Vegetable Gardening Tips on Planting and Maintenance

Here are some tips on vegetable gardening that should help make your gardening experience easier and a very gratifying experience. Preparing the soil for your garden is the most important step. The basis of any successful garden is proper soil that creates good seed germination. Vegetables enjoy garden soil that is well drained, deep, contains high organic matter and retains moisture. Make sure the soil is dry before you try plowing or working the dirt. Check the soil acidity or PH for the different vegetables you are going to plant as some may require varying degrees of PH levels. Another tip on vegetable gardening is that you need easy access to water to keep your garden moist during the growing season. Regularly watering is necessary to keep your garden healthy. In most gardening areas, a vegetable garden requires approximately one inch of rainwater or tap water weekly during the growing season. So, if you experience a dry spell, make sure you water your vegetable garden sufficiently to keep the plants healthy and growing.

Another couple of helpful tips on vegetable gardening are making yourself knowledgeable about the requirements of the vegetable seeds and vegetables you want to plant in your garden. Find out information, such as tendency toward insects, germination qualities, light required, vigor of the plants and the planting zones. This will help you determine the best varieties and types of seeds and plants for your area and garden. A great tip on vegetable gardening is, when you sow your seeds, always plant a few extra to replace ones that fail to germinate. Keep the garden moist until the seedlings have emerged and never thin them until their second set of leaves appears. Thinning out the row when the seedlings are small keeps you from disturbing the other vegetables roots. Test your soil periodically to determine if you need fertilizer and the amount you need. Having your own compost is a great and natural way to fertilize your vegetable garden and cuts down on garbage.

The best way to keep pests away or under control is to start by having healthy soil and plants, using compost, regular watering and adequate drainage. When considering tips on vegetable gardening, do not forget weed control. Weeds rob plants of water, light and nutrients. Hoe or cultivate the soil between your plants after it rains, as this kills any newly sprouted weeds. Use a mixture of pine needles and grass if available, to keep the weeds down or a layer of wet newspaper between the rows of vegetables. Try planting marigolds around the vegetable garden border in order to discourage aphids.

A very good homemade deterrent for pests is:

In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests.

Most important of all is that you enjoy your vegetable garden. You will gain a lot of satisfaction from the fact that you grew the vegetables yourself. Not only will you have fun from your garden hobby but now you can start a culinary hobby with all your fresh produce.

Happy Gardening!

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

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Vegetable Gardening Tips - The Basics of Planting Vegetable Gardens

Planting vegetable gardens is a very rewarding hobby. Not only is it good for you, because of all the exercise needed to complete the task, but also because of all the vegetables that you'll enjoy. In order for your vegetables to be pesticide free, it’s important that you plant them yourself. You can grow them anywhere, whether in the midst of a city, or in a more rural setting. But in order to be successful, you need to get the basics of planting correct, as listed in these vegetable gardens tips.

 Soil preparation

 Number one of our vegetable gardens tips, is that the new gardener needs to learn the importance of soil preparation. This step plays a vital role in whether your vegetable garden will be productive or not, regardless of if you plant in garden boxes or use a part of your backyard. You need to understand that there are three types of soil; sand, clay and silt. Sandy soil is very loose, allowing the plant roots to breathe, as it lets the air easily pass through. Clay soil soaks up water quicker and retains it longer. This makes it perfect for places that receive a lot of sunlight, and are generally hot areas, where the soil dries up quickly. The last type of soil is silt, which is a fine combination of clay and sand particles.

The preparation of soil for your garden is the most important of vegetable garden tips, because it is the foundation of good gardening. The first step is to break up the clumps as you dig up the soil. Be sure and remove any weeds, roots, and rocks you find in this part of the process. Handle the soil to see if you have a good mixture of clay, sand, and silt, before you begin placing vegetable plants in your garden. An even mixture of sand and silt should make up 80% of the soil, while the remaining 20% should be clay. This mixture is to make certain that the roots will not choke or rot, because too much water is being trapped for too long inside the soil. The best way to test whether you have the right composition of soil is to scoop up a handful and form it into a ball. If the soil is able to hold its shape, then you have the right combination. However, if the soil cannot hold its shape, then you probably have too much sand or silt in the mixture. On the other hand, if the soil holds its shape so well that it doesn’t want to crumble when probed, then you need to balance out the clay with sand and silt.

 Choose Your Vegetables

 While it s OK to choose what kind of vegetables you want to plant ahead of time, plants shouldn’t be purchased until soil preparation is finished. This keeps them from drying out, or becoming root-bound in their small nursery containers, while they wait to be planted. Once soil cultivation is finished, however, its time to choose, purchase, and plant your new vegetables.  Another of our vegetable gardens tips is that its important to know that some vegetables don't grow well, when you place them too close to certain types of other vegetables. For instance, tomatoes and/or squash tend to inhibit the growth of potatoes, if they are planted too close to one another. Be sure and ask your local garden nursery which vegetable plants do well together, and which ones should be kept separate.

 Proper Watering Is Crucial

 Once you have chosen your vegetables and have planted them in your cultivated soil, proper watering is the next of our vegetable gardens tips. Consistent watering is the name of the game when it comes to vegetables. Soaker hoses are an excellent choice when watering vegetables in a medium to large space. An automatic watering timer is another wise investment if your schedule tends to keep you from watering consistently.

 A little patience goes a long way when planting vegetable gardens. Research, experimentation, and experience will help you find the right type of soil for the right type of vegetables, that work best for you. Planting your own garden, watching it grow, and harvesting the produce is very fulfilling. And enjoying fresh vegetables with friends and family, that you grew in your own garden, is a joy. All the hard work will be worth it if you follow these vegetable gardens tips.

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Question by chanchossweatpants: vegetable garden?
i'm planning on planting a veggie garden this year. we r going to plant corn, ocra, peas, beans, tomatoes, and a couple of other plants we planted last year. but i want to plant common chives, onion-red-burgermaster (that's what it said at www.naturehills.com) and bell peppers.
how should i plant the chives, bell peppers, and red onions?

Best answer:

Answer by nasaj81
gary busey

What do you think? Answer below!
If you can't beat clover, use it
"Last year I lost the battle with clover in my vegetable garden, and while it's been largely removed, roots and all, I know it will return. I have considered planting parsley everywhere to choke the clover out of sunlight."
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