How To Start An Organic Home Vegetable Garden

If you are like me you had no clue what it takes to start an organic home vegetable garden. Until recently I felt that same way but I found that a little reading and planning goes a long way.

Just imagine for a moment that in less then 2 weeks you to could start an organic home vegetable garden anywhere you want to plant. As you will see by reading this article and following just a few simple steps you will be well on your way to a beautiful garden in no time.

Soil Preparation

This is one of the most basic things that any new gardener will have to learn. Whether you plan to use a plot of land in your backyard or start a vegetable garden in plant boxes. Soil preparation plays an important role in whether your organic garden will survive or not.

Types of Soil

There are three types of soil that you need to be familiar with; sand, clay and silt. Sandy soil is loose and helps the roots of plants breathe because it lets the air pass through easily. Clay soil absorbs water faster and keeps it inside longer. Silt is a fine mixture of sand and clay particles.

Soil Preparation

When preparing the soil for your vegetable garden, dig up the soil and break off the lumps. Check if you have just the right mixture of sand, silt, and clay before you start an organic home vegetable garden.

Ideally, silt and sand should both be 40%, and clay should just be 20%, this is to make sure that the water is not trapped inside too much that the roots will choke. Also, if the water is trapped too long inside the soil, the roots will rot.

Quick Soil Test

One good way to test whether the composition of your soil is good is by scooping out a handful and forming a ball with it. The soil should hold the shape of the ball without too much difficulty. If the soil cannot hold the shape, you might have too much silt or sand in the mixture. If the soil holds the shape but does not crumble easily when you poke it, it might have too much clay in it which you need to balance out with a little silt or sand.

Choosing Vegetables to Plant

Now it is time to pick what kind of vegetables you want to grow. Keep in mind that some vegetables do not grow well when you plant them too close to certain types of other vegetables. An example, potatoes should not be planted too close to squash or tomatoes because it inhibits their growth. You may plant them in the same garden but spread them out quite a bit.

Garden Maintenance

After you have decided on the kind of vegetables you want to start organic home vegetable gardens with, you will have to learn about how to water them properly. Vegetables need lots of water on those hot summer days. When planting organic vegetable gardens in a large area, you might want to consider using a soaker hose.

To start organic home vegetable gardens requires manual labor (yes, actual work), and a lot of patience. However, the rewards of planting and growing your own vegetables considerably out ways the work it will take to grow it successfully.