| Are you thinking about planning a new vegetable | | | | plants to choose from if you grow your vegetable |
| garden, but don't even know where to begin? Maybe | | | | plants from seed. Let's face it, many garden centers |
| you've pondered what it would be like to grow your | | | | have yet to jump on the heirloom and open-pollinated |
| own nutritious organic food. If you're like thousands | | | | garden wagon. If you want to save seeds from your |
| of others, you're ready for growing your own food | | | | garden every year, you need to choose an |
| and knowing that you can provide a meal for your | | | | open-pollinated seed to grow. Saving seeds from |
| family no matter what comes your way. Follow this | | | | hybrids, what you will find at most big box garden |
| concise vegetable garden guide and you'll be well on | | | | centers, will give you plants that may not have the |
| your way to reaping bountiful harvests for years to | | | | same characteristics as the plants from the year |
| come. | | | | before. Make your seed selections wisely. Order |
| What Plant Zone Am I In? | | | | some free garden seed catalogs in early winter and |
| This is one of the most important questions you | | | | you'll have plenty of time to choose what vegetable |
| should ask yourself before venturing down the | | | | varieties you wish to grow by the time Spring rolls |
| gardening path. Knowing your USDA plant zone will | | | | around. |
| help you determine what plants you can and cannot | | | | Soil Properties |
| grow successfully. Plant zones are a simple indicator | | | | Your soil will either make or break your new garden. |
| of when your regional average last frost (for Spring) | | | | First thing you want to do with a new garden is have |
| and first frost (for Fall) dates occur. Many, or should I | | | | a soil pH test done. This will tell you whether your soil |
| say most, vegetable garden plants are easily killed off | | | | is either acid or alkaline. The best way for new |
| by frost. If you plant too early in the Spring and your | | | | gardeners to have their soil pH tested is through their |
| seedlings get hit by a late frost, you can say | | | | local Cooperative Extension Office. The test results |
| goodbye to those seedlings and all of your hard work | | | | will show what will be recommended for your |
| that went into raising them. And by knowing your | | | | particular soil. You may also wish to amend your |
| first frost date in the coming Fall will help you know | | | | garden soil with compost to improve the humus |
| when to plant your Fall crops so you'll have enough | | | | content. This just helps make the soil a better place |
| time to harvest plenty of vegetables from the | | | | for your vegetable plants to thrive. |
| garden before those plants are killed off. | | | | Organic Vs. Chemical |
| Location of the Garden | | | | You really need to think hard about whether you will |
| Planning where to locate your garden is very | | | | use chemicals or not in your vegetable garden. Many |
| important. Obviously, you wouldn't want to plant your | | | | gardeners shun the use of chemicals in their |
| garden under the largest shade tree in your yard. | | | | vegetable gardens. For them, organic is the only way |
| Vegetable plants need lots of sun to grow and a | | | | to go. And you can get by without using chemicals...it |
| garden with half a day of shade will give you very | | | | just takes a bit more effort on your part. First you |
| poor results. Try to pick the sunniest location you can | | | | need to learn more about organic principles. We live in |
| find for your vegetable garden. If at all possible, | | | | a spray it and forget it type world, so growing |
| locate your garden close to a water source. You | | | | organically is definitely going against the grain. The |
| never know when the next big drought is going to | | | | desire to feed your family healthier food has to |
| occur and hauling water to your garden is no fun at | | | | come from deep within you for organic gardening to |
| all. Hopefully you'll have a flat piece of land to locate | | | | really work. So when you're out there doing the |
| the garden. If you have no other choice than the | | | | manual labor that a chemical spray would zap away in |
| side of a hill, you can tier the land and successfully | | | | seconds, remember why you are doing it and it will |
| grow vegetable garden plants. | | | | make it all worth it. |
| To Seed or Not To Seed | | | | Hopefully this guide will have you well on your way to |
| That is the question! Many gardeners enjoy | | | | learning how to plan a new vegetable garden. Once |
| purchasing their plants from a local garden center. But | | | | you taste the difference of the vegetables you buy |
| with this method you give up the ability to choose | | | | in the stores versus what you can grow in your |
| exactly what variety of plants you want to grow. | | | | vegetable garden, you'll never look back! |
| You will most certainly have a better selection of | | | | |