Vegetable Gardening - Getting Started
May 6th, 2007
Many people associate growing shrubs and flowers as being the reason why people are drawn to gardening. However, many people also start vegetable gardens. They do this not only because vegetables are easy to grow, but can also shave money off grocery bills and give you the satisfaction of eating produce that you’ve grown with your own hands. More than half of all gardeners grow vegetables, but in order to grow great crops, you need to do your research first
For a start to grow decent vegetables your garden needs to be in an area where it gets between six and ten hours of sunshine per day.
The next step is to check the soil, ensuring it’s in good condition. Obviously this can’t be done by just looking at the soil, what’s needed is a soil testing kit. You can Google for soil testing kits; they’re pretty cheap. The results you get from these kits will help you determine what should be added to the soil to grow healthy crops. Adding compost can enrich an average quality soil. Compost materials are other organic compounds such as decayed leftovers from vegetables and leaves.
Another essential to growing great crops is to level the soil. Levelling prevents the soil from forming low patches where water can pool.
Once these fundamentals are in place you’re ready to plant some vegetables. When planting annual vegetables, a trench should be made in the soil and the plants embedded within the trench. Perennial vegetables, such as asparagus, should not be planted next to annual ones but planted separately. Specific instructions on how to plant different crops are usually supplied when the plants are bought. Once planted, the vegetables should be given a mild watering.
Once your crop is planted you need to protect them from insects. A good idea is to construct a wall of cardboard around the plants. Although this won’t make your garden look beautiful, it helps protect your crop and doesn’t use any pesticides. Fortunately, when the plants are mature enough you can remove the cardboard.
Your garden will still need to be tended frequently. You should also try and put down a layer of straw mulch, sprinkling it over the soil. Straw mulch reduces moisture loss and evens out the soil temperature. It lessens the need for watering and also reduces the presence of weeds. These basics should help you get started in building a vegetable garden that will bring pleasure for years to come.
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