Varities

Starting a vegetable garden isn’t as difficult as you might think. It just takes a little effort and some planning.

Zones

Vegetables need full sun to thrive, so choose a location that gets at least six hours of daylight daily. Don’t plant vegetables close to tall trees or shrubs, which can suck moisture from the soil and shade the veggies.

Too much water can spell death for plants. That’s why Weinstein also suggests picking up a rain gauge. This nifty gardening tool allows you to properly assess how much rain you get. “People often think that it rained so they don’t need to water, when really they got nothing,” says Weinstein.

Other tools that are nice to have are wheelbarrows for moving soil, compost, rocks, and mulch around your yard; pruning shears for cutting back unwieldy plants and for harvesting; and gloves to prevent blisters and cuts from thorns.

How much should I water my garden and when?

When it comes to watering, people tend to overwater their indoor plants and underwater their outdoors ones. Growing plants hate erratic or irregular watering. Weinstein says to read up on the crops you’re planting because some tolerate dryness better than others. But, as a general rule of thumb she recommends sticking a finger in the top inch of soil; if it’s starting to dry out, it might be time to water. She also suggests an inch of water a week for each plant (this is where a rain gauge will come in handy in knowing how much water your plants are getting naturally). This measurement translates to about half a gallon per square foot.

To avoid a lot of evaporation, water in the early morning or late in the day when the sun is not as scorching. And try to avoid having wet foliage at night, which is a sure-shot way to promote disease-growing conditions. 

What’s the easiest crop to grow?

“Believe it or not, garlic is the easiest to grow,” says Brie Arthur. “You plant it, it grows for six months, you harvest it all at once, and you’re done.” While it’s growing, you don’t have to water it, or fertilize it—just leave it until it’s ready. Not only does garlic require little space, but Arthur says that you can plant garlic purchased at the grocery store. It’s a plant that gets very few diseases and insect problems. Herbs like chives, cilantro, and rosemary also don’t require much of a green thumb and generally are not consumed by animals.

What’s the hardest plant to grow?

Length to harvest makes certain crops difficult to grow. This allows plenty of time for something to go awry, which is a shame after spending months nourishing a plant. Ashley Nussman-Berry says asparagus, for example, takes years to produce a harvest. Also, crops like broccoli and artichoke tend to have very specific soil needs and require a lot of maintenance.

Here’s another difficult crop that may surprise you: tomato plants! “Of course they’re the plant that everyone envisions when you say you’re growing a vegetable garden—the crown jewel of vegetable gardening,” says Arthur. Not only do tomatoes take a lot of maintenance, but they’re susceptible to disease and require almost daily interaction between watering, pruning, and harvesting. Additionally, tomatoes don’t set fruit when temperatures are over 90℉, which is happening more and more during US summers. If you’re a first-time gardener and want to try out tomatoes, start small with cherry tomatoes, which are much easier to keep up and take less time to reach harvest.

What if I don’t have land to grow a garden?

All is not lost if you don’t have a backyard or you’re dealing with a small space. Find an area that gets some sun—think stoops, balconies, windowsills, and driveways. In all these places try container gardening in pots. Mobee Weinstein suggests buying grow bags to hang from a door for growing strawberries, herbs, or even cherry tomatoes. “People can start small or stay small. There’s always a way,” she says.

What are garden themes?

Themed gardens have different plants and fun inanimate objects that all support a particular theme. For instance, a pizza garden consists of the herbs and vegetables needed to make pizza, like basil, tomatoes, and perhaps peppers, oregano, and other herbs. Add a wooden “get your pizza here” sign, and voilà!

Source: architecturaldigest.com