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Vegetable Planting Guide: Getting Ready To Plant
If you have been following along with the series about starting your own garden, we now come the the step of actually planting your garden crops. Up to this point it has been all about getting your space ready, getting your soil amended and ready to support the growing season, and deciding on what you want to plant. If you have done your homework, know what you want to plant and the space requirements for those plants. As you have read when planting a garden different vegetables require different amount of room to grow. To avoid any confusion, the best thing you can do is to follow the recommendations found…
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Garden Soil Preparation
Soil preparation is the foundation of your garden and needs to be fertile, well-drained, and have the right combination of soil ingredients. Great soil does not just happen and it does not happen overnight. You need to plan, test, and make changes to existing soil if needed. There are a few types of soil which gardeners have to work with. There is very sandy, sticky clay (what I have), and others are rocky and shallow. Sandy soils do not hold enough water and in the wind, blowing sand can injure delicate vegetables. Clay soils hold too much water and do not allow enough air to enter the soil. Both clay…
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June In The Garden
This month in the garden should be a time of fast growth of garden plants. The cool weather crops should be done and the summer crops should be taking off. May is typically a rainy month and this year rain it was in Texas. The temperatures begin to heat up which allows for fast growth of plants, blooms appearing, and hopefully bees buzzing. . With heat comes the need to water whether it is from rain or your method of watering. Vegetable gardens need one inch of water each week. Soaker hoses do the best job as they water the base of the plants and keeps the foliage dry. This…
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May In The Garden
This month had me thinking of Cinco de Mayo which is a regional celebration in Mexico. The holiday commemorates an initial victory of Mexican forces over French forces in the Battle of Puebla in May, 1862. The date is observed in United States and other areas around the world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. There are foods associated the these celebrations and many are found in the garden. Jalapeno peppers, green chiles, salsas made with fresh tomatoes and even calabacitas made with fresh squash and zucchini. We also think about the weather in May. This is the season for heavy rain, hail, and winds which we’ve had…
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Growing Cucumbers
I love growing cucumbers. The best memory I have is taking a big bite out of an extremely bitter cucumber. That was early in my gardening journey and I had planted a cucumber meant for pickling, not eating raw. Who would have thought there was a difference? I sure didn’t. So, when picking seeds to plant make sure you read the seed package carefully. Decide What To Grow Cucumbers have a refreshing taste mostly because they are high in water. They are divided into 2 categories: those used for pickling and those used for slicing. Pickling cucumbers tend to be bitter and are not good when eaten raw. They are…
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How To Maintain Your Vegetable Garden
Keeping a healthy garden requires regular attention and monitoring throughout the growing season. The basics of sun, water, and nutrients are the easy part. When planting seeds or transplants matching the growing requirements to the garden’s microclimates is one key consideration. I take this one last opportunity to assess soil temperatures. If I find they are a little below recommended temperature it helps me anticipate growth patterns. Get your soil thermometer here! I LOVE this one. Guide On What To Plant General Garden Maintenance Regular maintenance is ongoing. Soon after planting, mulching is beneficial. Mulch will help prevent weeds and helps keep moisture in the soil. When the seeds are…
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What Vegetables To Plant In Your Garden
Now that your space should be all ready to go , what to plant is the next step. The choice of what to plant can be overwhelming. My first few years I was so overwhelmed with planting that nothing did well. The choice of plants depends largely on the tastes of the family and the amount of growing space. If space is limited, you should consider planting crops that will be most productive. Which vegetables you decide on; however, is entirely up to you. It really depends on your personal taste. If you missed other installments of this series, check them out here: Selecting A Location Garden Soil Preparation Plotting…
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Easy Container Gardening
Almost any vegetable that will grow in a backyard garden will also do well as a container grown plant. There are several general advantages to have a container garden. They are less costly to install. They are less difficult and time consuming to maintain. They can be grown in a window sill, a patio, a balcony, or a doorstep. Pest management is easier. Poor soil conditions can be easily overcome. Soil for a containers typically is available in garden centers. Using soil from your backyard garden is not recommended as you can transfer any diseases, pests, and weed seeds. The soil needs to hold moisture and nutrients but drain well.…
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Plotting Your Garden
This article is part 3 of a series for beginner gardeners planning their first garden. Here are links to the 2 other parts to the series in case you missed them: Part 1: Selecting A Location Part 2: Garden Soil Preparation There are many folks who have never picked up a garden hoe that are planting a vegetable garden for the first time. I have found planting and growing your own vegetables is a relaxing hobby, saves money, and provides nutritious foods which can even be pureed for toddlers. Growing your own veggies and fruits will give you comfort in knowing exactly what is on your fresh foods. You will…
Home Grown is Best
