Soil Matters

If you want to have the most successful garden, you have to start with a good foundation. Garden soil isn’t just dirt that grows plants. Good soil is a living breathing organism that must be treated well. Adding lots of good compost and organic matter to your soil will increase fertility, water retention, and keep the soil from becoming compacted.

Put Water Where It’s Needed

Have you ever thought about switching to a drip irrigation system to water your crops? Drip irrigation will put water at the base of your vegetable plants which will serve many purposes. Overhead watering an entire garden causes you to not only water your crops but also all of the grass and weeds that you are trying to prevent. Drip irrigation also keeps the water off of the leaves of your crops which will help prevent many common diseases such as tomato blight.

Feed Your Crops

Plants need to eat just like us and if you are gardening in a new garden area it might take several seasons to build your soil with compost. Feeding your plants a good slow release fertilizer or an organic fertilizer such as Nature’s Source 10-4-3 will give them that boost to produce more food for your table. Just remember your plants only eat on the days that you do!

Stay Ahead of Bugs

Pests can be one of the biggest obstacles that many new gardeners have to overcome. It’s hard to watch all of your hard work slowly get eaten away by bugs. Pest control has to start early and continually be monitored. Neem oil and B.T. (Bacillus Thuringiensis) are two commonly used organic options used to keep bugs at bay.

Keep It Small

A vegetable garden can be low-maintenance, but it’s not no-maintenance. Therefore, do yourself a favor and stick to a small plot for the first year or two. A 4 by 8 foot bed is ideal for a starter veggie garden and will give you enough space to grow a handful of crops. If you wish to start even smaller, try planting container-friendly veggies and herbs in pots or window-boxes on a sunny deck.

Pick Your Plants

With your first veggie garden, it’s very tempting to want to grow everything! But, for your own sake, I’d suggest you pick 4 to 5 types of vegetables and grow them well. Trying to cram too much in a compact space is asking for trouble and you’ll end up with a smaller harvest. However, you can boost yield by succession planting. When your initial crops have been harvested, follow up with a second sowing. For example, follow spring lettuce with summer squash. Succession planting allows you to stretch your harvest season for the longest possible time.

Not All Bugs Are Bad

Yes I said not all bugs are bad. Try planting flowers and other plants that attract beneficial insects such as ladybugs. A hungry lady can eat up to 50 aphids per day or up to 5,000 aphids in its lifetime.

Mother Nature Is Modest

If you don’t cover the soil, mother nature will do it herself with grass and weeds. Use mulch around your crops to prevent grass and weeds from taking over. Mulch will also conserve water and keep the soil much cooler by protecting it from the hot summer sun.

Grow Vertical

Grow more in less space by going up instead of out. Garden trellises support plants, such as tomatoes, cucumber, beans and small melons. The right trellis can even double your garden yield by increasing sunlight, easing harvest and allowing for easier pest management.

Plant For High Yield

Make the most of your time and space by growing vegetables that produce a high yield. At the top of the list are tomatoes, onions and lettuce. They require the least amount of space and time, but give the most valuable yields in return. Melons, winter squash and pumpkins are fun to grow, but take much more space and produce very little.