Sunday 1 May 2011

Vegetable Garden Planner

As many of us are finding out, it is much healthier and satisfying to eat your own home grown vegetables. However, vegetable gardening for beginners can seem a daunting task. For this reason making a vegetable planner can save you a lot of time in the long run and save you making costly mistakes on your vegetable garden.

There are many resources you can use when it comes to vegetable garden planning. Many garden nurseries offer support, but you can also use gardening websites to help you grow a vegetable garden. Some online garden design sites even offer free garden design software for you to plan and design your garden.

The first step to getting your vegetable garden planner is to get it down either on paper or on the computer. It is best to start with a rough plan of your garden marking out what already exists in it, such as garden sheds, greenhouses, trees etc. You will need to measure out your garden in order to determine the size of your vegetable garden. You will also want to consider areas in the garden that are given over to other things such as a childs play area or flower beds.

The same principles can be applied to whatever size of vegetable garden you are planning, whether it is for a small or large garden or even for allotment gardening. However, if you are a beginner it is a good idea to start small, perhaps with one vegetable bed but allow room to expand when necessary.

Space can be very versatile in your garden. You may feel you don't have the space for a vegetable garden, but this can be got round by thinking vertical gardening. Many vegetables grow up rather than out such as runner beans and tomatoes. Making a feature of your vegetables  by using garden trellis or garden obelisks, can add height and structure to your garden design.

Having a raised vegetable garden bed is another option for your vegetable bed. These are a very convenient way of gardening and can be made from a variety of materials, from brick to wooden raised bed garden kits. This makes the job of planning your vegetable bed very simple.

To plan your vegetable bed you need to draw it out on graph paper. Transfer your rough drawing out onto the squared paper, keeping it to a scale, for example each square could represent one metre. You also need to decide if you want to include any garden ornaments, garden statues or accessories. Having done this you need to decide on the best place to put your vegetable bed.

This need not necessarily be your back garden. There are many roof garden designs and front garden ideas available if this is the only place for your vegetable garden. You will need to take into consideration how much sun an area gets and wind factors. For a successful vegetable garden, it should get at least six hours of sun each day and not be overshadow by trees or shrubs.

Once having planned out your vegetable bed you need to decide on the vegetables you want to grow. Choosing which vegetables to grow is part of your vegetable garden planner. For beginners it is best to start with easy to grow vegetables such as beetroot, carrots, lettuce and green beans. Don't grow vegetables that you don't like as this is a waste of space and effort. Start by making a list of the vegetables you eat on a regular basis and then see if you have room for them. If you only have a small space you may wish to avoid those which grow too large such as sweetcorn.

Only plant enough of each plant that you are likely to eat. Some plants produce a large yield and you may find you end up giving away your harvest because you have overloaded on it.

Once having decided on your plants and having prepared the soil you can start to plant out. Different vegetables have different space requirements. So read the growing instructions carefully on the packet and leave enough space for plants to mature. Don't forget to water on a regular basis especially in hot weather. The installation of soaker hoses for gardens is an efficient way of keeping a vegetable bed well-watered and be included on your vegetable garden planner.

It is important when you have established your vegetable bed to keep a diary. Knowing when and what you have planted and how much produce you got from your crops will help you to plan for the following year. It is also important to rotate crops as pests and diseases can build up in the soil. This also helps avoid depleting the soil of nutrients. Vegetables such as brassicas, potatoes and onions should be rotated each year. Also, planting your perennial crops separately from annual crops will make cultivation of the soil easier.

Having a vegetable garden planner will help you to organise your vegetable bed in an efficient and productive way. It will give you not only the pleasure of seeing your crops grow, but the satisfaction that you are eating the very freshest of produce, knowing how they are grown and if desired in an organic way.

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