While growing vegetables is becoming an increasingly popular hobby, taking the time to learn about how to start a vegetable garden before planting can help ensure a successful growing season. At Jovak Landscape & Design, they are excited to see more and more people embracing gardening and their outdoor space. That is why their team of professional landscapers have put together a list of tips for starting your own vegetable garden.
1. Plant in Raised Beds
One of the most important steps for starting a vegetable garden is building up the soil, as a deep, organically rich soil encourages the healthy growth of roots. The fastest way to build up soil is to use raised beds for your garden. By using raised beds, you will be able to grow up to four times more vegetables, thanks to the loose, fertile soil.
2. Use Natural Fertilizer
Natural fertilizer, such as worm castings, can help stimulate healthy plant growth, while also helping the soil retain water. When adding fertilizer to your raised beds, make sure to work in the fertilizer and to break up larger clumps of soil.
3. Plant Crops in Triangles
In order to grow the greatest amount of vegetables possible, make sure that you pay close attention to how you arrange your plants. Consider planting in triangles rather than squares or rows, as doing so will allow you to stagger the plants and fit in more; however, when placing plants in your garden, it is important to make sure that you are not spacing the plants too close together. Plants that are spaced too tightly can become stressed, making them more susceptible to diseases and insect attacks.
4. Consider Climbing Plants
If you only have a small garden space but are wanting to grow a ton of vegetables, consider growing, vine crops, such as tomatoes, pole beans, peas, squash, or cucumbers. This will allow you to grow vegetables vertically, using a trellis, fence, cage, or stakes.
5. Time Your Crops Well
Consider planting certain crops at different times so that you can grow more than one crop in a given space over the duration of the growing season. Doing so will allow you to harvest three or four different crops from a single area rather than just one crop.
If you would like to learn more about how to start a vegetable garden, or if you are interested in their landscaping services, please contact Jovak Landscape & Design at 604-865-2850 or by filling out a contact form on their website. You can also stay up to date with the latest landscape design news by following them on Facebook.