating pad or cable if seeds require temperatures over 20 degrees C to germinate.
6 – Give plants lots of sunlight once they sprout.
7 – Keep the containers moist but not soggy.
8 – Pot on – some plants i.e. (tomatoes) need to be potted into a large pot after 4-6 weeks of growth
Transplanting to your garden:
If you choose not to grow your own plants you will have lots to choose from at your local nursery. When choosing vegetable plants make sure they are:
compact and bushy
leaves and stem are a healthy color
free of any insects or disease
not root bound (roots should not be showing through drain holes)
not spindly or leggy
When you transplant your seedlings it is important to transition them from the indoors to the outdoors. This process called hardening off involves setting the plants out on a warm day and gradually extending the time they are outdoors until they are left outside. This process usually take a few days to a week.
- Make sure containers are moist before you start to plant.
- Try not to disturb the roots.
- Dig a hole for the plant and water the bottom.
- Place the plant in the hole, fill in around it and then gently firm it down with your fingers. Make sure you know how deep the plant should be as some need to be deeper than others.
- Keep the plants watered, do not let them dry out.
- Protect the plants, here are 8 ways to protect your vegetable transplants from extreme heat or cold.
Step 5 – Maintain plant growth
It is important to maintain plant growth once you have planted your vegetable seeds and transplants. The best advice I received from a farmer when I was woofing in England was to take the time to walk through my garden and observe.
Every day or two I take the time to keep an eye on my vegetable plants. I look for signs of garden insects or other pests like slugs or aphids that can cause damage. A little bit of damage is alright for most plants, however if you can catch this early your plants will be healthier and more productive.
Your type of soil as well as observing your plants will give you some indication when other requirements are needed for good plant growth. These requirements are watering, weeding, proper fertilization, and plant protection.
Watering:
You will need to water often enough to keep your vegetable plant growth steady. Too little will cause your plants to wilt and ultimately kill the root; too much water will drown the roots resulting in the same thing. Check out growing vegetables for more specifics.
Weeding:
A weed is just a plant growing where you do not want it. A lot of what we call weeds are actually very beneficial to our soil and plants. Learn more about this on my page about companion planting.
Even though some weeds can be beneficial keep your seedlings and sprouting seeds free of weeds. They can rob young growing vegetable plants of moisture and nutrients which are vital for plant growth. It is best to pull weeds when they are small and the soil is a bit damp. Never let weeds mature and go to seed. Once a vegetable plant is bigger you can use mulch to help protect them.
Weeding techniques:
1 – Pulling by hand
most time consuming
safest way to remove weeds near plants
pull weeds when small trying to get the whole root
remove from the garden to the compost
2 – Hoeing
best on areas away from the vegetable plant
keep blades sharp
pick up chopped weeds and compost them
3 – Using machines (for example rototiller, tractor)
good for large garden areas
used to control weeds rather than eliminate them, weeds turned over may grow back
Fertilizing and Amending:
Vegetable plants need nourishment for proper plant growth. Different soil fertilizers may be needed to give your plants a boost during the growing season. Do this once the plants are established, usually starting 2-4 weeks after planting.
Some gardeners confuse organic soil fertilizers (used to increase soil fertility)with soil amendments (used to improve soil texture).
Fertilizing techniques:
1 – Side dressing:
lightly till the dry organic fertilizers into the soil around the plant base, using your hand is probably the easiest
or place well rotted compost around the plant base
gently water in both
2 – Compost tea or manure tea:
fill a bucket or garbage can 1/4 full with compost or manure
fill the container with water
let this sit at least 24 hours
dilute this mixture with water (1 part tea to 2 parts water)
water plants with this mixture
Protection:
During the growing season you can have a variety of weather conditions. Plants may need to be protected from too much heat, cold or frost, wind, pests and larger animals.
Trellis and staking :
Some vegetables grow best if they are trellised or staked for example pole beans, snow peas, tomatoes and cucumbers. By trellising or staking you can save space as well as keep fruits from touching the soil. Put supports in when planting so as not to disturbs roots later and train and tie as the plant grows.
Trellis and staking techniques
wire cages
tepees made from bamboo or sticks
sturdy wooden frames
tall wooden sticks from wood, metal, bamboo
plastic pea trellis
string between sturdy sticks
Step 6 – Vegetable Harvest
A successful and abundant vegetable harvest is the reward for all the work and time you have put into your garden. Eating fresh veggies is probably the greatest reward.
It is important to keep observing your plants to tell when they are ready for harvesting. If you pick too early the vegetables may lack in size, flavor or sweetness; if harvested too late they loose flavor and can be tough or mushy. It is important to harvest vegetables when they are at their prime to get the best taste.
So how do you know when to harvest?
Some you harvest only once at the peak of ripeness like corn.
Others you can harvest several times like beans and Swiss chard if harvested regularly.
Some stay in the garden longer than others like carrots and celery.
The flavor of kale and cabbage for example is enhanced after a frost.
Some plants preserve better than others like tomatoes.
Still others do not store well like spinach.
Learn the best time to harvest specific vegetables using this vegetable list.
Storing:
Now that you have started your vegetable harvest, you may have more than you can use or give away. What do you do with the extras? Proper storage is needed for vegetables to retain their taste, freshness and nutrients.
Store these vegetables in a cool area, away from bright light:
Store these vegetables in a closed plastic bag or crisper in the refrigerator:
In the refrigerator, uncovered:
Store at room temperature:
Preserving:
Freezing, drying and canning (pickling) are the common ways to persevere your harvest. The following list will give you the proper methods for preserving each vegetable.
Similar Posts:
- Prepare Your Garden for Vegetable Planting
- How To Do Raised Bed Vegetable Gardens
- How to start a new lawn?
- How to grow your own vegitables
- Basics of organic gardening
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I’ve recently started a blog, the information you provide on this site has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work.