Vegetable Gardens
Grow your own fresh veggies
In this world of rapidly rising prices on everything from the fuel we put in our cars to the fuel we put in our stomachs, people are looking for ways to economize and save money wherever they can. One way that has stood the test of time is to plant a vegetable garden. Vegetable gardens are a great source of economically grown, nutrient-rich food that can be beneficial whether you are feeding only yourself or a family of six.
Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t take a green thumb to be successful at planting a vegetable garden. Vegetable gardening is more a function of properly planning the vegetable garden layout, choosing the right vegetables for your climate and taking time to attend to the needs of your vegetable garden by watering, weeding and harvesting in a timely manner.
If you’re new to the concept of growing your own vegetable garden, a few vegetable gardening tips might prove helpful. First of all, take time to consider your vegetable garden layout. If you only have a small area in your backyard to work with, forget about growing corn or anything like pumpkins, which take over a lot of ground with their aggressive, meandering vines while producing only a modest amount of produce.
It’s a good idea to start your vegetable garden layout on a piece of paper to see how much space you have to work with and to determine just how many vegetables will comfortably fit in the space allotted. Keep in mind that while your vegetables may start out as seeds or tiny plants, they will grow rapidly, so you must allow ample space or the yield will be greatly affected by the cramped conditions.
Common easily grown vegetables include cucumbers, bell peppers, green beans, zucchini and, of course, the ever-popular tomato.
Tomatoes are a versatile vegetable (or is it really a fruit?) that can be found in a vast array of varieties and colors. While tomatoes can be grown from seed and started indoors long before it’s safe to transfer them outdoors, for those who live in the frost belt or further north, a time-saving technique for how to grow tomatoes successfully is to buy them as seedlings from the local nursery. Many varieties are quite hardy and easy enough for the most amateur of gardeners to grow with pride and success.
If your outdoor space is limited, or even if it’s not, a kitchen garden can be a great idea if you like using fresh herbs in your home-cooked soups, stews and chili. Find an available windowsill in your kitchen or a shelf or table near the window to provide plenty of sunlight for your rosemary, basil, thyme and parsley. A kitchen garden can be a year-round project for a limitless supply of herbs at your fingertips.
In addition to saving you money, when you grow your own vegetable garden, you can be assured that the fruits of your labor are free from harmful pesticides and that you are bringing nothing but the freshest produce to your dinner table each night.
by Leann Zotis
