Vegetable gardening is a fun, rewarding hobby for those of all ages and it’s surprisingly easier to get started then one may think.
With the rising costs of food these days, many people are starting to grow their own home vegetable gardens. With just a little planning and the right gardening tools, vegetable gardens are simple to create and fun to maintain. Follow these easy steps to a beautiful backyard vegetable garden:
Easy Steps to Growing a Vegetable Garden
- Choose your vegetables. The first step to starting any type of garden is to decide what type of vegetables to grow. Involve each family member and have them choose their favorite vegetable. Once you have a list of potential veggies you’re off to a good start.
- Choose the right plants for your climate. The reality is you won’t be able to grow everything in your garden, but you’ll be able to grow a lot. Once you have some ideas of the types of vegetables you wish to grow, narrow that list down by eliminating the ones that won’t grow in your soil or climate. This is where talking to a professional at a garden center may come in handy.
- Buy the right tools and seeds for the job. Head out to your local garden center and purchase everything you need to build the garden. You’ll need seeds, gardening soil, fertilizer, trowels, gardening gloves and a watering can just to name a few. Many gardening supplies are remarkably cheap, with a packet of seeds only costing around $2.50. If you can, borrow gardening supplies from family or neighbors.
- Sketch a layout of your garden. Determine where you want the garden to go in your yard. You should consider the size of garden you want and which areas of the yard get a lot of sun compared to a lot of shade. Start small – don’t try to conquer too much on your first try! A garden can always be enlarged later.
- Spread the soil. Time to get down and dirty. When spreading the planting soil remember that it should be at least 20cm deep to ensure optimal growth of the new veggies. If the soil doesn’t include a fertilizer then that is something that will need to be added later on.
- Plant the seeds. When the time comes for planting the seeds read the directions on the seed packets carefully. Pay attention to how far apart they should be planted as well as how deep. Seeds are the cheapest way of starting a garden; however they take longer to mature. If you’re looking into getting the vegetables to grow faster you may want to look into planting young plants.
- Maintenance is the key. Water, fertilize and take care of your garden and you will be rewarded with beautiful vegetables. Be patient and stick with it. At the end of the growing season make note of what worked and what didn’t for the next summer.
Delicious fresh vegetables await you in your home garden! Once you become a pro you can work some flowers, fruit and fresh herbs into your gardening hobby. For those just starting out, you may want to check out the top 10 easy-to-grow vegetables. Here’s to happy gardening!