Tips for an Easy Vegetable Garden
If you have a "brown thumb," turn it green with
these tips for growing a bountiful and easy vegetable garden.
Plucking fresh veggies out of a backyard garden can be one
of the highlights of summer.Couple the great taste with how much money you'll save, and
growing your own veggies makes perfect sense. Here's how to ensure a successful
vegetable garden:
# Choose a sunny site. Vegetable plants need at least six
hours of sun per day. Don't plant
the garden in an area that's shaded by buildings or trees.
Without sufficient sunlight, the
plants will grow spindly and won't produce well.
# Start small, and build on your success.
# Follow the directions on the back of the seed packet for
optimum planting times and
spacing requirements.
# To achieve perfect drainage and to enable planting
earlier, consider installing raised
beds. The soil in raised beds drains and warms faster in the
spring. The down side is that
raised beds typically need more water.
# Dig the soil 6 to 8 inches deep, loosening and turning it
over, and remove any rocks or
debris that may be in the way.
# Then spread a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost or other
organic material over the bed and
work it into the soil.
# Fertilize the garden with natural fertilizer, paying
special attention to the proper
proportions indicated on the package.
# For pest problems, apply an organic pest control spray
directly to the leaves.
# When watering, remember that too much or too little can
ultimately kill a plant.
# Don't wait until the soil is completely dry before
watering, and don't depend on the
rain as a water source.
# Use a sprinkler or — if a more advanced approach is
desired — a drip system.
# Insert a finger about 1 inch into the soil; if it feels
dry, it's time to water.
# Pull weeds weekly to prevent them from becoming a major
problem.
# If desired, use a bark or wood-chip mulch to help keep
plants healthy and reduce weeds. (Be sure to leave enough free space for
walking between plants.) Different mulches work
better in different zones, so ask a local expert for a
specific recommendation.
# Harvest vegetables when they're ripe. They should pull off
the vine easily.
# If winter (or the first frost) is approaching, try
protecting plants with a blanket or
cold frame, or harvest what's available and allow it to
ripen on the kitchen windowsill.