Start with a plan. Locate your garden in a sunny
location with moist, well-drained soil. Save those partially sunny
areas for greens like lettuce, chard and kale as well as root crops
like radishes and beets. These prefer full sun but will tolerate
more shade than tomatoes, peppers, squash, broccoli and other plants
we eat the flowers and fruit.
Review your favorite recipes and make a list of family favorites and
those vegetables most often used. Then check the list to see which
vegetables are suited to your climate and growing conditions and
those that make the most economic sense to include in your garden.
Tomatoes and peppers produce lots of fruit from one plant and are
common ingredients in many recipes. Sweet corn is fun to grow but
needs lots of space for a relatively small harvest. If space is
limited, consider buying your sweet corn at the farmers’ market and
use that space to grow other edibles.
Every gardener struggles with determining how many of each type of
vegetable to grow. This depends upon the productivity of the variety
selected, your family’s eating habits and of course the impact of
weather on the harvest. It is always better to start small, build on
your successes and expand the garden in the future. Track your
planting and harvesting results to help when planning future
gardens.
You will need to plant more if you plan to preserve or donate a
portion of your harvest. Purchasing vegetables from your local
farmers’ market is a way to ensure you have sufficient fresh produce
when you are ready to can, freeze and ferment.
Sound overwhelming? Consider enlisting help from Gardener’s Supply
by using one of their vegetable garden plans (gardeners.com). You’ll
find customized plans for those who like to cook, want to grow
ingredients for a garden-fresh salad, salsa or cocktails, or are
following a Mediterranean diet. Many come with seed packets for all
the featured plants. [to top of second
column] |
Maximize the available space by growing vertically.
Train pole beans, peas, tomatoes, cucumbers and even squash and
melons up trellises. Growing vertically not only saves space, but
also increases disease resistance by increasing light and airflow
through the plants. And picking beans at waist height is much easier
than harvesting from low-growing, bushy plants.
Increase space with containers. Consider growing some of your
frequently used herbs and vegetables in pots on the patio, balcony,
or deck for convenience. You can quickly grab what you need when
creating your favorite meal.
Grow multiple plantings in each row. Start the season with cool
season veggies like lettuce, peas and radishes. Once the
temperatures climb and these plants are harvested and enjoyed,
replace them with warm weather vegetables like tomatoes, peppers,
beans, cucumbers, squash and melons. Finish off the season by
filling any vacant rows with fall crops like greens, beets and
radishes.
Take some time to plan a garden that will provide you and your
family with fresh produce you can enjoy all season long. Involving
everyone in the planning process just might get them to show up and
help weed.
Melinda Myers is the author of more than 20 gardening books,
including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to
Grow Anything” DVD series and the Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio
program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds &
Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Gardeners Supply for her
expertise to write this article. Her web site is
www.MelindaMyers.com. [Photo
courtesy of Gardener’s Supply Company]
|