Three Tips for Planning a Vegetable Garden
With this cold weather upon us, one thing is for sure: “Baby, it’s cold outside.” (We apologize if that song is now stuck in your head the rest of the day.) But this is the perfect time of year to think about what you want to grow now that spring is just around the corner.
Here are three tips for planning a vegetable garden:
Step One: Decide on a Location
There are many factors to consider when deciding the location of your garden, such as:
How much space is available for planting?
What vegetables will you plant?
How much sunlight will each vegetable need?
Where is the nearest faucet for watering during a dry spell or drought?
What space gets proper drainage?
Make sure you choose a location with the perfect sunlight, amount of space, and protection from your pets to ensure your veggies remain healthy and grow properly during the spring.
Step Two: Choose a Gardening System
You don’t need a huge piece of land to grow vegetables. There are a multitude of ways to produce a healthy vegetable garden. You can also choose multiple systems, depending on what you want to grow. Some of the most popular gardening methods include:
Raised Bed Gardening
Container Gardening
Vertical Gardening
Traditional Gardening
Choose the gardening method that best fits your space, budget, and lifestyle; we want to make sure you have fun with your garden and enjoy the veggies of your labor!
Select Vegetables to Grow
All vegetables are not equal in their needs for being healthy. Here are some of the most important things to think about when selecting vegetables to grow in your garden this spring:
Sunshine: Not all plants require the same amount of sunlight. Some need full sun, which means six or more hours a day, while others need partial sun (4 to 6 hours a day) or partial shade (no more than 4 hours a day).
Time restraint: Another factor to consider is how much time you must devote to gardening. Some vegetables, like cucumbers, need more attention than others, such as garlic.
Space for growth: How much space you have plays a part as well. Some plants can become quite bushy, while others grow as vines. Vegetables that grow vertically will need the aid of stakes or a trellis; some also grow well in containers.
Let’s grow something together!
While the cold weather may keep you indoors, planning your spring and summer gardens now will ensure a better harvest and a more enjoyable gardening experience.