Preparing A Garden Plot

The vegetable garden plot is calling your name, right along with little birds and the first signs that warm weather is around the corner. Maybe you always wanted a vegetable garden, but thought you needed more land, better soil, etc. I have good news! There is an alternate route for almost everything. Vegetable gardening begins with the soil.

To select your vegetable garden plot, consider what vegetables need to thrive. Vegetables and fruits need 6-8 hours of sunlight daily. The vegetable garden plot should be well-drained and convenient to water (vegetables require 1 inch of water weekly or 75 gallons per 100 square feet).

Adding 2-3 inches of old manure and compost (or well-rotted leaves, peat moss) to your soil in early spring prior to preparing the soil will not only improve drainage, but also make it fertile. If soil is undesirable, consider raised beds. If space is an issue, try container gardening and window boxes. You could plant vegetables amongst flower beds or bushes-be imaginative! A former boss grew cucumbers and tomatoes alongside our office building-we had them for lunch daily. In only 25 square feet, you can grow enough vegetables to feed a family!

Soil that is loamy, well drained, and high in organic matter is ideal for your vegetable garden. Visit your local cooperative extension or health department and pick up a free soil-test kit. The ideal pH for vegetables is 6.0 to 6.5. The test tells you if your soil needs lime added (available at your local gardening center).

Your local gardening center is a great information source. Recently, I talked with Ron, Owner of Pumpkin Center Lawn & Garden in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Seated comfortably on bags of fertilizer, I asked his advice for preparing vegetable garden plots. As we went over the points given above, he reminded me of an important issue: getting rid of unwanted grass. Roundup is a top seller for that purpose. Be sure to wait a few weeks and water soil thoroughly before planting.

Prior to planting your vegetable garden, incorporate 20-30 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 1000 square feet (or amount indicated by your soil test). Till amendments into the soil about 6-8 inches deep.

You may wish to consult NC Cooperative Extension of North Carolina State University, a fount of information for gardeners and families. They have a comprehensive free PDF booklet, Be Healthy: Grow What You Eat. To find an agency near you, look in your yellow pages or type “cooperative extension” or “agriculture” along with your county or precinct into a search engine. In Canada, check out Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.