If you contemplate on having your own vegetable garden where you can pluck them out with your own hand, fresh and full of vitamins and minerals, there is nothing really to compare or even come close to it. They taste better and they are much more nutritious than the produce that is shipped and travels long distance. It is also hard to tell how were they grown and what kind of pesticides were used in the process.
For convenience, you probably used to go to the supermarket to buy your fruits and vegetables, but honestly, they just cannot compare with what you can grow and eat raw or cooked from your own little garden.
If you never had the experience to create your garden yet, and all you have eaten was the produce from your local supermarket, or from the roadside fruit stand, than you are missing out, and you owe it to yourself to think very seriously to start your garden, if you really want to eat fresh and healthy. It is not really that hard, and it sure is not complicated at all. It does not have to cost you a fortune, either. And once you have it, you will be glad you did.
Just think of the benefits to be outdoors, in nature, and work in the tranquility of your little paradise. Not withstanding the free exercise you are getting in the process. That’s good for your body, mind, and soul.
And of course you want to do it right. So it is a pretty good idea to make a little plan, draw it on a sheet of paper and stick to it, step by step.
First, choose a good sunny spot, where you don’t get too much shade or no shade at all if possible, and the plot should be free of rocks or debris. But it should be close enough to the house to be able to water with a hose hooked up to a spigot, when you need to water if and when it’s not raining.
Prepare the soil. This is very important, and your success will very much depend on how well you prepare the site for your garden. If the soil is clay or sandy and lacks nutrients, it must be amended and enriched with composted material, like cow manure, organic fertilizer and minerals if needed. To make it even cheaper for next season, collect the leaves and other vegetation, kitchen leftovers, grass clippings, and make your own compost. The soil will need nutrients to replace those used and depleted by the vegetables as they feed from the soil. Try to make the soil as dark as possible, by adding organic mater.
The best thing is to spread the compost all over your garden site, and till it in the soil, in the fall, so it will have enough time to decay and blend in the garden. This way the ground is resting over the winter, and will be more nutritious in the spring for the planting time.
Now think of what vegetables would you like to grow, something you enjoy eating the most. So, buy the seeds for the vegetables you choose, and go from there. look through some seeds magazine and get some ideas. A few examples just to get an idea, would be; tomatoes, bell peppers, hot peppers, squash, radish, cucumbers, lettuce, cabbage, spinach, onions (sets), etc.
Maybe a few herbs to spice up your cooking with, and salads, like: dill, parsley, oregano, basil, arugula, rosemary, cilantro, etc. It all depends on how much space you have, and how large a garden you want to make. Herb plants don’t take too much room, and they are fun to grow. Just think of that nice aromatic, flavour and fragrance they so freely give, in exchange of just a little LTC. Loving Tender Care.
To have a good and early start with your garden, start your seeds indoors, and plant the transplants after the danger of late frost is past. It depends on what part of the Country you live.
One of the best methods would be to start the seeds in little peat pots, like the Jiffy-pots, so that when you plant the little plants outside plant them with the Jiffy pots, thus not disturbing the tender roots of the transplants. If you prefer, you can plant the seeds directly in the garden, in rows, according to the instructions on the seed packets.
Plant the plants according to their size, and group them together. The low growing ones, should be separate from the tall growing ones, as to not block the sun light from reaching evenly on all the plants.
Water well and keep the soil moist. Don’t let the soil dry completely out between watering, nor keep it too soggy either.
Once they started to grow, you can water them good, and then leave them alone and give them a chance to drink and feed. Then water again before the soil dries out completely. Just kind of feel the soil to see if it is still wet, by sticking your finger in the dirt about 2 inches, and if it is still moistarticle source, leave them alone for a while. Once you get familiar with your garden, sometimes the plants will let you know when it is time to water. They will start to wilt a little, and as soon as you water them, they perk right up. But do not let them wilt beyond hope!
Now sit and relax on a bench, somewhere in the shade, and watch how the little seeds sprout out of the soil. It is very rewarding to see, as the hard part of gardening is pretty much over, except that now and then watch for them pesky weeds to pluck them out, and don’t let them invade your little paradise. Wait patiently for the time when you take out of your garden, with your own hand, and enjoy those healthy, juicy, vibrant and full of life giving vegetables. It is simply wonderful.
Happy Gardening!
Mike Borlovan
Helping the gardening enthusiasts with practical ideas and information, periodically with new and fresh articles related to the gardening field. These articles are written in simple down to earth wording, easy to understand, and with the clear intention to help and benefit the novice or even the more experienced who might want to venture in something they never tried before. Gardening and Landscaping is a wonderful way to blend in with the nature, and enjoy to the fulliest extent possible all the good things it can offer.
If you do not have a garden yet, you can start any time. Get involved by taking small steps to implement your desired plans, try and experiment, make it your hobby and sooner or later you will become passionate about it, and you will be glad you did. Nature has unlimited resources to offer, why not take advantage of it?
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