Preparing A Vegetable Garden
Posted on Jan 30, 2010 under Best For Garden | 6 Comments
When planning a vegetable garden the first step is alway finding the ideal spot. Most vegetables require lots of sun so choose a location with a southern exposure. Ideally the sunlight is distributed as evenly as possible for the longest period of time. Southern exposure is perfect since the sun shines evenly on each side. North facing shady gardens are fine for ferns and other woodland plants but they are generally not suitable for vegetables and some flowers.
Its always best to plan a garden on paper before planting. Each type of seed will have individual planting requirements, such as spacing and planting depth. If you know before hand the size of your garden you’ll be able to determine the number of seeds needed and can plan accordingly. Alternately, if you already have your seed and know the spacing requirements, you will be able calculate the appropriate size garden.
New garden area are likely to be covered with turf grasses. Large garden areas can be tilled and the sod turned under. In small gardens, however, you should remove the sod. To do this cut the edges of the garden with the spade. Then cut narrow strips approximately 1 or 2 feet wide. Sod cut in this way can easily be removed.
Don’t throw the sod away, rather sift through the newly tilled garden, pick out the pieces of sod, shake them well and add them to the compost pile. Compost is the ideal soil conditioner for a vegetable garden so throughout the growing season add your garden clippings to the pile. As you remove the sod, break up the big clumps of soil which are left behind. The garden must be tilled well in order to create suitable conditions for planting seed. A seed planted in chunks of soil will rarely survive. Use a grading rake to smooth out the soil once the ground is properly tilled. Once ground is level and smooth, the garden is ready to be planted.
Some spaces may be too rocky to be useful as a vegetable garden. In this case raised beds are necessary. Building raised beds can extend the growing season since the soil is able warm up sooner than the rest of the garden. They also offer better drainage and deep topsoil with little compaction. If you add compost to your garden each year a raised bed may occur naturally. Raised beds are easy to care for and they are protected from the encroaching grass and weeds of its surrounding environment.
In gardens which receive southern exposure vegetables and flowers should be planted in rows which run north and south so the plants are able to receive the sun’s rays during the morning on the eastern side, and during the afternoon on the western side. Planted this way, your vegetable will grow more evenly. In order to get the best distribution of sunlight in a garden facing southeast run the rows northwest and southeast. Thoughtful planning and proper planting techniques will result in a successful, productive vegetable garden as well as a very satisfying endeavor for the gardener.
anonymous
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/preparing-a-vegetable-garden-85365.html
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January 30th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
What should I do to prepare my vegetable garden for planting?
I am new to this gardening thing and I want to have a vegetable garden so that we have vegetables and fruit from early summer through late fall. I know that each vegetable has it’s own PH requirements. How do I prep the soil for all the things I’m wanting to plant? Is there a fertilizer that I should use that would be good for a wide range of veggies? I live in northern Ohio. When should I start prepping the soil? When should I plant? Should I plant a second time during the season to ensure that I have veggies into the fall? What should I plant? The area I want to plant is roughly 15 X 20 ft.
We live in an area of northern Ohio that has extremely fertile farm. The soil is dark brown/black and not very much if any clay. We have high sulphur in our water so I’m assuming that the ground has a high sulphur content as well.
January 30th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
Go to your nearest garden centre they will be happy to answer all your ??? and tell you what is best for your area…
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January 30th, 2010 at 9:34 pm
I’m not sure what the soil is like in your area. if it’s sandy, you may want to add peat moss. if it’s clay, probably compost and gypsum.
Research each plant you select for preferred pH ranges and adjust your soil pH with lime or sulphur (up or down, respectively). A good soil test would be an excellent idea.
A local garden center visit with some of your soil might be a good idea for tips on what to add.
Your question is good with lots of info supplied, but I can’t help much. Sorry!
Good Gardening!
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January 30th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
you can get some really good gardening info from: ohio state university.. they have a very good website for gardening info… as well as your county agriculture extention agency… check ohio government to find the web address… when i’m starting a new garden area I : cut sod out, till soil, add ammendments (compost, leaves, organic matter), and continue to add leaves and grass clippings every fall
vege gardening is a lot less complicated than it first appears from all the horticulture info
you can also visit my past answers for more info on improving soil conditions.
Happy Gardening!
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January 30th, 2010 at 9:38 pm
Till it up now. Then in early spring, till it again.
15 x 20 is fairly small for a garden, so you will have to limit yourself to your favorite veggies.
Since you’re new at this, I recommend tomatoes, peppers and potatoes. They are easy to grow.
Since this is a small area, I suggest using landscape fabric to keep the weeds down.
Don’t worry about soil fertility. Since it’s a new garden…it’s fertile. You’ll only have to worry about that after you’ve planted it for 5 years or more.
But, if you really want to add something, use peat, compost or cow manure. They will enhance your soil if it’s clay.
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January 30th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
If’n your ground isn’t frozen have OSU do a soil test
If you have sulphur in your water odds are your going to need some lime
Most veggies like a pH between 6.5 and 7.0
Try this link
http://plantfacts.ohio-state.edu/
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