Plant Gardens 101

Once you have all of your supplies and have decided what to grow it is time to actually plant your garden. Before you grab a shovel and charge into your yard to start digging you might want to take some time to plan out how you want to set up your garden. You should have a good idea of what you want to plant and exactly where you want to plant it before you start digging up random holes in your garden.

The best way to organize your garden is to get a piece of paper and sketch a plan for your garden. Decide where you want your garden to be and make sure it is an area that will receive sun for the majority of the day. Start observing your yard a few weeks before you start planting, about the same time you start your compost pits. Make notes regarding which areas of your yard receive sunlight during the majority of the day and which areas of your hard are often in the shade.

There are other factors that you should take into consideration when choosing where to plant your garden. Avoid areas that have recently undergone repairs or that are near metal fences. Chemicals, metal, and other debris might be contaminating the area which could lead to your plants being contaminated. Also be on the look out for areas that retain water after rain. The last thing you want to do is plant your garden in a place that will become a stagnant pool of water after every rain or when you water it. When you have picked out a suitable area make sure you stop using any chemicals on or around it immediately. (more…)

Nothing says success as a gardener more than when the first vegetables start sprouting. All of that hard work, from cultivating the soil, adding in compost, and growing your seeds indoors has all finally come to a positive climax.

However, it doesn’t have to end there. With the many blogs, message boards and groups on vegetable gardening, why not share your results with other gardeners with some photos. With today’s digital cameras and photo editing software, you can have wonderful pictures uploaded and online in no time. Here are some tips to make sure your shots make your veggies look pristine rather than dumpy.

Take a Close Up Even though you might have the latest and greatest super zoom camera, I have found that my best photos have come when I move in closer to the vegetable or vegetable plant I am trying to take a picture of. Make sure the plant you are photographing takes up as much space on the view lens as possible. (more…)

My back hurts, my arms ache and I’m sunburned. With the soil warming up to temperatures favorable to seed sprouting, the farmer in all of us is ready to take hoe in hand and test the hortacultural waters. I’m planting a garden this year and it’s hard work.

Planting and weeding a garden is not for the faint of heart, or maybe it is. Part of my rehabilitation from recent heart surgery, is the exercise I’m getting from working my little plot of soil. My doctor gave me his permission to do this as long as I didn’t grow Broccoli. He says there is enough of that plant in the world already.

My garden is on a friend’s property; mine has a line of trees, practically all shade and no sun. His property is large, but not as gigantic as it was before the Civil War as one of the largest plantations in Alabama, encompassing thousands of acres. (more…)

You have put a lot of hard work into your vegetable garden and the fruits of your labor, the composting, watering, nurturing, should not go without reward. Sure you are going to enjoy the many benefits of healthy vegetables grown right in your backyard (or on your porch), but you can also earn some extra spending cash with them as well.

I have put together this small list of ideas and venues where you can give selling your delicious fruits and vegetables a try. Who knows you might even make enough to pay off a lot of bills or take a great vacation getaway.

Schools, Churches, Synagogues etc. Is your local school or place of worship having an event to raise some money like a craft fair, science fair and so on? Chances are you can rent a table from them for as little as $10. Bring in your fruits and vegetables to sell at a price far more affordable then the competition and you can walk away with some extra cash and you will be helping out your community by supporting a good cause. (more…)

Interested in growing organic? For many, it’s the only way to grow.

When starting an organic vegetable garden you must start from the ground up. Compost is the key to a lush, bountiful organic garden. If you don’t already have your own compost, check with your local municipality. Most give away leaf compost for free. Some even deliver by the truckload to your home!

Leaf compost is very rich in organic matter; however, it still needs a few amendments. Lime added to your compost will balance the Ph and Gypsum added (about 5lbs. per 100 sq. ft.) will keep the soil nice and loose, it also adds trace minerals such as calcium which is great for the soil. Adding these will also help plants intake the nutrients they need to thrive. Work this into the top 4”-6” of soil.

Another important key to growing organic veggies is sunlight. Take some time to watch the sun as it moves across your property throughout the day. Start your garden where it will get the maximum amount of sun and plant your rows from NE to SW. It is also important to water your garden in the early morning between the hours of 6 and 10 am. The will allow for good water absorption and any water left on the leaves will evaporate before the heat of mid-day. Watering in the middle of the day is not recommended because the water will evaporate before it has a chance to really soak in (or you will have to water longer to get the same effect). The leaves of the plants may also burn as the water on the leaves heats up. Never, ever water your garden in the evening unless you want a tough battle with the evil fungus! Let me explain. When you water in the evening it is cooler and dark. The ground will absorb the water well, however, the round will only suck up so much, and then the garden is left with water on the leaves and puddles (even small ones) around the stems. There is no sun to gently evaporate the excess. Water and air can carry fungus spores naturally. The water laying on the leaves and around the stems acts as a fertilizer to the evil fungus and it grows literally overnight. Before you know it you have black spots on your tomato and pepper plant and curling leaves on your cucumbers! (more…)

Spring is the time of year when we think about creating a vegetable garden, especially with all the emphasis on the damage that long transport distances do to the ecosystem, never mind the fact that we are eating vegetables that are not quite as fresh as they might be! When choosing the location for your vegetable garden forget the old idea that the veg patch must be an ugly spot. If carefully designed, thoughtfully planted and well cared for, it will be feature of your garden, bringing a touch of homeliness that no formal bed could ever create.

Bearing this in mind you should not restrict yourself to any area of the garden just because it is out of sight. In the average modern garden there won’t be much choice as to land anyway. You will need to use what you have available and then do the best that you can with it. There will probably be more choice as to exposure and convenience. All things being equal, try and choose a spot reasonably close to the house with easy access. It may seem that the difference of only a few yards is hardly relevant, but if you are depending largely on snatched spare moments for working in the vegetable garden easy access will be much more important than you might realise. Only when you have made a dozen unnecessary trips for forgotten bits and pieces, or ended up getting wet as you dash in and out will you realise that it would have been much easier to have the veg garden just that little bit closer! (more…)

The only thing that distinguishes a kitchen vegetable garden from any other sort is that the garden plants are specifically selected to be eaten. Given that, the primary consideration in choosing your plants is what you will use, either for your own consumption or as trade items at a local farmer’s market. (Of course the climate in your area and the length of the growing season are also major factors.)

Your primary goals are to save money, to provide yourself with a healthy source of fresh food, and to have some fun in the process. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as seeing something you’ve grown with your own hands on your dinner table. But how to start?

Where to Plant Your Garden

Obviously you can only use the land available to you, if there is any, or you can augment what space you have with containers. Figure out how much room your plug plants will need and plan accordingly. Tomatoes and peppers grow to a large size and do quite well in containers with cages for stabilization. Carrots and lettuce, on the other hand, do well planted in rows. (more…)

Suggestions from a guy who has gardened for more than 25 years …

Start Small – For most beginners, smaller is better. A 100 square foot garden – say, 10 feet by 10 feet – is plenty. Even a 4 ft. by 5 ft. garden or a few containers on your deck or patio can be very rewarding.

The Basics – there are 5 basic requirements:
- Good soil
- Seeds and/or plants
- Water
- Fertilizer
- Weed and bug control. (more…)

Aside from the beautiful flowers and good-smelling herbs people often associate with garden planters, vegetables also do great in these contained and compact environments. Depending on the planter size, most anything can be grown within, especially is care is taken to choose more dwarf or bush varieties, which take up even less space.

Some of the best vegetables for garden planters include the following:

Tomatoes: Small Fry, Saladette, Toy Boy, Spring Giant, Pixie, and Tiny Tim

Radishes: Scarlet Globe, White Icicle and Cherry Belle (more…)

In deciding ahead the location for the home vegetable backyard it is well to dispose once and for all the old idea that the connive “model” must be a hostile blemish in the home surroundings. If thoughtfully planned, wisely planted and thoroughly cared for, it may be made an exquisite and harmonious article of the general system, lending a join of comfortable homeliness that no bushes, limits, or beds can ever create.

With this detail in thinker we will not feel restricted to any part of the premises simply because it is out of prospect behind the shed or garage. In the mode moderate-sized place there will not be much span as to land. It will be needed to take what is to be had and then do the very best that can be done with it. Nevertheless there will maybe be a good covenant of option as to, first, exposure, and minute, convenience. Other gear being parallel, select a site near at hand, tranquil of access. It may appear that a difference of only a few hundred yards will mean nothing, but if one is depending basically leading very moments for effective in and for watching the patch and in the budding of many vegetables the later is almost as important as the past this material of convenient access will be of much better importance than is possible to be at first recognized. Not pending you have had to make a dozen time-slaying trips for beyond seeds or tools, or gotten your feet soaking wet by going out through the dew-sodden grassland, will you fulfill effusive what this may mean.

Exposure.
But the thing of first importance to think in picking out the recognize that is to yield you happiness and delicious vegetables all summer, or even for the existence, is the exposure. Pick out the “first” perceive you can find a plot slanting a little to the south or east, that seems to ensnare sunshine early and store it deceased, and that seems to be out of the directly corridor of the chilling north and northeast winds. If a structure, or even an old fence, protects it from this focus, your backyard will be helped along wonderfully, for an early flinch is a great big aspect near victory. If it is not already confined, an enter fence, or an encircle of some low-upward shrubs or little evergreens, will add very intensely to its usefulness. The importance of having such a protection or shelter is altogether underestimated by the amateur.

The soil.
The odds are that you will not find a site of archetype patch soil eager for use anywhere leading your place. Nevertheless all except the very worst of soils can be brought up to a very high amount of productiveness especially such small areas as home vegetable gardens demand. Large tracts of soil that are almost clean smooth, and others so violent and filthy that for centuries they lay uncultivated, have frequently been brought, during only a the being, to where they yield annually tremendous crops on a commercial basis. So do not be discouraged about your soil. Proper medicine of it is much more important, and a backyard patch of mode run-down, or “never-brought-up” soil will harvest much more for the bouncing and watchful gardener than the richest smidgen will grow under usual methods of cultivation.

The archetype backyard soiled is a “affluent, filthy earth.” And the truth cannot be overemphasized that such soils generally are made, not found. Let us analyze that description a bit, for right here we come to the first of the four all-important factors of farming food. The others are cultivation, wetness and temperature. “Rich” in the gardener’s vocabulary means sated of hide food; more than that and this is a peak of essential importance it means satiated of yard food disposed to be worn at once, all arranged and apply out on the garden agenda, or instead in it, where budding effects can at once make use of it; or what we name, in one word, “open” bury food. Practically no soils in long- inhabited communities continue artlessly resonant enough to give big crops. They are made moneyed, or kept valuable, in two conduct; first, by cultivation, which helps to change the raw workshop food stored in the soil into available forms; and jiffy, by manuring or adding plant food to the soil from outer sources.

“Sandy” in the gist here used, means a soil containing enough particles of sand so that water will toss through it lacking exit it whitish and sticky a few living after a torrent; “light” enough, as it is called, so that a handful, under normal conditions, will submit and reduce apart swiftly after being pressed in the hand. It is not necessary that the soil be sandy in appearance, but it should be friable.

“Loam: a deep, friable soil,” says Webster. That scarcely covers it, but it does depict it. It soil in which the sand and clay are in fitting proportions, so that neither intensely predominate, and typically gloom in flush, from cultivation and enrichment. Such a soil, even to the untrained eye, just obviously looks as if it would grow effects. It is remarkable how cursorily the undivided rude appearance of a part of well cultivated ground will change. An instance came under my notice last descend in one of my fields, where a strip containing an acre had been two existence in onions, and a little piece jutting off from the midpoint of this had been prepared for them just one season. The relax had not normal any extra manuring or cultivation. When the sphere was plowed up in the tumble, all three sections were as distinctly noticeable as while separated by a fence. And I know that next bounce’s crop of rye, before it is plowed under, will show the defenses of demarcation just as plainly.

Learn about calla lilies and lily bulbs at the Types of Lilies site.

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To start, you will need the proper tools to complete your project. For building a garden bed, you will need a digging spade and probably a digging fork (or spading fork). D-handled tools are best for this. If the cutting edge of the spade is blunt and burred, sharpen it. Also, smaller tools will be needed for the actual planting, weeding and upkeep.

Start with a garden bed. Try not to over do it and go big, smaller is always wiser when it comes to beginning any project. A good size for a beginner would be approximately 6 ft X 10 ft. If you plan to plant pumpkins, squash or zucchini, be prepared to go much bigger. These vegetables tend to need a lot of room, and often will spread out into the rest of you vegetables. Because of this, either start a bed specifically for these, or do not attempt at all if you have only a smaller garden. A raised bed can be advantageous to both you and the garden. It will allow the garden more warmth in the spring as well as keeping weeds at bay. It is best to create a framing for the bed; it will allow you to stand outside your garden without upsetting the plants and their root systems. Your garden should be able to get up to 6 hours of sunlight a day, so plan your location appropriately. If you do not have a yard big enough, container vegetable gardens are an option. Many plants including lettuce, tomatoes and peppers are just as good and hearty if planted in a large enough vessels. There should be at least 1-2 feet of soil to properly handle the root system. (more…)

When it comes to gardening, there are some additional benefits to just having your own fruits and vegetables. Not only can you be a “green” thumb, but you can be a contributor to the “green” living movement by recycling common household “garbage” items into useful, and helpful, garden utensils.

Take the common soup can. By removing the top AND bottom lids, this cylinder becomes a useful starting pot. Removing the top and bottom lids will help aid in the removal of your plant start with greater ease. Now, don’t throw away those lids! The lids can be placed at the base of light loving plants, such as tomatoes! The lids will reflect sunlight, thus providing extra light. In addition, the reflected light has been shown to repel plant eating insects and aphids. To deter birds from your fruits trees, punch holes in the lids and hang them from tree branches. Apparently the reflected light and movement scares these rascals away. (more…)

Those of you who live in Zone 9 planting areas will be happy to know that the high summer temperatures come with an unseen benefit – a long planting season. While most gardeners are tilling up their gardens before the first frost hits in October, most people in Zone 9 will be able to start a winter vegetable garden mid-month and have a harvest a few months later.

Winter Vegetable Garden Preparation
Winter vegetables require a little bit of forethought and extra attention. If you’ve never planted vegetables before it’s probably a good idea to start an easier spring/summer garden. Winter gardening is considered by some to be very advanced, but in the Zone 9 area it’s actually pretty easy because there is no snowfall and the winter temperatures are relatively mild.

The most important thing to do is to keep your plants safe from the cold weather. You can use a cold frame to protect your plants. It’s constructed out of a PVC pipe frame with greenhouse plastic spread over the top. The cold frame can be set out when you know there is going to be a frost overnight. (more…)

In deciding upon the site for the home vegetable garden it is well to dispose once and for all of the old idea that the garden “patch” must be an ugly spot in the home surroundings. If thoughtfully planned, carefully planted and thoroughly cared for, it may be made a beautiful and harmonious feature of the general scheme, lending a touch of comfortable homeliness that no shrubs, borders, or beds can ever produce.

With this fact in mind we will not feel restricted to any part of the premises merely because it is out of sight behind the barn or garage. In the average moderate-sized place there will not be much choice as to land. It will be necessary to take what is to be had and then do the very best that can be done with it. But there will probably be a good deal of choice as to, first, exposure, and second, convenience. Other things being equal, select a spot near at hand, easy of access. It may seem that a difference of only a few hundred yards will mean nothing, but if one is depending largely upon spare moments for working in and for watching the garden and in the growing of many vegetables the latter is almost as important as the former this matter of convenient access will be of much greater importance than is likely to be at first recognized. Not until you have had to make a dozen time-wasting trips for forgotten seeds or tools, or gotten your feet soaking wet by going out through the dew-drenched grass, will you realize fully what this may mean. (more…)

Are you a vegetable fanatic and have always wanted to grow your own? Maybe you want to save money and grow your own organic vegetables, or maybe you’ve always wanted to start a garden and thought a vegetable garden would be more rewarding. Your reason may be one of these, or another one completely. Whatever you’re reason, you’ve decided to start a vegetable garden and want to know how.

Your first step is to make several decisions. You need to decide how big you want your garden to be, where your garden will go, what you’re are going to plant, and how much you are going to plant. Think about what your favorite fruits and vegetables are and what will grow well in your region. Also, make sure you place your garden where it will get a lot of sun.

Now that you know what you’re going to do, you will need to get all the necessary supplies. Make sure you have everything you’ll need including seeds, fertilizer, garden tools such as shovels, trowels, cultivators, etc., a hose or watering can, and whatever else you think you’ll need. (more…)

Many people think that the first criteria when picking the “best spot” for a home vegetable garden is good soil; however, although good soil is important, good soil is made, not found. You can rebuild the soil once the spot has been chosen. When you are choosing where you want your home vegetable garden patch to be, you must focus on its convenience and exposure.

Convenience means your home vegetable garden should be “close by” or as close to your house as possible. You may think that a difference of only a few hundred yards cannot be that significant; however, if you have to largely depend upon spare moments for working in and for watching the home vegetable garden, convenience will be much more important than you think.

Don’t wait till you have had to make a dozen time-wasting trips for forgotten seeds or tools or gotten your feet soaking wet by going out through the dew-drenched grass to gather those “vegetables of the day” to realize that “close access to your home vegetable garden” is important. (more…)

Kohlrabi is cousin to cabbage and broccoli. The best time to grow this great tasting vegetable is in the cooler months in the autumn following plants that can only grow when the temperatures are hot. Here is how you can successfully grow kohlrabi in your home vegetable garden.

It is not recommended that you sow your kohlrabi seeds indoors due to the fact they germinate better in cooler temperatures that are more than likely readily available outdoors during the autumn months. Therefore sow your seeds in your garden no deeper than 1/2″ and space them out at least eight inches.

For an optimal growing environment make sure you test the pH level of your soil. Kohlrabi likes the soil to be neutral or as close to neutral as you can get. 6.0 – 7.0 would be ideal. (more…)

Growing your own vegetables is a great way to save money and enjoy fresh, organic vegetables. The vegetables you buy in the store are often not organic, and when you do find the organic vegetables, they are so much more expensive. Growing your own vegetables can be very cheap, and after a couple of years using the same tools and plants, they can virtually be free. Growing vegetables is not fool-proof, but it isn’t too difficult either. With the right seeds or seedlings, soil, watering schedule, fertilizer, and care, you don’t have to be a pro to grow vegetables. With a little knowledge and some trial and error, you can have your own meager or robust crop by the end of the season.

To prepare for a vegetable garden, you have to get all the right tools. It’s important to get the correct tools so that you can effectively care for your garden. You need soil, fertilizer, seeds or plants, a garden hoe, a shovel, a rake, and a watering can or hose. Just as important as your tools, you need to grow your garden at the right time. I can’t give you the exact time of year because it will differ depending on the region you live it. Basically, you start in the spring and harvest in the fall. (more…)

Long before you put a seed in the ground you may have already been set up for a less than bountiful harvest, or even worse no harvest at all. That is because the condition of your soil determines whether or not your vegetable plant will grow and produce.

There are ways to test your soil and of course the means to fix your soil if it need be. Let’s first talk about how you can test your soil.

There four methods you can use. The first is getting your local municipality or state EPA to test your soil conditions. You simply call them up, ask for a soil test kit, follow their instructions and for a fee they will analyze the soil you send them. Some may even send you recommendations on what steps you need to take in order to fix any problems that you may have. These test, depending on where you are in the country can be pricey and you can wait quite awhile as commercial farmers take precedence over the home vegetable gardener. (more…)

Nurturing your own vegetable garden is the perfect way to seize control over the fresh foods you use in your home. Spring and summer are primary planting seasons, and the do-it-yourself projects can help save your household money. And obviously, you do not have to be a gourmet eater to recognize the advantages of using organic items from your own garden.

Before you setup your own vegetable garden, you should consider a few of the following questions:

What’s the best way to start your own vegetable garden? Start small, with perhaps fresh salad greens and herbs. As you learn more, expand into other vegetables. Don’t be afraid to experiment-even if it doesn’t work out; you’ll soon learn from your mistakes.

What kind of space is needed to setup a vegetable garden? You can use containers on your deck if you don’t have a backyard to dedicate to growing your own vegetable garden. There are even types of vegetables developed for growing in containers. (more…)