Home Vegetable Garden Plan

Creating a home vegetable garden plan and planting at the right time of year for your area will allow your plants to grow effectively; a general rule of thumb for most temperate areas is to start planting in spring. If you own a mini greenhouse, or a larger version, this will get you off to an early start.

Fertilizing the Vegetable Garden

Adding seaweed and organic manures is vital in the home vegetable garden plan, and when the plants are still in seedling form avoid using strong fertilizers such as chicken manure, as this may burn their roots.  Apply once the plants have started to mature.

Mulching the Vegetable Garden

Plant transplants directly through the mulch once they have filled their seedling containers. Pull the mulch to the side and avoid touching the stem and storks with the mulch material.

Mulching is also a vital part of soil preparation. Organic matter added to the soil releases the vital nitrogen, minerals, and other nutrients plants need to thrive and bear well. Mulch will protect the soil from the elements, helping to keeping it cooler in summer and warmer in winter. It also helps retain moisture, suppress weeds.  Mulch also plays a large role in the production of beneficial bacteria that the plants need to survive and stay healthy. 

Mulching a vegetable garden

A Simple Soil Test

Soil sampling is easy and should be done prior to planting or building your vegetable garden. Grab a small handful of soil and squeeze, the soil should be friable and not sticky, but also it must not fall apart like a fine tilth also.

Soil should be slightly blocky in shape so the water and oxygen can move and drain freely.  You can also purchase a Ph Tester kit from any good nursery or hardware shop.  Over all it is best to have your soil just slightly acidic, but not above 8.

Harvesting Your Vegetable Garden

Harvesting your vegetable garden can be tricky, but if you home vegetable garden plan is in order all should be okay.  Tomatoes should be picked just after they start turning red to avoid fruit fly.  Tomatoes will easily pull away from the vine once they are ready to be harvested. 

Tip:  Do not leave rotten fruit on the ground or the compost lid open, this will only attract nasties like the dreaded fruit fly.

Vegetable Container Garden

If your home vegetable garden plan is lacking space you may consider using containers to grow your veggies.  Container gardens are fantastic for the home gardener with limited space.  You may want to also grow herbs in the containers and also throughout the garden.  Many herbs provide beneficial support to vegetable in a form of natural protection called companion planting.

 Vegetable Container gardens are also wonderful for gardeners in an area with a limited growing season, since the vegetable garden containers can be brought indoors before the first frost, or moved to a better position to follow the sun.  Keep the containers warm and your plants will love you for it.

If you want to save money you can also try directly sowing the seeds into the containers in early spring.

Tip:  Large containers for growing tomatoes are great if they have wheels.  It can really save your back as they can become quite heavy after watering.

Plan to grow what you and your family like to eat. While deciding what to grow, also consider how much you want to plant and the room the crops will need.  Most pants need a minimum of 30cm spacing (12inches).

Planting shallots is a great idea if you like the flavour of onions and garlic, but want a milder version in your recipe. Vegetable gardening with shallots is a great way to save money; you can also replant the repurchased version from the Supermarket in pots or straight in the ground as they are extremely tough and will throw new shoots right through the summer.

Vegetable Garden for Beginners

Plant tomatoes, Zucchini, shallots, cucumber, pumpkin, peas and beans.  Also mix in a range of easy growing herbs such as sweet basil, mint, thyme, oregano and parsley.

Fruits- try miniature melons and dwarf citrus

Reference

Home vegetable garden plan