Beginner’s guide to starting a vegetable garden
Starting your own veggie patch at home is not only an easy way to save money on produce but you’ll soon discover that nothing tastes better than home-grown food (when you’ve got it right!) So if you’re reading to tackle your very own vegetable garden, here’s what you need to do.
Picking the perfect spot
These are the three basic requirements for the success of any vegetable patch.
- Full sun – Veggies love sun and most need at least six to eight hours of direct sun.
- Well watered – The closer your garden is to a source of water the easier it will be for you to regularly water your veggies.
- Good soil – Vegetables need moist, loamy, well-drained soil that’s rich in organic matter. It’s a good idea to test the soil’s drainage and pH levels before you beginning planting.
You also want to avoid planting near trees as they’ll steal nutrients and shade the garden. Many gardeners like to keep their veggie garden close to home, which makes it easier to harvest fresh produce while cooking.
What to grow
One of the most common errors for beginners is planting too much too soon, which often leads to wasting food and feeling overwhelmed by a new garden. Remember, it’s better to be proud of small garden than to be frustrated by a big garden. And as a beginners, it’s best to start small. So firstly, take into consideration what you and your family like, how much you eat and what grows best in your area. Some common, productive and favourite veggies that are great for beginners include tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, onions, garlics and herbs.
How much space do I need?
The limit of the garden should be defined by the amount of time you can devote to your garden and the number of people you want to feed. For a beginner, a good-sized patch is around 5 x 3 metres. Even a well-tended 3 x 3 metre garden with easy to grow veggies will usually produce more than enough produce for a season than a disease-ridden, weed-filled giant veggie patch.