Planning and Planting Your Vegetable Garden

When spring starts to approach just around the corner, it's time to start planning your vegetable garden, and it's important you plan it with a good layout. In other words, the planting space that you are going to use needs to be capitalized on so that you can grow as many vegetables as possible in the space that you have.

So before beginning to till your garden space, you might want to decide what types of vegetables you are going to grow. That way, you can plan on growing fast growing vegetables to shade those that don't need as much sun, and even possibly plant double rows for those that mature a bit later. Making these decisions now before you begin to plant can allow you to maximize your garden space.

You will find it will be well worth taking a bit of time to research the types of vegetables you're going to be growing. In other words, you'll want to know what type of soil they like, whether they need shade or full sun, how often to water, and the best growing time. You'll also want to check your local geographic area to make sure that you're planting at the right time, as certain vegetables need a certain temperature in order to grow effectively, so you'll need to make sure that you're planting at the right time in the season.

There are several different layouts you can use to plan your garden. Some of them are rather fun, so perhaps this year instead of planting in rows you can try the potager style, which is described later in this article. Of course, most people are simply row garden planters, which is an effective and simple way to weed, water, and grow vegetables.

Another type of vegetable garden planting involves using beds. Actually, this can be an extremely effective way of planting a garden as it can allow you to reach through to the plants without stepping on your bedding. You make trails through your bedding areas, and this can allow you to take care of your garden very effectively, and you can choose raised beds, or in the ground style beds as well.

If you're interested in having a bit of fun with your garden layout, you may choose what the French describe as a kitchen garden, known as potager. Basically, you'll use geometric shapes to lay out your garden, such as in circles, hexagons, and even arranged by food type or color. For example, you may want to plant all of your salad food in one area, or perhaps all of your berries and fruits in another.

Whatever type of garden layout you decide on, laying out and planning your vegetable garden before you begin planting will enable you to grow wonderful vegetables with ease, and will also result in a more beautiful garden display.

Eat local, give local: Gardeners grow tons of produce for food pantries

Linda Joranger likes to get out first thing in the morning to harvest vegetables at the Middleton Outreach Ministry food pantry garden. “That way, when the food pantry opens, there’s fresh produce right there,” says Joranger, a laid-off state worker who turned to the food pantry — and the pantry garden to feed her sense of purpose — while looking for work this summer.

Herb garden

The students of Georgia College & State University’s Entrepreneurial RLC (Residential Learning Communities) have been growing fresh vegetables, herbs and plants since last fall as their entrepreneurial venture in order to learn how to develop, grow, manage, market and sell products to the community through the Milledgeville Marketplace Downtown Farmers Market.

Growing vegetables in fall and winter

Fall can be the most enjoyable and productive time of year for vegetable gardening. It takes less time and gets more results.

Gardener’s business teaching you how to grow your own

A LANDSCAPE gardener is offering north Essex residents a taste of the good life.

Garden provides nutritious food

Circle of Nations School in Wahpeton starts its classes Wednesday, Sept. 8. Their first meal will be made from fresh vegetables and fruits grown on the school's grounds by the students themselves.