How To Start A Vegetable Garden
Ever dreamt of picking your own delicious red fruits from your tomato plants from the comfort of your own back garden? Starting a vegetable garden is easier, and more rewarding, than you think.
Whether you're working with lots of extra garden space and raised beds, or a little patio and small space, growing tasty vegetables is for you - and we can help make it happen, even if it's just a little kitchen garden!
It's time to create your own vegetable garden, and in no time at all you'll be showing friends round your impressive raised beds with abundant vegetable plants. Here are a few tips on how to plan for your perfect vegetable garden.
Benefits of Growing Your Own Vegetables
Vegetable gardening is kind to you and the planet in lots of ways. Homegrown vegetables are fresh and nutritious and they are picked at their ripest and consumed when they are full of vitamins, minerals and all that good stuff! Your new vegetable garden is the perfect way to add to your healthy lifestyle.
When you start a vegetable garden, you have full control over how you grow vegetables and what kinds of pest control you use. It's best to keep it organic and use natural methods to keep your plants healthy. You can also add in sustainable garden methods such as keeping a compost pile or water storing.
Vegetable gardens are also kind to our wallets, you have the initial cost of buying a vegetable seed packet, tools and soils, but in the long term this is outweighed by the variety of vegetables you can add to your cooking with a large vegetable garden - not only adding to your healthy eating but also helping you save money when it comes to your food shop.
By growing vegetables in your own garden - you're cutting down your carbon footprint as you're not needing vegetables that travel and are wrapped in plastic.
Gardening is also a great way to stay active - from weeding, planting and digging to wandering around the garden centers looking for new plants to grow - it all adds to your physical fitness. More than this, gardening is a great way to improve stress and help your mental health. Studies have found that those who garden have a stress level that's 4.2% lower than those who don't.
Choosing the Right Location
Most vegetables need full sun (6-8 hours a day!) so pick a sunny spot that's in the direct sunlight daily. Some vegetables and salad crops don't mind partial shade, but majority don't like it, so be sure to check the preferences on your seed packets and avoid overhanging trees.
Fresh veggies need fertile, well draining soil to thrive. Test the soil to check these things, and if it's not right you can go about incorporating organic matter or well rotted manure to increase the nutrient contents. Try to avoid rocky, sandy or compact soil as this isn't good for vegetable growing.
Ensure there is good and improved drainage wherever you choose to plant them. Waterlogged soil is harmful and can cause root rot and other diseases. If in your entire garden the soil isn't up to scratch, you can add a raised bed to plant and grow young plants.
Planning Vegetable Gardening
The first, and arguably most important step, is picking the vegetables you want to grow in your garden. For a beginner gardener, we would recommend starting with an easy to grow vegetable such as radishes or tomatoes - these are better than vegetables such as brussels sprouts that take a long time.
Decide where, if you've got a space at the back of your garden that's just a waste - pop some vegetable beds in and start gardening! If you only have a small garden or balcony, a container garden is a great option - you still get to enjoy fresh veggies whilst not using up too much space.
To make the most of the growing season, figure out the dates of the last and first frost in your area - this will help indicate when certain plants grow best. Some seeds germinate best when they spend a few weeks inside.
Crop rotation helps reduce pests and diseases. Avoid planting the same type of vegetable in the same bed year after year.
Companion planting is also a great way to control pests and improve growth. For example, you can plant basil near tomato plants to help enhance flavour and prevent pests.
Preparing the Soil
To create a wonderful environment for your seeds and seedlings, it's important to spend time preparing the soil.
First start by clearing the area that your planning to grow vegetables in - weeds take away valuable resources from plants so removing weeds helps to ensure a strong and healthy plants.
Loosen the soil to break up compact parts - this will allow improved air circulation and make it easier for roots to grow deep. Mix in organic matter to enrich it will all of the nutrients plants need.
Once all of this is done, try to let the soil rest for two or so weeks to allow it to be the best environment for seeds and seedlings.
Caring for Your Vegetable Garden
Vegetables require quite a bit of care to thrive. From watering to protecting them from diseases and pests - there's quite a bit to look out for for new gardeners.
It's best practice to water early in the morning so that the plant roots can soak up the water. Make sure the soil is moist but not waterlogged as this can cause problems. During hot and dry periods in early Spring and summer, plants such as tomatoes and pole beans need to be watered more consistently.
Keep an eye out for perennial weeds trying to steal the spotlight from your veggies and remove them. It's especially crucial in the early stages when vegetables are just establishing themselves.