How to Start a Vegetable Garden

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If you have been following my blog for some time, you know I LOVE growing flowers in my garden. I even purchased a bunch of flower seeds for my spring garden recently. With everything going on with the coronavirus, such as having 2 weeks off work unexpectedly and being encouraged to practice social distancing, I’ve decided to start a vegetable garden. Today I want to discuss with you how to start a vegetable garden.

I’ve grown herbs in the past with success and tried growing cucumbers and mini pumpkins with little success. While many people have been stocking up on toilet paper and other items lately, I stocked up on vegetable seeds and bulbs.

Know Your Space

The first thing you want to consider before starting a vegetable garden is your space. On the right side of my patio, there is a strip of ground that is about six inches thick. I’ve recently discovered that the previous residents planted some green onions in this spot.

In the back against the wall, is a thin space that is several inches wide. I plan to use this space for some flowers.

To the left of my patio is a good sized space that is several feet in length and width. I’m hesitant to grow veggies here since the ground is full of rocks. I may put a raised garden bed here, since its the perfect space for one.

In Ground or In Containers?

Since I’m new to vegetable gardening, I’m sticking with containers for most of my veggie seeds and bulbs.

I just place some small varieties of potato tubers and onion bulbs in containers with space to grow. The pots are small, but so are the tubers and bulbs. We shall see if they grow!

I just planted some tomato and lettuce seeds in egg crates. I plan on growing these in containers as well. Tomatoes grow in a vine, so I’ll need to get supports to keep the plants from growing all over the place.

I also have carrot seeds, cucumber seeds and pea seeds. I may or may not plant them in the ground. I have heard that they can grow in containers or in the ground.

If you choose to grow your vegetables in the ground, a good space to start with is 16 by 10 feet. You can adjust this based on if your space is larger or smaller, but these are dimensions you can start with.

Time of Year

You may be excited and want to plant as many vegetables as possible, but try not to do this. Certain vegetables grow better during particular times of the year. Make sure to read your plant and seed labels carefully to plant at the right time.

You can also ask employees at local garden centers when to best plant certain vegetables, as well as veggies to start with as a beginner.

Location, Location, Location

Vegetables typically grow best when they get at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. This may be tricky during the cooler months, but once spring and summer hit, you can produce plenty of vegetables with all the sun they’ll get.

You also want to plant your vegetables in quality soil. Vegetables grow best when their roots can go through soft soil. Mix the dirt that you have with garden ground soil for best results. You can also mix in compost so that your vegetables get nutrients they need to grow nice and big.

If you are growing your vegetables in containers, use a high quality potting soil that has plenty of nutrients for your vegetables to grow nice and big.

Successful Vegetable Gardening

Plant vegetables in rows so they have plenty of space to grow. You want to plant and harvest at the correct time. Read your seed packets carefully to see when you should do both. Use high class seeds that will grow for you.

You also want to watch how much you water your vegetables. This can be tricky at first, but you will get the hang of it once you know what to look for when spotting under and over watered plants.

Water early in the day if you can. Don’t water during the hottest time of day, or the water will evaporate and not get to the roots. You also want to water deeply enough to reach the roots.

Vegetable Fertilizer

Just like other plants, you want to feed your veggies with fertilizer. There are both organic and synthetic types of fertilizer to choose from for your vegetables. Whichever you choose, make sure its a good quality fertilizer for vegetable gardening.

Vegetables for Beginner Gardeners

Below is a list of vegetables that are great for beginners to grow. Vegetables for beginner gardeners to grow include:

Carrots
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Green Beans
Peppers
Radishes
Pumpkins
Zucchini
Cucumbers

Did you know that you can grow certain flowers with vegetables? Flowers can make your vegetable garden more colorful and keep pests from eating your vegetables you worked so hard to grow. Flowers that grow well with vegetables include:

Cosmos
Sunflowers
Nasturtium
Lavender
Marigolds
Zinnias

To not overwhelm yourself, just pick one or several flowers to grow in your vegetable garden. You can always add more the following year!