Vegetable Gardening - Planning Your Vegetable Garden

Even though vegetable gardening can be somewhat easier than growing some other plants, it still requires a little work. If planned out properly ahead of time, your garden will produce an abundance of healthy food for you and your family.

But before you sow a seed, think.

Your first consideration should be the type of climate you live in. The type of vegetables will be largely dependent on this. Each different climate area is divided into several zones in itself. The United States alone has a dozen different zones. An example of a climate sensitive vegetable is the tomato. They thrive in hot climates with plenty of sunshine and should not be planted in areas that experience post-winter frosts.

Cooler climates, around 50F-65F (10C-20C), are more suitable for beans, broccoli, cauliflower and onions. These types are all quite tolerant of frost. Mid-range temperatures, from 60F-75F (15C-25C), are better for cabbage, lettuce and carrots. In addition to tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant thrive in hot temperatures as well.

The next thing you want to look at is planning the size of your garden. 100 square meters should be sufficient for a family of four, but this might be too much of an undertaking for a beginner. Next, think of the different vegetables you want to plant and how they will affect each other. Corn will grow tall and steal the much needed sunlight from your tomato plants.

Come up with a plan to deal with areas that might expose your plants to excessive wind and shade.

Vegetables love sunlight, so areas that are too shady might present a problem. Five hours of sunlight is recommended for most vegetables. Undersized and unhealthy looking plants will give you an indication that they aren't receiving enough sunlight. To provide all of your plants with enough, the taller plants should be on the north end of the garden and the smaller ones to the south.

Incorporate some type of wind break in areas that might receive to much. Wind will cause taller plants to break, as well as drying out the soil. Your plant's growth will be adversely affected by colder winds. Vegetables rely on heat to grow large and healthy. A fence or some type of garden lattice will combat this problem.

Vegetables, unlike some other plants, require a lot of water. Sometimes this can lead to root rot, so proper drainage is very important. As much water as you can give them while still providing adequate drainage is good. It's more important to get water to the base and roots than the leaves. This can be accomplished by developing a drip system.

Rotating your crops each year help you keep your soil healthy. Different kinds of plants take different kinds of nutrients from the soil. Planting them in different parts of the garden will prevent the same things from being taken from the soil year after year. Fertilizers and soil treatments can also help you replenish your soil.