Are you ready to try your hand at gardening? You’re not alone! Almost 80% of American households report gardening.
If you’ve never grown your own vegetables, you’re in for a tasty treat! Fresh vegetables eaten right out of the garden are juicy and exploding with flavor. Growing your own food is healthy and satisfying. Are you wondering how to start your own vegetable garden? Keep reading for a few great tips!
Search for a Sunny Spot
It’s no secret that most vegetables need lots of direct sunlight every day. Find the sunniest spot on your property.
Make sure the spot gets at least six hours of sun per day. If you’re growing tomatoes, they need 6-8 hours of sun per day. You’ll love harvesting basil to put on your fresh tomatoes!
Well-Drained Location
Your veggies need moist soil but poorly drained soil isn’t good. Look for areas of pooling water in your yard and avoid them for your garden.
If the sunniest spot in your yard doesn’t drain well, consider doing a raised bed in that area. If the plant’s roots stay wet all the time, it can cause the roots to rot.
Choose Your Veggies
Take care when choosing your vegetables to get the right veggies in the right season. Some vegetables grow in winter, like broccoli, while others grow in the summer, like zucchini. Use a growing guide for your region.
Use High-Quality Soil
Make sure you start with high-quality soil. Vegetables love loamy soil which is sand, silt, and clay blended. Buy some high-quality soil to work into the earth in your sunny, well-drained plot.
Make Your Own Compost
You can make your own compost to add to the soil. Compost is great for your vegetable garden and can help with your lawn and flowers as well.
You need to do a little work but it’s worth it!
Use Organic Pesticides
If you’re growing your own food, you’ll definitely battle it out with garden pests. You can use insecticidal soap to get rid of bugs.
Companion planting also helps with pests. For instance, rosemary repels some insects while dill attracts predators that hunt some pests. Do your research before companion planting because some plants don’t grow well together.
Are there deer or rabbits around your yard? Make sure you enclose the garden in a fence.
Weed Regularly
Stay ahead of the weeds by making weeding a regular part of your day. The best way of removing weeds is to pull them in the early morning when the soil is damp. This makes getting them out of the ground easy.
Growing Your Own Food Is Fun!
Growing your own food requires some patience but it’s fun, and the food is tasty. Make sure you start with a sunny spot for your garden.
Follow the tips above and you’ll be on your way to fresh, healthy, homegrown vegetables. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as eating vegetables you’ve grown yourself.
Are you looking for more articles on how to live a more natural, sustainable lifestyle? Find them here on our blog!
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