| Vegetable gardening can be very exciting. If you are | | | | as pine needles, grass and straw. Apply them when |
| a beginner, here is a simple and brief vegetable | | | | the soil is moist. Mulching preserves moisture and |
| gardening guide to help you along with your new | | | | improves soil temperature. |
| hobby. Of course you will want to eventually get a | | | | Keep Your Plants Watered |
| more detailed guide at some point. But for now, this | | | | Watering is another critical factor in vegetable |
| should get you started on your way. | | | | gardening. Regular and deep watering encourages |
| Select The Right Size | | | | root formation, stability of the plants and recovery |
| Your vegetable garden can be large or small | | | | of nutrients. It is better to install sprinklers or drip |
| depending on the space you have at your disposal. If | | | | irrigation. Seeds and transplants need watering every |
| you are a beginner it is better to start small. Begin | | | | day. Don’t wait for plants to wilt before |
| with a single raised bed of 9’ x 12’. Then as | | | | watering. |
| you grow in confidence and skill, you can increase the | | | | Keep Out The Pests |
| number of beds. | | | | Last but not least is the problem of pests and |
| A Modest Beginning Is A Great Start You Can Build | | | | diseases. Never use pesticides for this simple |
| On | | | | reason: they kill bugs that are beneficial, along with |
| Once the bed is ready, it is time to sow and you | | | | the harmful ones. One way to surmount this problem |
| should also do it early in the season. At first, grow | | | | is to make use of companion planting. For example: |
| what your family needs. At this juncture don’t | | | | plant onions and garlic around root crops such as |
| worry about supplying vegetables for your family, | | | | carrots. And, by planting flowers around the beds |
| which will last a whole year. Be satisfied with small | | | | you can attract beneficial insects. Dill and fennel |
| successes that you can gradually build on. | | | | flowers attract certain wasps that prey on aphids. |
| Keep The Weeds Out | | | | You can remove aphids and kill them or hose them |
| After planting, the next important part of vegetable | | | | down with a blast of water. Look for butterfly larvae |
| gardening is weeding. Vegetable plants lose nutrients | | | | under cabbage leaves and destroy them. Trap slugs |
| and moisture to weeds, which can also block sunlight. | | | | with beer or keep them away from susceptible |
| Even if you cannot find weeds among the plants, | | | | plants by placing eggshells around them. |
| hoe regularly. This nips the germinating seeds of | | | | This vegetable gardening guide should allow you to |
| weeds in the bud. Refrain from walking on the beds. | | | | have a simple but productive garden. You can also |
| Weeds like dandelions and buttercups are perennial | | | | add to your knowledge by reading books on |
| and should be removed by the roots. Another way | | | | gardening, discussing with neighbors, and |
| to fight weeds is mulching. Use organic mulches such | | | | experimenting. Happy gardening! |