February
2009
Grow Your Own Vegetables - Hard Work But Worth It2
With the worrisome increase in food prices and even reports of food shortages, you may be wondering whether or not it would be a good idea for you to grow your own vegetables. It is something that anyone can do almost anywhere as long as they are ready to work hard.
Many people think that planting a vegetable garden is incredibly hard, but this just isn’t true. Nonetheless, it is not entirely easy, either. It does take common sense and the ability to follow rules and directions. If you are able to follow tried and true methods, you should soon be able to enjoy your very own fresh produce. If you are just starting off with your first vegetable garden, start small. A container garden might be the ideal way for you to get your hands dirty, so to speak. Take time to learn and then expand from there.
To be able to grow your own vegetables, you should locate your vegetable garden in an area that gets six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day. A spot near the house may be desireable, but consider any shade or trees that might block out the sun.
Having the right soil is important. There are certain types of soil that are more difficult to grow things in. In order to improve the soil you should mix it with organic compost or a high quality fertilizer. It is best to mix these materials into the soil about 2-3 weeks before planting.
The soil you are using needs to have the proper drainage in order to help the plants to grow. When it rains you don’t want the garden to retain too much moisture. This could drown the plants and keep them from growing properly. To prevent this from happening you can either dig ditches around the garden or you can install an agriculture tile pipe drain that will provide better drainage.
You can get vegetable seed just about anywhere that gardening tools are sold. You can also get seeds from online stores and catalogs. When you look through these, heirloom seeds and other valuable seeds may be a nice choice. Also, be sure to buy proven stock. In that way, you will give your garden an added boost for success.
Knowing where in your vegetable garden you wish to place each plant is key. Place markers may be a good option to not only identify the seedlings but to space out your plantings. Place each seedling spaced evenly apart, making sure to give them enough room to breath and grow.