A vegetable garden can be as small or as large as you want or need; it can be in a few pots on your balcony, a large acreage in the country, or any size in between. Whether you are a gardening novice who wants to start your first vegetable garden or an experienced gardener who just wants some tips on how to enhance it, this chapter will offer the information you need to make the best choices.
Why Do You Want to Grow Vegetables?
The first thing to consider when deciding to start a vegetable garden is why you want to start one. What you want the vegetable garden to do for you can determine what size you may need and what you may want to grow.
You can save money on your grocery bill and feed your family healthy organic produce by growing your own vegetables. As a hobby, gardening is a wonderful way to connect with other gardeners, neighbors, and most of all with your family. Children love to get out into the garden planting, watching things grow, and eating the freshly picked vegetables. You may have many other reasons for wanting a vegetable garden. Whatever reason you choose to garden, it can be fun and it's a great way to stay active and enjoy the outdoors.
Gardening is good for your health! You can burn 150–250 calories per hour just by getting out into your vegetable garden. Exercise also releases endorphins into the bloodstream. Endorphins make you feel happy and give you a more positive outlook overall.
Planting a vegetable garden can be very rewarding. It is miraculous how a tiny little seed can produce enough vegetables to feed your family for several meals. By growing one or two vegetables for yourself, you can save on trips to the supermarket, know exactly what is in your food, and control how it was grown.
Whatever your reason for growing your own vegetables, it is important to consider that gardening does take time, money, and energy. Be realistic when you estimate how much time you have to devote to your garden. People will often start a huge garden in the spring only to tire of it and let the weeds take over by summer. If you are a first-time gardener, start small. Increase the size of your site every year as you become more familiar with growing your own vegetables.
If you only have a few minutes a day to spend on your vegetable garden, perhaps you can start with a few pots. If you have a few hours a week, you could manage a small garden spot or perhaps a raised bed. If you want to grow enough food to feed your family all year round, you may need to set aside at least one day a week to tend to a much larger garden. No matter where you live, you can find a spot to grow some of your own vegetables.
What Do You Want to Grow?
When choosing a garden site, it is important to know what you would like to grow. Some vegetables need warmth and lots of sunlight to grow, while others do well in a shadier spot.
Planning what you want to grow will save you time, money, and energy in the long run. It is important to grow what your family will eat. Write down a list of vegetables that you love to eat. Get your family involved so they can be part of the decision-making process. That way, they will feel a sense of ownership and just might be more willing to help plant and take care of the garden.
Children love to garden. For young children, choose quick-growing veggies like radishes so they can watch them grow. Veggies that are fun to eat, like peas or corn, are also great. Let older children grow what they want in their own designated little garden. Teach them how to plant, weed, water, and take care of that area.
Some vegetables take a lot more of your time than others, so take that into account when you make your selections. Swiss chard and salad greens are easy to grow and can be harvested from just a few plants several times. A twenty-foot row of asparagus will take some time to plant initially, but you'll be able to look forward to enjoying asparagus in the spring for years to come. Some root crops such as carrots, beets, or radishes need to be thinned as they grow. This can be time consuming, especially if you have large rows of these vegetables. It is important to know how much time you want to put into gardening.
If you want to grow enough of certain vegetables so that you can preserve or freeze them for eating during the winter months, it is important to plant more than you would need for fresh eating alone. Plan ahead and decide what you want to do with your harvest.
If space is a consideration, research plants that give bigger yields but don't take up a lot of space. Root crops (except potatoes) and leafy greens will yield a lot for the space they use up. You can train tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans to grow vertically, giving you more of a harvest for the space used. Consider growing vegetables that have more than one edible part. For example, if you grow beets, you can eat the root and enjoy the leaves in a salad. If you grow onions, you can eat the greens in your salad and then wait until the bulbs are large enough to harvest to save on space as well.
Here is a list of ten common vegetables you can easily grow:
Beans
Cabbage
Carrots
Cucumbers
Lettuce
Onions
Peas
Potatoes
Squash
Tomatoes
Growing a vegetable garden will take effort and time, so it is important to grow what you or your family will eat. However, do not be afraid to try something new. A vegetable fresh from the garden has much more flavor than most veggies bought at the local grocery store, so you could be surprised by what you or your family may eat! If you find you do not like something or have an overabundance of certain veggies, give some away to friends, neighbors, or your community food bank.
Consider Your Climate
The United States and Canada are divided into plant hardiness zones that range from 1—the coldest areas such as Alaska—up to 11—the warmest areas such as southern California, southern Florida, and Hawaii. These zones are based on temperature variations and first and last frost dates, which give the gardener an idea of what plants will grow best in each zone.
Planting zones in the United States
Planting zones in Canada
These zones can be important when choosing perennial plants, but most vegetable gardeners grow annuals within their area's growing seasons. Most areas in the United States and Canada also have four seasons—spring, summer, fall, and winter. The majority of gardeners grow vegetables in the spring and summer, although some gardeners in the southern United States can grow during the fall and winter months as well. Growing seasons can be extended by using greenhouses or other structures to give vegetable plants protection from inclement and unpredictable weather.
The length of your growing season will be pretty standard but can vary depending on the weather. You should also be aware of the average amount of rainfall in your area when choosing your site. The general climate of your area is important to consider, but each garden site will have specific issues.
Is the area protected from the wind? Does the site have lots of mature trees that will block out the sun or does it get full sun? Choosing different ways to grow on your site can help you control variables. For example, growing in raised beds or in a greenhouse can solve a multitude of site problems.
The Importance of Sunlight
Sunlight plays a big part in growing a successful vegetable garden. This is the one area you have the least control over. When choosing your garden site, you will need to consider the amount of sunlight these areas get throughout the day. Most vegetables need an average of six hours of sunlight in order to grow. But don't fret if you only have a shadier spot. There are a few plants that will grow in a bit of shade, and perhaps you can grow other vegetables in containers that can be moved around to follow the sun's path.
The sun alters its path throughout the seasons, so take the time to track its progress. Jot down the time when sunlight hits your area throughout the different seasons and record how long it stays there. It may not matter if your garden site is deprived of sunlight in the winter because you won't be growing anything at that time, but if you get no sun during the spring and summer, you will need to choose another site.
You also want to consider how the trees in the area affect the amount of sun your site will receive. You may get full sun in the winter months when the leaves are off the trees, but the site becomes shadier as the leaves come out. The solution is to find a sunnier spot if you will be growing your veggies during the spring and summer.
The following vegetables do well with four to six hours of sunlight a day:
• Carrots
• Lettuce
• Kale
• Peas
• Swiss chard
The following vegetables traditionally produce fruit and need more sunlight:
• Cucumbers
• Eggplants
• Peppers
• Squash
• Tomatoes
Consider whether your vegetable plants will have any competition for the soil's nutrients. Perennial shrubs aren't usually a problem, and they can even benefit your garden by attracting beneficial insects to the vegetable patch. But beware of planting your garden near large trees, which will take nutrients from your vegetable plants.
Which organic matter is best to use in your garden?
Choosing aged animal manures or compost or shredded leaves or seaweed does not really make a difference. What is most important is to add organic matter to your garden soil every year. Choose what is readily available and inexpensive so you can add large amounts to your beds.
Most gardeners do not have an ideal garden site; however, you can still grow a great vegetable garden with a little knowledge and a willingness to experiment with different vegetables. What books or seed catalogs say will or will not grow has been proven wrong in many garden sites.
The Water Source
The amount of rainfall your garden gets will vary from year to year, so a good water source near your garden site is essential. Most people will be less inclined to water if they have to carry it from a long distance away. Make sure your garden hose can easily reach across the full length of your garden site.
Most vegetable plants need one to two inches of water each week; some will need more if you live in an extremely hot climate. Containers and raised beds may also need more watering depending on the temperature in your area and how much rainfall you get. There are several different ways of watering your vegetable garden, including using sprinklers, a soaker hose, drip irrigation, and hand watering.
Place small empty tuna cans in four different areas of your vegetable garden. Turn on the overhead sprinkler and leave it on for one hour. Measure the amount of water in each can. This will give you an indication of how much water various spots in your garden receive from the sprinkler in an hour.
If you live in an area that gets a lot of rainfall, consider investing in a rain gauge. It will help you keep track of the amount of water your vegetable garden receives. If you get too little water, the vegetable plant roots won't be able to grow deep enough to reach the reserves of water and nutrients in the soil. Too much water will saturate the soil, reducing the amount of air space needed for the vegetable roots to grow strong, deep, and healthy. Either is harmful to your vegetable plants, and stressed plants will not produce as much.
From Lawn to Garden
More and more people are replacing all or part of their lawns with vegetables and flowers. In a lot of areas, water restrictions mean you might have a brown lawn during the summer months. It's not very attractive, so why not put in a veggie garden instead?
If you are concerned about what your neighbors or community will say, take the time to tell them what you are planning to do. Make sure there are no restrictions; if there are, go to the town or neighborhood committee for permission. Growing your own food is important for all of us, and it has become fashionable as well.
If you choose to remove the sod from your front or backyard, start with one small area or build a raised bed to put over the sod. Removing sod can be time-consuming and hard work—and remember that you're inevitably removing some valuable soil when you remove the sod. One option is to turn the sod over, leaving it to decompose over several weeks. Another option is to use mulch to prevent the grass from getting sunlight so it will die back naturally. This option will take longer to make a bed, but it's easier on the back!
Save water by growing vegetables rather than having a green lawn. According to Environment Canada, a single lawn sprinkler spraying 19 liters per minute uses more water in just one hour than a combination of ten toilet flushes, two five-minute showers, two dishwasher loads, and a full load of laundry.
TURN YOUR LAWN INTO A VEGETABLE GARDEN
1. Cover the area you want to make into a vegetable garden with cardboard, overlapping the cardboard to make sure no area is left uncovered.
2. Moisten the cardboard by spraying it with water.
3. If you have any shredded leaves or grass clippings, put a one- to three-inch layer over the cardboard.
4. Place three to twelve inches of compost or garden soil on top of the whole area. If you can only put on a couple of inches, leave the site for a few weeks so the cardboard can decompose a bit. If you can add twelve inches of soil, you can start planting your seeds and transplants immediately.
You now have a garden site instead of a lawn. You can spruce up the area by adding trellises or other garden structures. If you are the first one in your neighborhood to turn your lawn into a vegetable garden, take the time to make it look great and share your harvest. Your neighbors may feel inspired to follow in your footsteps.
City Gardening
Living in a rural or suburban setting where land is more readily available to grow your own vegetables gives you an advantage when starting a garden. What do you do if you live in an apartment building or condominium?
Balcony or Porch Gardening
Balcony or porch gardening is becoming increasingly common as more people want to grow some of their own vegetables. If you have a sunny spot to put a few containers, you have a garden site. Even if the area does not get full sun all day, many varieties of vegetables grow well in containers. The balcony is a great place to grow your vegetables vertically (which takes up less space), so consider growing plants that do well trellised. Try cucumbers, peas, and beans.
Condominium Gardening
Many condominiums have common spaces or even rooftops that would be perfect for growing vegetables. Talk with your condo board and suggest starting a vegetable garden in these common areas. A garden makes a wonderful space for people to relax and get together, and fresh food is a great bonus for everyone in the complex.
Large cities are giving residents the opportunity to grow food. In Vancouver, a portion of the city hall lawn is to be converted into a community garden. In Washington, D.C., organic activists are calling on the president to turn part of the White House lawn into a community food garden.
Community Gardens
A community garden is a shared space where a group of people or residents of a certain area grow their vegetables. More and more city neighborhoods are starting community gardens on empty lots in the center of a city, in local parks, and on private properties that are donated for this purpose. These gardens can be funded through local governments, community services, or specific groups. The main purpose is to make space available for growing food for everyone who wants to take part. If you are looking for a spot to grow on, check out your local area for an existing community garden or look into starting one in your neighborhood.
Community Shared Agricultural Garden (CSA)
A Community Shared Agricultural (CSA) garden is usually started by a farmer who decides to grow vegetables for a group of people who sign up to receive a certain amount of food each week during the growing season. Being a member of the CSA often means volunteering at the farm to help out with planting, weeding, and harvesting the vegetables. This is a great way for you and your family to spend a few days a month helping to grow the food you receive from the CSA every week. The website www.localharvest.org/csa allows you to find participating farms in your area.