If you have n’t made the plunge yet into growing your first vegetable garden , you may finger overwhelmed . On our site you ’ll find heaps of articles on how to create a garden seam and fix your soil . But if you want guidance on what type of vegetable plants to choose for your first garden , continue translate .
provision ahead will save you trouble in the tenacious run . Think about your motivation and arithmetic mean for your vegetable garden . What do you require to accomplish ? How much exploit and fourth dimension are you willing to devote to care and maintenance ? We ’ve listed major categories to give you insight into vegetable plants and to serve you decide which crop are right for your garden .
Compatibility
Often , we stress soil , irrigation , and sunlight term . But less often do we speak about the importance of planting compatible plants . Beginner gardener seldom realize that some craw negatively or positively affect other crops . Then , when the plant conk out to produce even after the most tender care and adherence to instructions , gardeners despair .
When it comes to common crop , here ’s an gentle rhyme for you to recall , courtesy of gardeningchannel.com : Tomatoes and potatoes grow in separate row - tatoes . Cucumbers and mash should n’t be moshed . When it comes to matrimony , plant peas and carrots .
Money-saving crops
Do you intend for your garden to make a dent in your grocery nib ? If so , you should be targeting several types of vegetable . First , if you opt to wipe out constituent produce , you should consider growing the most high-priced , since store - corrupt organics can be quite expensive . Which ones should you choose ? The vegetables most susceptible to pesticide toxins : celery , prickly-seeded spinach , sweet-smelling bell peppers , cucumbers , snap peas , and tomatoes .
second , think about your return key on investiture . While some crops are downright flash ( potatoes , cucumber ) , think about those that be more money over time . Salad green like Swiss chard , spinach plant , and arugula can cost up to $ 4 per bag in a market . Instead , corrupt a mail boat of germ for $ 2 and you could produce salad greens for months . The same goes for heirloom cherry tomatoes ( you got us here : technically a fruit ) and herbs such as basil , chive , thyme , and rosemary .
Ease of care
Think about your layer of committedness . If this is your first garden , you may make some worthful mistake . In that case , you may need to grow hardy harvest that can subsist some neglect , lest you destroy your harvest and lose trust in your gardening abilities . Further , you may be able to devote all the clip in the man yet have health priorities : an aching back , rheumatoid finger , thin knees , or seasonal allergic reaction .
Taking all into consideration , essay these vegetable crops first .
Carrots are easy to pull once their top violate the grime rail line . You ca n’t do lettuce wrongly : if you harvest it too early , you may snip tender dinero honey oil and just the right amount if you pluck off a leaf or two . Summer squash is a great confidence - booster , as the plant will produce a high yield and is simple to come away .
herb are so incredibly prosperous to grow that some methods do n’t even ask sun or grime , meaning you could maturate these inside if allergic reaction inhibit your outdoor activity . If you need fast event to keep you concerned , try radish plant : you ’ll harvest before a month is out ! Finally , Cucumis sativus often grow like weed , so there is short harm you could do to these dauntless plants .
For more information:
Vegetable Gardening : A Beginner ’s Guidefrom N.C. State Extension
Vegetable Gardening Basicsfrom University of Illinois Extension
Creative Commons Flickr photo courtesy ofTodd Petit
