Vegetable Planting

Vegetable garden design does not need to be difficult. Follow these tips and your garden can be productive, practical and beautiful.

Size

Consider what space you have available for planting the types of vegetables you wish to grow.

Location

Vegetables require full sun to grow successfully so try to select an area that is not shaded by trees or buildings. Some shelter from cold winds and frost may also be necessary so if possible try to make use of an existing wall or fence  but avoid making the area a frost trap.

Make sure that you will be able to fit a wheelbarrow between the beds and if you plan to use a garden hose to water your crops, ensure that it will reach the vegetable beds.

Soil

Soil texture can vary immensely so have a dig around in your selected spot to see the kind of soil you have.  Remember that you can improve soil with the addition of organic matter such as manure or homemade compost.

If on the other hand your soil is not good and you are not able to spend time on improving the existing soil, then raised beds may be the way to go.  The high sides mean that you can add good quality soil and being higher up they may be easier on your back.

Raised beds need not be expensive – for the truly green approach you could use reclaimed lumber that you may already have in the shed or garage.

When you have prepared the ground, take time to check the pH level of your soil. Testing kits are widely available to tell you whether your soil is acid or alkaline and you may need to rectify any deficiency.  As a general guide, a pH of 6.5 will suit most garden vegetables.

Layout

Dividing your vegetable garden into sections can be a handy way of separating crops that are harvested at different times of the year. So fall crops like pumpkins potatoes and parsnips could be in one section, with summer vegetables like salad peppers and tomatoes in another. Each year, rotate your vegetable garden design a little, as different vegetables take out different nutrients and are susceptible to a variety of diseases. Crop rotation helps protect against this.