Vegetable Gardening

How to grow Vegetables? It’s easy!

May 11, 2009 by Vegetable7 Leave a Comment

Nowadays, vegetable gardening is becoming more and more popular. Some think it’s difficult but they are absolutely wrong! Vegetable gardening is easy! You’ll no longer worry if you bought the freshest vegetables in town. Plus, you could easily grow a harvest or kitchen garden, so you have the tastiest and healthiest vegetables. That is, if you take care it the right way.

You should decide, first,the size and spot for your vegetable garden. Consider a site that has good drainage, good soil, and enough sunlight that your vegetables need. Soil should be tilled properly (depending on your gardening method), and mixed with compost. Just make sure that the soil is healthy. Adding compost or organic matter, will give the soil the quality you need.
Another important thing in vegetable gardening , is the garden format. The most common arrangement is to plant vegetables that needs limited space together. Why not try planting short growing plants in front of the backyard while tall growing plants at the back of it so that sunlight would not be block by those tall growing plants? Just be aware, not to shade your short growing plants.
Finally, when you are ready to begin your planting, be sure that you plant the right vegetables at the right time. After planting the seeds, make sure that you are giving the right amount of water. This will depend on the type of the vegetable you are planting. Most plants must have an equal to about an inch of water per week. Check with your local extension agency to see what’s going to grow best in your area.

Folks love vegetable gardening! Partly, because they can literally taste the goodness of their own labor in the flavor of the vegetables. And, vegetable gardening is not expensive to start. Vegetables from the market can’t even compare to the freshness and sweet taste of vegetables from your own garden. So, why not start your vegetable garden? It’s easy!

Vegetable Gardening Considerations to Remember

May 11, 2009 by Vegetable7 Leave a Comment

Go ahead, let’s face it: the cost of living is increasing. Don’t worry because every problem has a solution. There’s a way to save money, but not compromising the health of your family. One way is to have your own vegetable garden in your backyard. Plant any vegetables you and your family loves to eat in every season of the year. That’s right, grow year round

These are some vegetable gardening tips that may help you to build your own vegetable garden spot.

#1: Usually vegetables require 6 hours of sunlight a day. But, there are some that require 8 hours. So, choose a good patch with ample sunlight. Maximize the space by planting several kinds of vegetables. Plan ahead, and even sketch it out on paper.

#2: During the dry season, your vegetables will need additional water every day. Especially, when they are setting fruit.

#3: Beware of pests during the sprouting season. The earlier you discover them, the better. If the pests are present, never use chemical pesticides on your plants, especially when they are close to being harvested. Remember, organic gardening is not only healthy, it’s environmentally friendly, too.

#4: Recycle those vegetable wastes you have in your kitchen! Instead of throwing them in the trash bin, you could make compost out of it to use next spring.

#5: Aside from maintaining your vegetables, you should protect your garden from pests and other animals– even your pet or your neighbourhood’s pets. Wandering dogs, cats, and rabbits love to raid vegetable gardens. Build a fence or look into a natural detterent for these critters. We like fences, too, because they double as trellis to support your vegetables that grow as a vine.

3 Powerful Tips you shouldn’t miss on Vegetable Gardening!

May 10, 2009 by Vegetable7 Leave a Comment

Do you want a garden that would make your neighbors and friends totally jealous? Let me help you with this. I am going to give you 3 basic vegetable gardening tips that’s going to turn your garden into a garden folk’s will want to have.

Let’s start with the perfect spot in your vegetable garden. It should be clean and free from anything that could inhibit the growth of your vegetables or it’s roots. This means, you need to rake it, aerate the soil, and make sure you don’t have any root compeitition.
Add some compost to your soil. It will help give your vegetables the nutrients they need to grow. After that, add some water. Do not water it too much, just enough to make the soil moist and make sure that no water is standing in the soil. But, make sure you watered deep to the roots.
Next, plant your vegetables in the right way. What’s the right way, you ask? Plant them apart! This may sound like not a big deal, but if you plant them to each other they will not mature. Yes, you could grow more vegetables, but since you are aiming for the best and biggest one, you should plant them with enough space.

And the best part of all is designing your garden! Since you want the best garden you should be creative. You could put a small waterfall in the background of your vegetable garden along with tall wheat grass to make it look magical. Try to imagine some pumpkins in front of the waterfall with tall wheat grass. It’s quite hard to explain, but just imagining what it looks like excites me!

5 Secret Tips in Organic Vegetable Gardening

May 10, 2009 by Vegetable7 Leave a Comment

It’s very obvious that organic vegetables taste terrifically better than those grown with chemicals and other stuff.

So what do you think are the secrets behind the terrific taste of organic vegetables?

This is the biggest and most important secret….Organic vegetables are not grown from chemical fertilizers and pesticides! I know, you were expecting something more. BUT, it’s the most important. That’s why they taste so good. It’s not rocket science! It’s just how vegetables should taste naturally, without all the chemicals.

Myth: Organic Vegetable Gardening is Much Difficult than the USUAL Gardening

Some commercial companies tell you how difficult and time consuming it is to have successful organic vegetables. They are just selling their chemicals for gardening.

The very truth is, it’s not! As long as you will follow these simple steps you will have your organic garden in no time!

Here are the secrets you should know to start you organic garden the right way. Let’s get started!

Secret Tip1: Start with a good planning!

Like in everything we do, first thing first! It’s not easy to do the entire task at once. Try to imagine a construction crew starting a building without any blueprints. Just like in organic gardening, you’ll need to have a plan first to have a successful outcome.

Usual Planning Mistake: Be sure that the perfect area you choose is close to a water source. Most of the time, a beginner gardener will choose the place that looks the nicest in the yard. Often, we forget to plan how we are going to get the water to the vegetables in order for them to grow.

Secret Tip2: Facing South!

Question: Why is it necessary for your vegetable garden to face south?

Answer: Simply because, it will have plenty supply of sunlight.

Fact about sunlight: Vegetable garden would need an optimum 6-8 hours of sunlight to produce the best crop. Be sure that there is no shade blocking the sunlight needed by your plant like tall trees, or plants, or even your house.

Sunlight is one of the essential needs of a vegetable garden so don’t mess up with this one, or else say good bye to your dream vegetable garden!

Secret Tip3: Taking away weeds in an organic way!

Before you start planting, be sure that your chosen area is free from weeds. And because you don’t want any chemical weed killer to contaminate your organic vegetable garden, you would use the organic way.

Unfortunately there’s no easy way to get rid of weeds so what I suggest is to get rid of those weeds using your hand when they creep up. The sooner you discover them the better, so the best thing is to prevent them from contaminating your vegetable garden!

Secret Tip4: Prevention is better than Cure!! Weed Prevention Tips…

1. Get some free fertilizer from those left over espressos at Starbucks. It will make your vegetables healthy, and it is absolutely natural! No need to be shy for asking, because the Starbucks corporate offices actually instructs their crew to promote giving away coffee grounds to recycle them. It really is a great way to recycle coffee grounds, and plants love them.

2. You will not notice those small weeds that fell from your gloves and garden tools after de-weeding. So, the best thing to do is to clean your tools, gloves, knee pads and even your shoes to avoid re-depositing weeds in your garden. Your there to plant plants, right? Yeah, not weeds.

3. Just to make sure, why not use cornstarch? Putting cornstarch on the ground would add nitrogen to the soil, making it a natural fertilizerl. Plus, it can kill weeds, too!

4. Watch out for bird feeders. They are great around the garden, but if bird feeders get too close to your vegetable garden, the left over seeds may sprout into weeds. Keep them at a minimum distance of 20 feet from your garden. Besides, you know how some birds just knock the bird seed out of the feeder, while looking for the seeds they like!

Organic Vegetable Gardening Tips for Beginners

May 10, 2009 by Vegetable7 1 Comment

Organic vegetable gardening had been around for a long time. There are people who practice organic methods, but are unaware that they’re actually organic gardening. Growing plants without using any artificial chemicals, like fertilizers and pesticides, is known as organic gardening.

When you garden organically, you can make sure that you only feed the best vegetables to your family. Plus, you can cut your food budget without compromising the quality. Aside from that, you don’t need to spend more money to buy those artificial chemicals for your vegetable garden.

Composting is a lot better than the usual fertilizer you buy at the gardening store. You will also need to protect your plants from harmful effect that an industrialized chemical could do. That’s one advantage of organic gardening. They don’t harm your plants because they are purely natural and don’t contain chemicals that may harm the immune system of your vegetables.

The following are some important tips you should know:

1. Soil: The soil you use in your vegetable garden will determine your success. Before planting your vegetables, make sure that your soil is healthy it should have a pH value of 6.5 or around neutral, but then again, pH value will depend on the different kinds of vegetables you are going to grow. So, just check specifics for each vegetable, but you are usually pretty safe with a neutral pH.

2. Water and Sunlight: Other important needs of your plants is water and sunlight. They are both essential for growing plants. However, too much and not enough of both will affect the healthy growth of your plants. For sunlight, make sure you chose the area which receives at least 6 hours of sunlight each day; otherwise, it will not get the maximum growth it should have. For water, be sure to water deep. This means water the roots. Don’t focus on watering the leaves.

3. Controlling the Pests: Since you want a vegetables garden that is free from artificial pesticides, you could use beneficial gardening insects, like ladybugs, wasps, and praying mantis. They’re an effective alternative for pesticides and insecticides. If they can’t be found just around your garden, you can always purchase them from nurseries or even on line.

And, don’t forget–

For weeds, pulling them using your hands is more effective than killing them with weed killer.

There’s no harm in sacrificing a little portion of your harvest to bugs to be able to provide your family with natural, organic foods.

Composting kitchen scraps will definitely reduce the amount of waste that is deposited in landfills. Composting is a big help to your environment!

7 Tips for Successful Organic Vegetable Gardening

May 10, 2009 by Vegetable7 Leave a Comment

Are you satisfied with the last season you harvested? All those tomato plants you had, and got 6 beef steak tomatoes. Did that happen to you? This year, the number one your plan is to have a garden with tons of vegetables to harvest, and not just TOMATOES!

And this year, you even up the ante! because you are aware of what those chemicals, like fertilizers and pesticides, could do to your health, you only want an organic garden. Well, now, forget about last season. If you follow these simple tips, you can say hello to a great garden you’ve always wanted!

Tip #1: What vegetable should I plant? First, you should think of what vegetables you and your family usually love to eat. Then, throw in some expensive vegetable to really save money at the market.

Like, those lettuces in a mesclun salad, they’re much more expensive than iceberg lettuce, orange peppers and the red ones are more expensive than the green ones. Aside from that, why don’t you try some of the heirloom tomatoes like the popular Brandywine? Really, have fun with it.

Tip #2: Raised Beds— Instead of digging beds into your garden soil, why not build or buy a raised bed? This will save you a lot of time, believe it or not. Fill it with the appropriate soil and compost.

Raised beds are great for proper water drainage, and you control the soil conditions. You have healthier soil, and less weeds. If you don’t make your own compost, you can buy some bagged compost.

Read our page about raised bed gardening.

Tip #3: Keep it small— The more you plant the more you have to work. So, keep your organic garden small and manageable. Learn more about which vegetables work well in a small garden.

Tip #4: Garlic Bulbs are a big help— This will help deter pests away from plants. You know the ones you see lurking beyond the garden gate. Or, perhaps the little ones you don’t see that are hiding under the leaves.

Garlic is a companion plant to some vegetables, like beets, tomatoes, and lettuce. Learn more about companion planting.

Tip #5: Put up a fence—This will keep your plants safe from pests and other animals. Learn more about garden fencing options.

Tip #6: Soil Temperature—Make sure that your soil is the proper temperature for the vegetables before planting. If you have a short growing season, start your seeds indoors or build a coldframe to start the seeds.

Tip #7: Water, water—we all know that water is essential for plants to grow. Water consistently and water vegetables deeply! Water the roots! You don’t take a shower without washing your feet, right? Here’s a good guide to watering a vegetable garden.

Guidelines for Indoor Vegetable Gardening

May 10, 2009 by Vegetable7 3 Comments

Many people want to have a garden of their own, but don’t have a lot of garden space like a “dream garden” has. Even if you have such, the weather sometimes just doesn’t work out. So, what should you do then? This is the best time to go for an indoor vegetable garden!

Photo Courtesy of GardenGrowth.com

That’s a really cool thing, by the way! With indoor vegetable gardening, you’ll no longer worry about the weather. No matter what growing season it is, the fresh vegetables you wanted are not impossible. Plus, it will turn into a great hobby, especially those who feel bored whenever they are home more than a few hours. You don’t need a lot of money or time for this kind of activity! The only things you need are a caring attitude, and a little patience! Ok, and some dirt and/or water.

The well-known vegetables that thrive indoors are miniature cabbage, tomatoes, and certain types of carrots, peepers and lettuce.

To be able to make a successful indoor vegetable gardening, let’s get down to the list of things required, other than a caring attitude and patience.

The basic essential for houseplants are containers or planters. Containers, like a simple old cans, or a plastic bin work. You know, items that can be found in your house, and be creative. But, a ready-made pot can be bought in the market can also be used. In fact, you can recycle any the empty containers in your home.
Keep in mind that each container should have some holes to allow excess water to drain. You can use any sharp tools to make holes in your container. You should make holes at the sides and bottom part. But don’t forget to put a tray or something under it to catch the water. This is where self watering planters come in handy.
The type of the soil that you will use for indoor vegetable gardening should match the specific vegetable’s needs that you are growing. Not a big deal, just know what your vegetable likes. But for the most part, your plant will thrive in well drained soil with a little compost mixed in with it.
Either you yourself should mix the soil, or buy one from the store. The only thing you should remember is that the soil should drain well and be light in weight. Clay soil is not recommended because it does not drain properly, aside from that, it is very heavy. Professionals suggest having a mixture of soil, mulch, and sand for beneficial results. Once again, soil used in a garden is not suggested. So, don’t go out to the yard, and throw soil in your container.
It’s not a big deal to put the soil into a container. Just don’t pack it down too much. Packed soil will mess up the development of roots. There should be some space left at the top of the container, so you can water without spilling it everywhere.
How would you select seedlings for indoor vegetable gardening? If you wanted to do everything from the start, seeds would be a good choice. Grow what you like to eat, and what grows well indoors.
Like other outdoor growing plants, houseplants also need to be watered. Keep in mind that the the watering amount should be on target, and not too much or not enough. When it comes to watering your indoor vegetable garden, keep an eye on the container. You want to keep the soil moist, without overwatering.
The big selling point of indoor vegetable gardening, other than getting around the weather, is less weeding, if any, and less garden pests to worry about. With reducing outside elements, you control a lot more of the growing conditions. You can grow a lot of vegetables successfully with indoor gardening.