Vegetable Garden Planting Basics

Vegetable garden planting used to be a common family endeavor, but with today's hectic lifestyles there is not too many people who have the time for growing their own vegetables. However, if you want fresh healthy food for your family as well as the satisfaction that having a garden gives you, then you’ll want to understand these basics of vegetable gardening.

The first thing you need to consider is the soil in your garden. Soil preparation is critical to your success as a vegetable gardener. In your yard, you will probably find one of these three types of soil - sandy soil, clay soil or silt soil. Sandy soil can be good because it is less dense and helps water filter through it so the plant does not drown and the roots can breathe. Too sandy, on the other hand could cause the soil to be too dry. Clay soil is very absorbent and will keep the water into the soil longer which is good for climates that are very talked. Silty soil is a happy medium and good for most gardens.

When you are preparing the soil for vegetable garden planting you want to till it. This can be done with a tilling machine, or by hand. You want to get out all the rocks and roots and break the soil up if it is clumpy. You want to check the composition of your soil also to make sure that it is right for planting vegetables.

You may consider having it tested at your local garden center or simply scoop up a ball in your hand and pack it down like a snowball. It should hold its shape without too much difficulty. If it does not hold the shape it is to silty or sandy and you might want to add some clay. If it does hold its shape but doesn't fall apart when you poke at it it has too much clay and you might want to balance it out with some sand. You can go down to your local garden center and asked him what you should add to your garden to make it perfect.

Once you've gotten your soil in tip top condition, fertilized it and made sure the pH is appropriate for vegetables, you want to choose which vegetables were going to grow and decide where you're going to grow them. You need to remember to leave room in between the rows so you can get in there to pick your crops, weed, and otherwise tend to the garden. You also want to be sure to give the vegetables enough room so that they can spread out and grow without interfering with each other.

The final aspect of vegetable garden planting, is to make sure that you will be able to water the garden appropriately. Vegetables do need plenty of water and you won't be able to rely on the weather all the time. One thing to consider when watering your plants is that you don't really want water to splash upon on the leaves as this can cause fungus and invite disease. A soaker hose is perfect for the job and you can snake it up-and-down the rows of your plantings so that everyone gets watered perfectly.

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