Plan Before Planting a Vegetable Garden

In times when most families are looking hard at the amount of spending on grocery bills, planting a vegetable garden becomes a viable option that achieves two things; it helps reducing the cost of the family vegetable bills from the local supermarket, and it offers the opportunity to sell or "give away" excess produce to other family members or friends or neighbours. This will also reduce their grocery bills and will be much appreciated. Starting a vegetable garden is not particularly difficult as long as you put enough thought, time and effort into what you would you want to achieve from your garden. It's essential that you plan your vegetable garden first before planting.

LOCATION OF YOUR VEGETABLE GARDEN: This is the first decision that you must make. The location of your vegetable garden must be in an area where it is exposed to at least 6 hours of sunlight. It must not be in total shade and it must also be near to where you will source the water you will use to water the plants. You really don't want to be walking 100 metres carrying your watering can every time you want to water the plants. Ideally it should be near enough to be easily accessible to the hose that can then be connected to the water supply either inside your home or if you are lucky enough to have a water outlet close at hand. The location of your vegetable garden must be somewhere accessible so that you are able to frequently check for pests that will damage the plants and be able to pull out weeds when it is necessary.

SOIL PREPARATION: The next important factor to check is the condition of the soil. Check to see if it is suitable for growing the type of vegetables you have in mind. It must have good drainage; you don't want the ground waterlogged because this will rot the plants roots. It must be free of stones and other hard objects that will inhibit the growth of the plants. To most people soil is just "dirt", but if you think about it, to a plant its life or death. Basically this is what the plants feed off plus fertilizers that you add yourself. It's not difficult to identify your soil type. One thing to remember is whether you garden on CLAY, SANDY, CHALK or LOAM soil it will affect what vegetables will grow well. Usually whatever type of soil you have to work with, it can always be improved by adding plenty of organic matter such as well-rotted stable manure.

TYPE OF VEGETABLES: Included in your plans should be the type of vegetables you want to grow and the quantity of each. This consideration will help in determining the size of the plot you will require. Make a list of all the different types you want to grow, but a word of warning, this cannot be completely random. You must give thought as to what your garden will yield. What are your family's favourite vegetables, what do they like to eat in the winter and in the summer seasons. Consider what vegetables are often used for cooking the family meal. Will you be planting just for family consumption or do you have plans for the excess either selling them or giving them away to neighbours. Taking all these points into consideration will determine the size of the vegetable garden and reduce the risk of produce being thrown away.

PLANTING PLAN: It is worthwhile making a plan of where the vegetable plants you choose are to be planted. Consider the frequency of the yield of each type. Plants that can be harvested consistently throughout the year should be placed at the back of the plot where they will be undisturbed by whatever gardening activities you may have to do in the rest of the garden. Crops that produce early yield should be put together. These include such crops as RADISHES, SPINACH and CARROTS. Allow space for planting crops successively, so as you harvest one row you are able to plant another that produce yield later thus achieving produce all-year round.

PLANTS THAT CAN GROW TOGETHER: It must be noted that there are plants that you cannot grow along side other plants. There are vegetable plants that enhance the growth of another vegetable when planted together and there are those that restrict the growth of another plant. It is important that you take into consideration which of the plants inhibits the growth of another. If you overlook this, it could result in a much lower yield than expected. For instance, POTATOES are capable of inhibiting the growth of both SQUASH and TOMATO plants.BROCCOLI will also inhibit the growth of TOMATO plants. BEANS, on the other hand, inhibit the growth of ONIONS. This by no means stops you from planting all these plants in the garden it just serves as a reminder that when deciding what vegetables to grow, consideration must be given to which crops can be grown together without reducing the yield.

Planning is an essential part of having a successful vegetable garden that produces high yields of nourishing crops all-year round and ultimately rewards you financially by having smaller grocery bills.

The Facts Beginners Should Consider When Planting a Vegetable Garden

Planting vegetable gardens is a very rewarding pastime. Not only does it keep you fit because of all the exercise you will get, but for me it's the pleasure that you get from seeing all your hard work come to fruition. You produce healthy crops, crops that are free from pesticides because you know exactly how you have grown your produce. You have provided healthy nutritious food for your family table and have saved on the weekly grocery bill, now that can't be bad - can it!

Vegetable gardens are much easier to maintain than the flower garden because they are more resilient to the different types of weather we get. Flowers are typically more susceptible and don't adapt to the changes in the weather conditions so easily. Although a garden full of flowers look beautiful and you can decorate your living room table with them to brighten up the lounge, you can't eat them. You can't sit round the table on an evening and eat them, they don't provide a meal for you and your family like potatoes, peas, beans, cabbage, lettuce, carrots and many more types of produce can.

People think that planting your own vegetable garden requires a lot of space, especially people who live in the city, but this is not the case. An area as small as 2 metres wide by 4 metres long can reward you with produce for many months. Vegetables can be grown in tubes, boxes, containers or raised beds depending upon the type you choose to grow. Vegetables require a lot of sunlight and not too much shade.

PLANTING STYLES: The more traditional way of growing vegetables is laying them out in straight, organised lines. Some vegetables growers prefer to plant alternate rows of different types of vegetables. This enables you to harvest one type of vegetable whilst the rows in between them have another type of vegetable that are not in season. With this style of planting, you have to leave soil paths between each couple of rows so that you can tend to your crop. The one disadvantage of this planting style is that the soil path becomes compressed through walking on it, thus making it more difficult to hoe or dig at the end of the season.

A more popular way of planting vegetables these days is planting them in beds rather than the more traditional rows as explained above. The beds have to be small enough in size so that you can reach into them from the path around the beds. The advantage of this is that you can tend to the plants, pull out the weeds that will grow between the plants without having to tread on the bed, therefore not compressing the soil. This then becomes much easier to dig at the end of the growing season. Raised beds can also be used to grow vegetables, where the raised soil area is supported by wooden or brick structures about 40cm or so high. Wooden planks are ideal for a bed of 2 metres wide by 4 metres long. There is one advantage to having raised beds and this is that the soil retains the heat longer in the cold weather. A raised bed also lends itself to good drainage.

Another planting style is the "Kitchen garden" style referred to as "potager". This is a combination of planting vegetables, flowers and herbs together in a way that is aesthetically pleasing. Planting in this style brings colour and fragrance into the vegetable garden.

PREPARING THE SOIL: This is a very important fact and should not be ignored. It doesn't matter whether you plan to grow your vegetables in a small area, large area, raised beds, tubes or containers; soil preparation is an essential step that must be addressed.

Soil can be categorized in a number of ways, the most common ones are SANDY or GRAVELLY, CLAY, CHALKY,LOAMY and PEATY.

SANDY or GRAVELLY: This type of soil feels gritty when rubbed between the fingers and if you try to form it into a ball it will not hold together. After it rains, surface puddles will drain away in a short period of time.

CLAY: This type feels smooth to the touch and if rubbed between the fingers the surface becomes shiny. If you take a ball of clay, roll it and shape it into a ring it will not crumble or break. When it rains, a clay soil quickly becomes "sticky mud" and puddles take time to drain away. One point to note with clay soil, it will set like concrete and will crack when it is dry.

CHALKY: This type of soil is usually pale in colour with white pieces of chalk often visible in it. It drains freely after rain so that puddles don't last that long.

LOAMY: Dark in colour and will hold moisture well but after heavy rainfall the excess water will drain away so that puddles don't last long. If you take a handful of this type of soil and roll it, it will hold its shape, but if you try to form it into a ring it will crumble and break.

PEATY: This soil is almost black in colour when moist. Its composition is partially of decomposed organic matter from bogs or fens. If you rub it between the fingers it will crumble and after it rains it seems to glisten with the intake of moisture. It absorbs water like a sponge thus surface water only forms if the soil is totally saturated. If you pick up a handful, squeeze, the water will run through your fingers and it will hold its form.

To establish what type of soil you have in your garden, you don't have to wait for it to rain, take your garden hose and spray. Do the simple tests as described above to establish what type of soil you have to work with.

IMPROVING THE SOIL: Whatever the type of soil you have to work with you can always improve it. If the soil is SANDY, CHALKY or GRAVELLY it can be improved by digging in well-rotted organic matter (stable manure) in spring and autumn. In areas where you can't dig, leave a good layer on the surface until such time that you can dig it in. Because this type of soil is fast draining, you may have to add the organic matter on a regular basis. With CLAY soil, again dig in plenty of your well-rotted organic matter but also dig in horticultural grit to open up the soil. You can also use coarse, sharp sand or fine washed gravel, NOT BUILDERS SAND as this contains lime or GRAVEL dredged up from under the sea as this is too salty for the plants. LOAMY soil requires occasional dressings of organic matter just to keep it in good condition. For PEATY soils, again add well-rotted organic matter as this adds lots of nutrients to the soil. Because this type of soil is also acidic, applying lime will counter act this. The use of a good general purpose fertilizer will need to be applied on a regular basis as this will benefit your vegetable crops.

Perhaps you may think as a beginner to vegetable gardening, there are a lot of things to consider and no doubt question is it all worth it. Well believe me, YES IT IS! DON'T BE PUT OFF. Even whilst preparing your vegetable garden you may still have doubts, in the end when you harvest your crops you will feel a great sense of achievement. You will have tended and nurtured your plants all through their growing cycle, you will have spent many hours feeding them and then you will have the satisfaction that when you harvest your crop they are free from commercial pesticides. You have provided a fresh nutritious healthy meal for you and your family whether it is a summer salad or vegetables for the Sunday roast. THERE IS NO BETTER FEELING and all at a cost much cheaper than the vegetables you get from the local supermarket.

Laying Out and Planting Vegetable Gardens

You have made one important decision, to plant a vegetable garden. Now the next decision you will have to make will be to decide how the garden is to be laid out. This important decision rests on a number of factors, the planting space that you have available, what type of vegetables you want to grow and do you want to grow different vegetables together so that they can help each other in the growing process. This is sometimes referred to as "companion planting". Below are a few helpful tips that I believe will be useful in deciding how to layout your own vegetable garden.

PLANNING YOUR GARDEN: Firstly consider how much space you have available for your vegetable garden. You may have a large garden but still want to have a lawn and flower beds as well as provision for a vegetable garden. You may have a smaller area that you want to convert to a vegetable garden. Consider the position of where you want the vegetable garden, is the area surrounded by high walls or will it be by the side of a garden shed or garage area. If so, they could restrict the amount of light or sunshine that the vegetable garden requires.

Consider the type of soil where you will be planting your vegetables. You can discover a lot about your soil just by looking at the garden just after it has rained. If there are areas where the rain has not drained away you may have to consider putting a drainage system in, which could be costly. A simple remedy for this is to add a good layer of topsoil mixed with horticultural grit, add loam to the soil and lots of organic matter. Well-rotted manure is ideal. You could also consider planting your vegetables in "Raised Beds".

The decision as to what type of vegetables you wish to grow really goes hand in hand with the space you have available for the vegetable area. Consideration should be given as to whether you want to grow one type of vegetable like tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes etc., or if you want to grow different types. Do your research and find out the facts about the amount of light or space that certain vegetables require to produce a good crop. By making a list of vegetables you want to plant and by doing your research on the requirements of each plant, comparing this with the space that you have allocated for your vegetables, will give you an idea of where you want to plant certain vegetables.

VEGETABLE GARDEN LAYOUT: There are basically three types of layouts for the vegetable garden.

Row Style layout - This is the most popular style of layout where you plant the seeds or plants in rows. One row can contain the same type of seed or different seeds. Your research should tell you what types can go together. By choosing this method of layout you must leave wide soil paths between each row so that you can walk through the crops to work. This method requires more hoeing because weeds will grow through the paths and the soil will become compressed through having to walk on it, thus making it more difficult to dig and aerate the soil at the end of the growing season.

Bed Style layout - The bed style layout is similar to the rows style but on a smaller scale. It allows access to the plant beds from the perimeter of the vegetable area; this is particularly convenient because it avoids stepping onto the beds therefore the soil is not compressed. Using the bed layout maximizes the garden space available and as suggested earlier "Raised Beds" can also be used for easier gardening.

Kitchen Style layout - This layout is basically a decorative geometric shape which allows you to lay out your garden in circles or arrange your plants by colour or food type. You have to decide if this type of garden layout is practical for your requirements.

Consideration should also be given to "Companion Planting". This is an old gardening tradition that involves planting different kinds of plants together so that they help each other in terms of providing nutrients in the soil with the added benefit of offering protection from the wind and sun. Companion planting also attracts beneficial pests whilst acting as a decoy for harmful ones. A perfect example of this is planting small flowered Marigolds between your tomatoes. Marigolds emit a strong odour that will repel greenfly and blackfly. Likewise planting garlic underneath your roses will also ward off pests. Plant Nasturtium along with cabbages as these are a magnet for caterpillars that will then leave the cabbages alone. Other plants for companion planting are onions, which scares slugs and aphids away. Planting Carrots or Basil between the tomato crops will add flavour to the tomatoes. Growing horseradish and potatoes together will protect your potatoes from disease. It may be that companion plants emit deterrent chemicals or that they attract lots of predatory insects but it seems to work so it's worth consideration. Charts and literature on the different companion plants are available from your local seed merchant or garden centre.

In conclusion, if you give careful consideration to the points outlined above and research the different aspects of a vegetable garden, you will have a fruitful and productive vegetable garden that will give you fresh, nutritious crops all year-round. Enjoy the fruits of your hard labour, you will not regret it.

Vertical Structures in the Vegetable Garden

The structure of a vegetable garden doesn't have to be a flat surface of soil where you grow your vegetables. Building vertical structures within the area such as arches, trellises, raised areas and frames will give your garden "height". This not only makes your garden look good, it is also very practical because it helps to produce more crops. By building structures you are able to have a vertical garden which increases your produce per square metre since it allows you to have more space to plant in the ground.

The most popular vertical garden structures are the ones that are built to support plants and give them the room to climb whilst supporting the weight of its fruit.

The types of vegetables that need support are CUCUMBERS, PEAS, BEANS, TOMATOES, PEPPERS and AUBERGINES. Growing these vegetables above ground not only will produce a better crop, it also protects them from insects that are in the soil. Having the fruits above ground also prevents them from rotting by not resting on the soil or in water should the soil have poor drainage. Growing plants against a structure will also help your plants to grow stronger and taller.

There are many types and choices of vertical structures that can be purchased for your garden. Call in at a local garden store or shop online and you will see just how many styles there are and the materials they are constructed from. Plastic, wood and bamboo are probably the most common. Many will have mail-order catalogues from which you can purchase and have your goods delivered to your home. The types of structures that you should consider are, trellis, spiral supports, tomato cages, bean towers, arches, stakes etc. Garden structures may vary especially in terms of form and functionality. You want to choose those that are strong enough to support your plants and their fruit but also the ones that will enhance the look of your garden.

Many options are available to you when it comes to planning and building your vegetable garden. You can build arches, walls, raised beds and trellises to give a more visual appeal and height than just having a flat vegetable bed. Planting flowers against these structures can be very beneficial to the vegetable garden. Flowers attract insects that are good for the garden and the vegetable plants, for example trumpet flowers attract bees into the garden. You can also attract other helpful creatures into your garden by building such things as a bird house or a bird bath. These features will attract the birds into the garden who will help by feeding on the insects thus eliminating harmful pests.

Growing plants against vertical structures must be secured to stop the plants from being damaged and this will also help the plants to grow in their correct form. There are several ways to secure the plants, plant ties, twines, plastic securing clips and jute chord. Make sure that you don't tie these too tight around the plant because this can restrict the growth; it can also cut into the plant and will possibly cause disease. If stakes are used to support the plants make sure that they are driven into the ground deep enough so that they will not fall over and also that they are placed a little away from the plant as to avoid damaging the roots.

If you are a do-it-yourself person you may feel confident enough to construct some of the structures yourself. Purchasing the wood from the local wood merchant to construct a trellis or arches can save you money and will give you satisfaction and pride when you erect it in the garden. Bird boxes can be constructed out of a few odd bits of timber that you may have lying about and even if you have to purchase the wood to build one, it will be less expensive as those that are available at the garden centre.

Your vegetable garden will look far more attractive if you erect arches and trellises for your climbing fruits to grow up as opposed to the flat garden that you usually associate with vegetable plots. It adds height to the garden; it allows you to plant flowers around the area which in turn will attract bees, birds, insects and other creatures all of which are essential for a healthy vegetable garden.

Reduce the Exposure to Pesticides - Grow Your Own Vegetables

One great way of reducing the exposure to PESTICIDES is to plant your own vegetable garden. The more people who do this, the demand for commercially grown vegetables would eventually decline. This would then mean that the commercial vegetable growers would have no reason to expand their plantations therefore reducing the need to use more pesticides and CHEMICAL FEEDS and no reason to destroy vast areas of land which in turn destroys the habitats of wild animals and harms our environment.

We have seen many cases over the years where countries have devastated rain forests destroying the different species of trees never to be grown again not to mention the devastation of the wild life that inhabit these forests, destroyed to near extinction.

If there is less demand for commercially grown vegetables, the growers would use less pesticides on the land that affect the environment and other harmful chemicals that find their way into our rivers destroying the fish communities and other water creatures.

With purchasing the commercially grown vegetables from the supermarkets, you are not certain whether they are free of pesticides or chemicals. You are not 100% certain on how they have been produced, even though some of the growers claim that they are free of chemicals, that the soil has previously been sprayed with pesticides or they have been grown next to crops that were sprayed with pesticides. These are questions that we are not sure of the answers to. The information that is available on the prolonged dietary exposure to pesticides, suggests that it can be linked to various adverse reproductive and development effects on human beings and that young children because their bodies are not fully developed are at risk to the dangers of such chemicals. You can guarantee that by growing you own vegetables there are no pesticides or chemicals used to produce the produce.

Home grown vegetables taste so much better than the ones purchased from the supermarket. They are fresh because you can pick them and use them straight away, more nutritious because they are not stored for days on end and you know that they are free from pesticides or chemicals. You can't say that for commercial growers produce.

Now you may feel that you alone could not make a positive contribution towards the environment by planting a vegetable garden in your backyard, but just imagine the difference that could be made if a friend encouraged a friend who encouraged another friend....and so on...to grow their own vegetables. Commercial growers will always exist because demand will always be there, but by growing your own, you will be contributing towards helping to save the environment because the commercial growers will have no reason the expand and importantly, you will be providing healthy fresh food to the table for you and your family and at the same time you will save on your grocery bill.

Why waste your money on paying to go to a gym? You have one already outside you back door. Let gardening provide you with your exercise whether it is on a daily or weekly basis depending on your work schedule. Many of us have hectic lifestyles working long hours, travelling to and from the workplace on congested roads. Release the stress that comes with this and work out in the garden. Burn those excess calories and lose that extra weight that has suddenly appeared probably through having to sit down much of the day. Gardening exercises muscles in the back, arms, legs and many others. You stretch, you bend, all these things that you would do at the gym, the BIG DIFFERENCE, you don't pay extortionate joining fees or yearly subscriptions. Gardening has less impact on the joints in your arms or knees, unlike jogging, tennis, football or other sports. Gardening is less vigorous than these types of sports and therefore is suitable for people who suffer from high blood pressure, heart problems, joint disorders and many more. It is suitable for all ages and all genders. Let gardening provide you with the exercise your personal trainer and doctors tell you to take. This is MUCH CHEAPER than a gym, you will be less prone to injury and you will still notice a difference in your well-being.

Experience the satisfaction of going down the garden, picking fresh vegetables whether it is for Sunday lunch, an evening meal or a summer salad knowing that you have taken great pride and love in presenting this healthy and nutritious meal to your family WITHOUT the need for PESTICIDES or CHEMICAL FEEDS.

SURELY THIS MATTERS TO YOU - GROW YOUR OWN VEGETABLES - HELP SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT

Vegetable Gardens Can Relieve Stress

Growing your own vegetables not only saves you money on your weekly grocery bills or enables you to eat healthier; it is also very beneficial in relieving stress.

Stress is a big problem in society today and it affects many people in all walks of life. It is the reason for many illnesses and the negative effects of this in our lives can bring on several problems such as HEART DISEASES, DEPRESSION, MIGRAINE, EATING DISORDERS and many others. We live in a world that brings all kinds of pressure upon us, travelling to and from out workplace on heavily congested motorways, cost of living increases, household bills increases, the economic situation and much more. Being affected by stress removes the joy and serenity in our lives and very often disturbs the relationships we have with our family.

Being able to tend to your own garden and witness all your work come to fruition is an easy accessible method of stress relief. A vegetable garden is fairly easy to maintain in comparison to one with ornamental plants, working in a garden does not create additional stress.

Having a vegetable garden allows you to unwind after the stressful hours spent in the workplace. Different people have different ways of dealing with stress, but the most popular way is to get into your gardening attire and spend a few hours attending to the plants that eventually will give you a healthy meal and also save you money. It also allows you to have a quiet time to yourself, where you can also reflect on the good things of life.

Getting out into the garden and out into the sunshine will significantly improve your mood as well as providing Vitamin D which is necessary for absorption of CALCIUM into your body. It is a known fact that we feel better when we feel the sun's rays on our back. This alone will make you feel much better and reduce the stress enormously.

Many of us have to work in conditions that are unnatural. Many are exposed to unnatural light, noise from machines and maybe smoke from furnaces, maybe even no windows in the room. We are usually not exposed to natural light and the sun unless of course your employment is outside. Attending to the needs of your vegetable garden is an opportunity to get out into the sunlight and fresh air and away from the confinement of an office.

Being surrounded with plants and nature is both encouraging and invigorating. Days and weeks spent indoors and at our place of work prevent us from getting in touch with nature, but it can be invigorating to be surrounded by plants that flourish because you have lovingly tended from the seed. Their edible parts will improve your appetite and nourish the body with essential vitamins and minerals.

Having your own little piece of nature on your doorstep can help you get rid of stress. The sight of your vegetable garden will relieve stress knowing you have tended to, cared for and raised these healthy plants with the end results providing a healthy meal for you and your family. The hard work that you have put into your vegetable garden throughout the weeks and months, the digging, weeding, pruning and harvesting provide a constructive outlet for all the tensions that the body has amassed during a week of stressful work at the workplace.

BUT THE END RESULT IS REWARDING - TAKE A FEW MINUTES, SIT DOWN IN YOUR VEGETABLE GARDEN AND ADMIRE ALL YOUR HARD WORK, RELAX AND BE AT PEACE WITH NATURE AND THE STRESSES OF LIFE WILL DRIFT AWAY.

For a Healthier Lifestyle - Grow Your Own Vegetables

There is nothing better on a Sunday morning than to pick up basket or box, make your way down the garden to pick a few fresh vegetable for lunch, vegetables that you have lovingly grown. Growing your own vegetables will save you money on your food bills and more important you will be healthier for it.

You may live in the city or town where your garden is small, but it is still worthwhile cultivating your favourite vegetables. Growing your own gives you a tremendous sense of achievement plus they taste much better when you eat them within a few minutes of being freshly picked.

Just think, eating Sunday Lunch that includes freshly picked vegetables from your garden, surely that's better than one that has vegetables from the supermarket that you don't know how long they have been stored, how long they have travelled and what the grower has used on his land to cultivate the crop. It is a known fact that vegetables when eaten within a short time of picking are healthier for you because they retain their nutrition and flavour than those that have been picked and stored or transported over a number of days
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Having grown your own vegetables means that you know what "feeds" or methods have been used to cultivate them from seeds or plants to the table.

Don't try to grow everything, because you could find that you may not be able to harvest the entire crop which then would be a total waste. This would ruin your confidence, choose your crops carefully, choose the ones that taste best when picked and eaten straight from the garden
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If space is limited, it is still possible to have a vegetable garden by creating RAISED BEDS. These are usually constructed out of bricks, dry-stone walls or timber and filled with soil. Constructing a raised bed brings the garden up to an easy working level and also means that you don't have to walk on the garden to attend to the plants therefore the soil never gets compressed because you work from the paths either side. The ideal raised bed is usually 1.2 meters wide so that you can work without stepping on the soil, and 3 meters long and no less than 40cm deep. The easiest construction would be made out of timber, secured at each corner with screws and pegged at intervals around the side. This would secure the structure and stop any movement.

Before filling the raised bed with topsoil, it is a good idea to loosen the ground within the area so that the water can drain away. Failure to do this could result in the water soaking through the top soil and collecting on the lower surface. The roots of the plants could rot if the water is retained for any length of time.

Once the raised bed is filled with topsoil, add a generous helping of organic matter. Well-rotted manure or peat is a good dressing. If the soil is of a clay texture, it will benefit from adding organic matter and a measure of horticultural sand, about a bucket full per square meter. To check if the soil is good, take a handful, form it into a ball if it crumbles when pressed with the fingers, then you know that it is near perfect. Whatever the soil type you have to work with, it will always benefit from a good generous dressing of organic matter, whether it is rotted manure, garden compost or peat, they all add nutrients to the soil which your vegetables will thrive on.

When growing vegetables it is best to rotate your crop each year, divide your garden into different areas to achieve this. This means that the crops are not grown in the same area two years running. There are benefits to this, each crop will benefit from the nutrients left in the ground from the previous crop and also there will be less risk of plants picking up root diseases from a previous crop. Dividing your vegetable garden into different sections, these could be Root Vegetables in one area, Brassica types in another and your Salad types in another, means that you will have created a vegetable garden that will give you produce all the year from winter vegetables to summer salads.

Plant the traditional vegetables e.g Onions, Leeks, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Beetroot, Potatoes etc. In the Salad section plant Spring Onions, Carrots, Peas, Radish and Lettuce, this way you can provide vegetables for the table at little to no cost.

Growing your own vegetables gives you a tremendous feeling of achievement and satisfaction, it provides you and your family with a healthy diet, it saves you money on supermarket bills and it provides you with a relaxing hobby that can ease the stress of our everyday living.

Get Healthy by Planting a Vegetable Garden and Save Money on Your Grocery Bill

Instead of laying down a lawn and multiple flower beds in your back garden, why not think about using part of this for planting a vegetable garden instead.

Planting a vegetable garden is a great way to spend time after a hard stressful day at work and at the same time getting in touch with nature. You will also take great pride in watching your hard labour develop day by day with an end result to be proud of. By implementing a planting programme throughout the year, you will be able to have a supply of vegetables all year round; you will also improve your health by eating more healthily and at the same time lessen you food expenses.

MONEY SAVING STRATERGY: It's very difficult these days to ignore the soaring prices of food items especially fresh vegetables. It may be that your back garden is small and your vegetable garden may not provide all that you need or require, but it will I'm sure have a dramatic effect in reducing your weekly/monthly food bill and that must appeal to you.

Can you image not having to run to the grocery store to buy vegetables to prepare dinner or lunch? The most common of vegetables that you need to prepare your meals are already there in your own vegetable garden. Depending upon the type of vegetables you decide to plant and your methods of preserving them, the economic benefits you get from your vegetable garden will be felt all year round. There is nothing better than creating a summer salad from the produce taken from your own garden, the produce that you have lovingly tended to throughout its growing life or pulling new potatoes to go with your Sunday Roast.

It is a known fact these days that children prefer to eat "Fast Foods" e.g. hotdogs, burgers and others and are likely to eat less vegetables at meal times. However with the increase of "Celebrity Chefs" flooding the bookstores with their recipes, there are many that show you a variety of meals to prepare that are both nutritious and appetizing even for the children. If the food you serve does not look and taste boring, your children will prefer this to the "fast food" servings.

MORE NUTRITIOUS MEALS: With a variety of vegetables to cook from your garden, you will find it more pleasurable to cook and serve vegetable dishes to your family. This also means that all the family will enjoy all the numerous health benefits of eating fresh produce since vegetables contain many nutrients. The fact is that vegetables are LOW in FATS, CALORIES and contain NO CHOLESTEROL. Cholesterol is one of the highest health problems that affect many people in the world today.

By eating more vegetables you will also get a steady source of the following:

DIETARY FIBRE - This is very important for the normal bowel movement and is exceptionally good for the entire digestive system. Dietary fibre is also known to reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in the body thus reducing the risk of heart diseases and reportedly can fight off certain forms of cancers. If you are also on a diet, eating vegetables will make you feel fuller faster. Vegetables that are rich in dietary fibre are PEAS, CARROTS, CABBAGE and SPINACH.

POTASSIUM - This is a necessary element for keeping BLOOD PRESSURE at a normal level. It is also very important in keeping the BRAIN, MUSCLES and other TISSUES in the body functioning and working normally. Vegetables that are high with potassium include POTATOES, SQUASH, TOMATO, AUBERGINE and CELERY.

VITAMINS A, B and C - Vitamin A is very good for the eyes, it promotes bone growth, tooth development and helps maintain healthy skin and hair. Vitamin B is important because it helps the body cells convert carbohydrates into energy. It is essential for the functioning of the heart, muscles and nervous system. Vitamin C is necessary to maintain healthy connective tissues and is known to boost the immune system.

The following vegetables PEAS, LEEKS, CARROTS, ASPARAGUS, BROCCOLI and GREEN PEPPER are rich in Vitamin A. PARSNIPS, POTATOES, BROCCOLI, PEAS and BEANS are a great source of Vitamin B and RED CABBAGE, KALE, PARSLEY and TURNIP are rich in Vitamin C.

There are other Vitamins and Minerals that you can get from vegetables. These are CALCIUM, PHOSPHOROUS, SODIUM, MAGNESIUM, IRON, NIACIN, ZINC and MANGANESE.

By replacing the Lawn and Flower Beds with a Vegetable Garden, you will not have to expend your energy on cutting the grass every week in the summer or watering the lawn to stop it from going "brown" and many other things. Instead by creating a vegetable garden, you are also contributing towards a healthier lifestyle for both yourself and your family, plus the satisfaction and pride each time you serve your family a meal whose vegetable ingredients you cultivated yourself in your vegetable garden. NOW YOU CAN'T GET THESE THINGS FROM A LAWN!

Planning a Vegetable Garden for the City, Town or Countryside

It's true to say that people who live in the city where pollution is great because of traffic, have a busy lifestyle and more than likely live in a property that has confined space for a garden, so it seems inconceivable that a vegetable garden would survive. Whether you live in a house or an apartment the fact is, you don't need a large area, you can grow vegetables in tubs, growing bags or small raised beds. Therefore you can actually grow vegetables if you live right in the centre of a busy city, town or country if you get the basics of planting vegetables right.

One of the first things you need to get right is soil preparation. This is vitally important if you are a new comer to gardening whether you plan to use the back garden to grow vegetables or plant in boxes or tubes. Soil preparation plays an important role as to whether the vegetables will survive or not.

There are different types of soil, sandy, clay, chalky, loamy. Sandy soil is loose in texture and helps the roots of the plants to breathe because it lets the air pass through easily and won't hold together if you form it into a ball. Clay soil if formed into a ball will hold its form without crumbling or falling into pieces and once wet it becomes a sticky mess. Chalky soil drains very freely and therefore puddles drain away quicker. Loamy soil is dark in colour and when formed into a ball will hold its shape.

All types of soil can be improved and can benefit from digging in lots of well-rotted organic matter. Clay soil can also benefit from digging in horticultural sand.

When preparing the soil for your vegetable garden, dig up the soil and break up the lumps. Remove rocks, stones, weed roots. If you have clay subsoil try not to bring that up to the surface when digging. Remember that you don't want soil that traps the water inside too much that the roots of your vegetable will choke and rot. One good way to test whether the composition of the soil is good is by taking a handful and forming a ball with it. The soil should hold its shape; if it doesn't there may be too much sand in the mixture. If the soil holds its shape but does not crumble easily when you press it between your fingers, then the mixture may have too much clay in it, this then needs to have a dressing of horticultural sand mixed in. Whatever the soil type you have to work with, it will always benefit from a good generous dressing of organic matter, whether it is rotted manure, garden compost or peat, they all add nutrients to the soil which your vegetables will thrive on.

Once you have completed cultivating the area for your vegetable garden, you then have to make a decision as to what kind of vegetable you want to grow. Take into account that some vegetables don't grow well when they are planted too close to certain types of other vegetables. Potatoes for instance shouldn't be planted too close to squash or tomatoes because their growth will be inhibited. They can be planted in the same garden but don't plant them beside each other.

Having decided on the kind of vegetables you want to plant if the area is large, you may want to consider using a water irrigation system. This is where a tube or tubes with many holes along its length is placed between the rows of vegetables and connected to a water supply. When the water supply is turned on, water seeps through the holes and around the plants. This is a good system to install especially for summertime watering.

Deep or raised beds is a very popular way of growing vegetables where you only have a small area. These can be constructed by arranging planks in a square or oblong shape with a minimum size of 1.2 metres wide so that you can work without stepping onto the soil and 3 metres long. Growing your vegetables this way means that the soil never gets compressed because you work from paths either side. The depth of the bed should be a minimum 40cm. This should be filled with a mixture of top soil and compost providing a good composition so that the roots of the vegetables can penetrate a long way down.

Whether you have a large area or raised beds to grow your vegetables, it is a good idea to plan where you plant the different vegetables. A good way to do this is to divide a piece of paper into the number of sections that your vegetable area allows. For instance if you divide the area into three, in one area you can grow root vegetables, e.G. Potatoes, carrots, beetroot, the second area brassicas vegetables, this include cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli, the third area for salad crops e.G. Lettuce, peas, onions and beans. One point to take into account is that some crops take longer to mature than others. Brussels sprouts take a full season to grow, while others like the lettuce mature in 3-4 months.

Crop rotation is another thing that should be taken into account. This means that each year you move everything on to the next space so that you don't grow the same type of vegetable in the same area two years running. Crop rotation means that the each type of crop get the right soil preparation, each benefits from whatever nutrients the previous crop left in the soil and most importantly that there is less risk of plants picking up root diseases from a previous crop.

Autumn, winter or early spring is when you prepare the ground with spring being the main sowing seeds and planting time. In summer as you get to the end of the early crops, clear the ground and plant another crop to fill up the gap. Mid to end of summer you will be preparing the ground for the last sowing of seeds and plants. The seed sowing programme and instructions are always provided on the back of the seed container. One important point is to gather your crops little and often. You don't have to wait for the complete row to mature, if you wait, you will see the fruits of your hard labour go rotten in front of you.

Growing your own vegetables is very rewarding but it can be labour intensive but the rewards are greater than the effort that you put in throughout the growing year. Eating vegetables that you have grown, tended to throughout its growth, is far healthier than the ones purchased from the grocery store. You know what nutrients you have put into the soil to produce the produce, you don't know with the purchased product. You can go to your vegetable garden and pull the produce, prepare a meal with fresh produce, you don't know when it was pulled and how long it's been stored with the purchased product. There is no need to store your produce because you can go and pull it fresh which is far healthier for you and your family.

Remember, you don't need a large area to grow vegetables, you can grow them in tubs, growing bags or small raised beds. Therefore you can actually grow vegetables if you live right in the centre of a busy city, town or countryside.

Grow your own vegetables, eat more healthier!

JC's Profile

I'm new to this Bloggin' lark but thought I'd have a go........

My main hobby for many years has been gardening, vegetable gardening,  that's why you'll find most of the articles on my blog about gardening! but on the other hand you will also see other articles about other subjects that grab my interest.

I'll be reviewing a wide range of topic's that interest me and writing articles on them whilst hoping that they'll interest you.

Let me know.