There were more than 18 million new gardeners since the beginning of the pandemic. The vast majority of these new gardeners plan to continue their new hobby, even after the pandemic subsides.
Planting vegetables is a fun and rewarding hobby that pays off throughout the year. You get to enjoy the outdoors and eat what you grow.
As fun as gardening is, it’s equally frustrating. Plants don’t always grow, crops get infested with bugs, and things don’t work out as you hoped.
If you want to know how to grow vegetables, keep reading. This guide shows you a few gardening tips for your vegetable garden.
Pick the Right Space
Good gardening starts with a solid foundation. The area of your garden determines the types of vegetables you’ll grow.
There are two things you need to grow vegetables. Plenty of sunlight and good soil.
Pick an area that has both. Think about how the sun moves throughout the day and year. An area that seems perfect at this moment might not work in a few months.
For the soil, you want something that isn’t too dense like clay or too sandy. Test the soil for acidity to make sure plants will grow.
If the pH balance is off, you’ll have to amend the soil with compost to bring it back into balance.
Plan Ahead
Once you have your space mapped out, you’ll want to plan your vegetable garden. There are apps and software that will help you do that.
This is a great chance to learn and utilize local resources.
Visit your local garden store and make friends with the people working there. They’re incredibly knowledgeable about the growing seasons.
Another good resource is the extension program in your area. These programs offer insights and tips to help you become a better gardener.
Control Weeds
You need to have a plan to control weeds and pests. This is a major part of maintaining a good garden and you want to minimize it as much as you can.
Adding mulch to the soil helps control weeds and retains moisture. There are different types of mulches to add to the soil, like shredded hardwood mulch.
Rotate Crops
If this is your second year of gardening, you could easily stick with the same garden plan as last year.
It’s actually not one of the best ways to grow vegetables. Plants and vegetables need specific nutrients to grow. Last year’s crops depleted the soil of these nutrients.
This year’s crops won’t have the same amount of nutrients available, so you should plant crops in different areas of the garden.
Keep a Garden Journal
It’s easy to forget what you did last year. A garden journal gives you a complete record of what you planted, where, and when.
This record shows you what worked and didn’t work in your vegetable garden. You can make corrections and improve your gardening skills.
Have Fun Planting Vegetables
If you want to have ta a great time planting vegetables, follow these gardening tips. You’ll be able to grow vegetables easily and enjoy the rewards.
For more actionable tips, visit the Home and Garden section of the blog.
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