How to Design a Vegetable Garden

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How to Design a Vegetable Garden
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Why Design a Vegetable Garden?
A home vegetable garden is a wonderful way to
save money on groceries, while creating a
beautiful organic space for your whole family to
enjoy. From crisp lettuce to ruby red beets, any
homegrown vegetable will rival even the best
store bought produce in flavor and texture.
Learn in the next few pages how with a little
effort and planning, you can create your very own
vegetable garden without having to spend hours
caring for it.
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Decide What to Plant
The first thing to do is decide on what to plant
in your garden. With hundreds of produce
varieties, its important to consider how much
your family can realistically eat during a
harvest. Many novice gardeners tend to
overestimate how much they can consume, resulting
in wasted vegetables. Produce like peppers and
tomatoes produce fruit throughout the year, so
you may not need as many plants. While carrots
and corn only grow once a season.
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Picking the Perfect Spot
After you decide on what vegetables you would
like to plant, its time to plan the space.
Most vegetables need to have at least 6-8 hours
of full sunlight a day, in moist, well-irrigated
soil, and thats close to a water source. If you
have poor soil or drainage, consider using raised
beds. Avoid planting your garden too close to a
tree or bush, which may steal nutrients from your
plants.
If you have limited outdoor space, plant your
garden in containers or planters that can be
placed outside your home.
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Draw a Plot Plan
Before you begin planting, its important to map
out the space in order to determine any
foreseeable issues with watering, sunlight, and
vermin. In your plan, determine whether or not
your space allots for row cropping or intensive
cropping. Row cropping is what typically comes
to mind for a garden. Seeds are planted in single
file rows with a walking path in between. Row
cropping makes it easier to use machines in your
garden, but limits the amount of vegetables you
can produce. Intensive cropping means planting
crops in wide bands that reduces the amount of
space you need for paths, but requires you to do
the majority of the work by hand. Intensive
cropping is good for smaller spaces, or if you
want to incorporate more design elements into
your garden.
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Integrating Structure in Your Garden

• Integrating an open garden structure, like a
  pergola or wood arbor, can add a refined element
  of design to your garden, while giving vining
  vegetables, such as tomatoes, pole beans, and
  peas, a place to grow.
• These structures provide support for growing
  vegetables and easy access for you when they are
  ready to be harvested.
• Additionally, keeping vining vegetables off the
  ground will help prevent disease from spoiling
  your produce, and add lush foliage to your yard.

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Consider a Greenhouse
If you live in an area with unstable weather,
cooler climates, or have a pest problem, consider
installing a greenhouse in your yard. From the
heat to the humidity, to the amount of water your
plants receive, a greenhouse will give you the
ability to control all aspects of your
vegetables environment. Greenhouses work by
trapping in the heat from the sunlight, giving
your plants a consistent source of energy and the
ability to continue growing overnight. Most
greenhouses also feature a window that can be
opened if the room becomes too warm. Monitors and
fans can also be installed to track the
temperature and moisture level.
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Adding a Greenhouse

• Many gardeners are hesitant to install a
  greenhouse due to the initial costs when
  purchasing a kit.
• However, most will agree, once a greenhouse is
  installed, it requires little to no maintenance.
• If you are on a limited budget, or have limited
  space, consider installing a smaller greenhouse
  in addition to your outdoor garden.
• The smaller greenhouse can be reserved for
  sensitive, frost prone vegetables like eggplants
  or cucumbers, while your outdoor garden can be
  used to grow hardier vegetables like broccoli,
  kale, and brussel sprouts.

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Making It More than a Vegetable Garden

• With some careful planning and experimentation,
  any vegetable garden can be as vibrant and
  breathtaking as any flowerbed.
• By incorporating stone paths, greenhouses and
  other structures, your vegetable garden will not
  only represent your dedication to your familys
  well-being, but a reflection of your
  environments natural beauty.

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For More Information
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www.Fifthroom.com 1(888) 293-2339