With the prices of vegetables and other food items on an upward trajectory, it is only wise to start growing your own. More people throughout the United States are turning to their gardens to offset the expenses of buying vegetables.
Not only is growing your own vegetables more economical, but it is also very rewarding to work with nature and produce your own food. Here are some reliable vegetable gardening tips to get you started.
Your soil composition plays a vital role in achieving healthy plants and quality yields. Rich soils encourage plants to grow healthy and develop extensive root systems for efficient absorption of water and nutrients. Thus, rich soils will result in lush, extra growth above ground.
Before you start your garden, make sure to check the quality of your soil. Is it sandy? Do you have a lot of clay? Try adding some high-quality garden soil to give your plants a better start. Pro Mix’s Veg and Herb Organic Garden Soil is a great product that we use for all my beds. You can purchase it at your local Garden center, Home store, or directly on Amazon.
The nutrition in your soil is also vital for healthy plants and great fruit production. This is not only important when you first plant but also during the growing season. Adding high-quality fertilizer to your garden every 3-4 weeks is one of the most important vegetable gardening tips and can make a huge difference in growth and yields.
To maximize yields from your garden, consider the arrangement of your plants. Planting in triangles provides higher yields per square feet than planting in rows or squares.
Planting in Triangles can also improve air circulation and sun exposure than traditional rows. Both of which help reduce plant disease due to too much moisture and lack of air.
While off-setting your plants in triangles are ideal for optimizing space, make sure to leave paths in order to move between your plants. Especially if you’re growing vegetables such as vine tomatoes, they will get a lot bigger. Being able to properly reach the plants in the back is important.
If you aim to capitalize on space, consider planting climbing vegetables. Plants such as tomatoes, peas, pole beans, melons, squash, and cucumbers can grow well in trellises, stakes, or fences.
Growing vertically is one of the best vegetable gardening tips as it allows you to grow more vegetables in the same amount of space compared to growing bush plants. Thus, growing vertically saves on time, harvest, and maintenance.
Be sure to pair vegetables that are compatible. A favorite pairing among many gardeners is the three sisters: squash, corn, and beans. Other compatible pairings include onions, tomatoes, and basil; lettuce and peas; radishes, carrots, and onions, as well as beets and celery.
Companion planting is vital for 3 major reasons:
Planting compatible plants with the same soil needs make it easier to fertilizer and provide the best quality soil for all the plants. Some vegetables even produce nitrogen in the soil that other plants may dislike.
Combining certain plants is a great way to create plant-based supports instead of using stakes or cages. It can also provide the ideal sun levels with tall full-sun lovers producing shade below them.
Companion planting is the best natural way to control disease and pests. For example, adding Alyssum between your vegetables helps ward off deer. And Yarrow deters Cabbage Moths.
