How to Start a Vegetable Garden in 5 Easy Steps
Etiuda Pepper from rareseeds.com
Many beginners tend to delay starting a vegetable garden feeling like it seems like an overwhelming task. However, I'm here to simplify the process for you.
The time to start your vegetable garden is now. Regardless of the season, you can start your garden, even during winter. There's some preparation work required before planting, so don't hesitate—begin now, and by spring, you'll be glad you did!
Step 1: Selecting the Perfect Spot
Front Yard Vegetable Garden
If you happen to be reading this in winter, consider the conditions during summer when the trees have leaves providing shade. When choosing between morning and afternoon sun, opt for the afternoon sun, as most vegetables thrive in the intense heat it provides.
Don't limit your garden to just the backyard. If the front yard receives more sun, consider placing your garden there. That's precisely where I have my vegetable garden, and it's been a hit with the neighbors. Who doesn't enjoy watching things grow?
Step 2: Planning Your Garden Design
Now that you've picked your location, it's time to plan the shape and size of your garden. Go as large as you can comfortably manage, with the option to expand next year if desired. Consider the space requirements of the vegetables you intend to grow. To give you an idea, a single zucchini plant needs approximately 9 square feet, so your garden can fill up quickly.
Allocate space for walkways, at least two feet wide. Plants tend to encroach on walkways, so having extra room is crucial. If you have the space, consider even wider walkways. A four-foot-wide walkway would be ideal, but when space is limited, you can make do with narrower paths. It’s really a matter of personal preference.
Squash Growing through a Path
Step 3: Use the "No Dig" Approach with Cardboard and Compost
This "no dig" method is excellent if you're converting a grassy area into a garden. Lay down cardboard over the entire proposed garden site, including the pathways, to block sunlight from reaching the grass, causing it to decompose and enrich the soil. Cardboard also adds carbon, improving soil fertility.
Cover the cardboard with compost, which aids in its breakdown. Additionally, compost helps loosen heavy clay soil, making it more suitable for plant roots to navigate. This results in longer roots, creating drought-tolerant plants with improved access to nutrients and water. If you don't have your own compost, you can purchase it locally or use free sources like neighbor-offered manure or chicken run cleanings.
Rake the compost so that it is 2 to 4 inches thick. Then cover it with some type of mulch, such as grass clippings, hay, or shredded leaves. If you use grass clippings or hay, just make sure there was no herbicide used on them.
Here is an example of using this method for expanding a garden bed.
STEP 4: BUILD A FENCE
Flower farm protected by welded wire fencing with willow sticks.
Building a fence is optional, depending on your environment. If you have deer in the area it is a must. They will eat almost anything a human will. A simple 5-foot welded wire fence with steel T-posts works well for me and doesn't require any digging. You just bang the posts in the ground with a post driver. While deer can jump over it, they are less likely to do so when your garden is full of bamboo stakes and trellises during the summer. It works for me.
For larger gardens, like my mom's flower farm shown here, consider a six-foot welded wire fence with sticks woven through the top to deter deer from jumping in. Deer are smart and will avoid situations where they might get hurt. Since the addition of the sticks the deer have left her flowers alone.
Related Article: DEER-PROOFING YOUR GARDEN: TOP STRATEGIES THAT WORK
Step 5: Planting
Depending on the season, you can plant your garden at this point. If you're starting in winter, you can begin growing cool season crops from seeds indoors in early February. These can be grow on a windowsill or under LED lights and later transplanted to the garden about four weeks before the last frost date for your region. You can find out your garden zone by going to https://garden.org/nga/zipzone; there is even a planting calendar specific for your zone you can use as a guide.
While you can purchase plants from a nursery, there is nothing like growing your own plants from seed. The process is rewarding in itself, but it also allows you to cultivate unique varieties of produce not typically found in grocery stores.
As you can see, starting a vegetable garden is not too hard. You can do it. Happy gardening!
