If you are starting to grow your first vegetable garden, then you should do some good planning to make it perfect in one go. To effectively plan to a beautiful home vegetable garden, it is important for you to know some basics before you put your hands in the soil. Growing vegetables requires fine skills and the knowledge of various tools and techniques. There are several aspects that need to be taken care of while you design and grow a vegetable garden. Check out some planning aspects that can make this task easier for you.
Be clear about the purpose
You should first evaluate the reason behind making a vegetable garden. See why you only want to grow vegetables. It is a great idea if you are interested in saving some money from growing your own vegetables or in enjoying your homegrown fresh vegetables. You will also be motivated to grow a vegetable garden if you love it as a pastime. This will push you to learn the technicalities and plan it all effectively.
Start with space and crop planning
Decide about the size of your garden and the space or location available for it. It is always better to start with a small garden. If it works well for you, then you can always expand it to include more vegetable crops. Additionally, choose the garden size according to your family’s needs. If you want to fulfill your needs for fresh vegetables through this garden, then set the size to fit the required crops. You should also decide on the kinds of vegetables you wish to grow in your garden. It would be wiser to go for easy-to-grow vegetables in the beginning. Estimate the number of crops you might receive in a single season. Accordingly, plan your plot or space.
Choose the right location for your home vegetable garden
Regardless of the size of your garden, pick the right spot that would receive good sunlight for your crops to grow well. Check whether you can get a source of water near your crops. Many of your vegetables may need to be fed well with water. The selected garden space should also have good soil that is rich in organic matter. It is always better if the soil is moist. You can make your garden near your grill if you want it close to your home. In case you want a small garden with crops potted in containers, then you may also do it in your balcony.
Plan the layout
For large gardens, a good layout is of row cropping where vegetables are grown in multiple rows with walking space available between every two rows. However, it is not very feasible or appealing when it comes to your domestic garden. Thus, intensive cropping is another idea where crops are grown in wide bands that can be of desired length. This type of layout saves your floor area, as your work on defined beds that can be subdivided in smaller beds. When you start your garden, it is better to leave some area that remains unplanted. This helps you in further planning in the next season.
Check and fix soil
Check the drainage by testing your soil. If it is not proper, then you may add compost to make the drainage better. If the soil still does not drain well, then you my install raised beds.
Select varieties of vegetables
Always check the variety before you plant a vegetable. You should go for varieties that are disease-resistant, have better weather tolerance and offer better yields. Check the details on the seed catalogs before picking up a variety. If you want to grow it indoors, then pick up a variety accordingly. Not all varieties are suitable to be grown inside the house.
Caring for your crops
Learn the basics about the requirements of your crops. Check the levels of moisture and light they need to grow well. Treat the crops accordingly and keep removing the weeds. You may also use organic fertilizers suitable for your crops and keep them away from pests.
Summary
Appropriate planning of the space, crop varieties, layout and plant care may lead you to create a perfect vegetable garden in your balcony or backyard.
