Vegetable Gardens – Everything you need to know
Posted on September 23rd, 2010 by admin
Vegetable garden have been a common sight in many homes today. Owners consider it more for the aesthetic value it provides. Not to mention the savings you can have. You need not go to the vegetable section of the grocery when you have a vegetable garden.
Step 1: Plant your favorite vegetables
What are the vegetables that you like to eat? Give priority to those prized for incredible flavor when eaten fresh from the garden: sweet corn, beans and peas, tomatoes and young spinach, among others.
Step 2: Prepare a level ground
Level the soil to make sure they’re flatten smooth with no lumps. The plants can have the full benefit of the sun’s healthy rays when the ground is level and flat. Don’t forget to tend the ground with soil conditioner.
A tropical weather is the most convenient temperature for your crops. Usually this is most important in the last few days of the cold months and in the early days of spring. Determine the region you’re in and know the local climate.
Step 3: Figure out the needed space
Figure out how much growing space you have and plant accordingly. Lettuce, for example, can be grown in a solid mat, but tomatoes need to be spaced about 2 feet (60 cm) apart. Give pumpkins at least 4 feet (120 cm) of growing room.
The seed labels usually have the information on growing space and other requirements. Some nursery tags and garden catalogs are also on print and you can ask garden shop owners about it. You can also make some research online and bookmark such sites for easy reference.
Step 4: Choose plants that save space
Choose crops that require less room if you have a small vegetable garden or grow vegetables in a container.
Tomatoes can go well in tumblers or even in hanging baskets. You can put the lettuce in pots and they can be a nice ornament along a patio.
The trellis is the best place for vines like cucumbers and it does take less horizontal room. You can just tuck parsley and herbs in the flower beds.
Step 5: Line up the plants
Determine the months where the hot and cooling season begins in your region. This is very important before you start the actual planting.
Seasonal plants for the cold days are potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, and radish. You can also have lettuce, carrots, turnips, spinach, beets and cabbage.
You can have corn, pumpkin, peppers, and melons during the hot season. Some other plants that you can have are the tomatoes, squash, eggplant, beans and cucumbers.
Step 6: Set out seeds on ground
Scatter the seeds in the ground for they grow faster when you do it with this method. Spread the seeds of corn, squash, turnips, peas and melons directly to the soil.
Shop for packaged starting seeds when you do start your garden planning. This is usually much cheaper than those plant seedlings prepared in pots or flats.
Step 7: Nursery seedlings for beginners
The best thing to do is start with nursery seedlings. This is specially true if you’re just a beginning gardener.
These plants tend to do better when set out in the garden as seedlings: eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.
There are those which you can effectively plant as seedlings and seeds. Cucumbers and squash are among the few.
Step 8: Buy seeds after New Year
There are more selection to choose from during New Year so you can buy the seeds and seedlings at this time. Look for seed packets marked as having been packed for the current year.
Step 9: Order seeds from seeds companies
You can get the crop seeds from companies and ask for them to deliver them to you through postal service. You can do this and order from a website or can do it by phone.
Step 10: Prepare the soil
Sow the seeds only after you’ve prepared the soil well. Don’t let the soil dry up and make sure it’s well watered and damp.
When you get the seedlings, look for those which are healthy and in nice condition. See to it that there were no insect holes and all the leaves are green.
Written by:
Custom Stone and Waterscapes
3829 Parkhill Place Southwest, Calgary, AB T2S 2W6
(403)870-1142
Calgary Gardens, Calgary Ponds, Calgary Landscape, Calgary Landscape Design