There are lots of ways you can create a terrific vegetable garden. It can be a few containers on the porch, or neat rows in a big patch of vegetables in the back yard. Growing a garden is a great opportunity to include your kids in a fun project. They love being involved. With a little preparation and a little planning, you can have delicious vegetables to enjoy, year after year.
Decide how big of a garden you want. If you're not sure, you can always start small. While you think about it, plan around an area that gets at least six hours of sunlight. More would be better.
Now you can choose what you want to grow. Keep in mind what grows best in your area and the space you have allocated. If you plant seeds, the packet will have clear directions. Just remember that seeds take longer than container plants, which you can put in the ground during the spring after the last frost.
Soil provides the nutrients your vegetable plants need to thrive. You can improve your soil by adding a mix of organic materials and slow-acting granular fertilizer. The easy option is to use Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil for Flowers & Vegetables, or Miracle-Gro® Organic Choice Garden Soil. Rake in a four-inch layer to your soil. If you like, you can use a hoe or a tiller. Also, remember to pick up rocks and spray weeds.
With vegetables, timing is everything. Broccoli, carrots, lettuce, peas, and spinach like cool weather. So you can plant them one month before the last expected frost. After the last frost, plant your warm-weather vegetables: corn tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers.
At the seedling stage, your plants just need to be kept moist. Later on, make watering and
feeding a regular routine. Aim for the base of the plant. For excellent results, try
Miracle-Gro® Organic Choice All-Purpose Organic Plant Food, followed by a healthy dose of
water. Another way to go is to feed and water at the same time with products such as
Miracle-Gro® LiquaFeed®.
Weeds compete with your vegetables. They steal nutrients, water, and sunlight, so you want to keep them out. A two-inch layer of mulch around your plants will help discourage weeds. Grass clippings work, too. They also provide nitrogen as they break down.
