Starting a vegetable patch is surprisingly simple.
Even with the wide assortment of interesting vegetables available in most supermarkets, it’s hard to beat the satisfaction of growing your own food. While many have tackled flower gardening, there’s often a fear factor that goes along with growing things for the table. We asked seasoned gardener and retired biologist Ann Overweel for her advice on how to plant a successful vegetable garden on your first try.
Q: How much space do you need to plant a vegetable garden?
A: You actually need very little space—a few pails on a patio or on the edge of an existing garden will do. However, it’s a lot of fun to have a four-by-six plot so you have some space to try things. You can even grow in containers; you just have to remember that they will need watering more frequently than plants in the ground.
Q: When do you have to start planning for the garden?
A: Most planning starts in fall and winter, especially if you’re starting from seed. Look through seed catalogs to get an idea of what you’ll need and when. Some good sources include Park’s (parksseeds.com/800-213-0076), Burpee (burpee.com/800-333-5808), The Cook’s Garden (cooksgarden.com/800-457-9703) and Stokes, who gives the best information on growing seeds (stokeseeds.com/800-396-9238). If you don’t feel confident starting seeds yourself, source out greenhouses that start them for transplant in the spring. You won’t have to worry about the cost of shipping, and they can often give advice on what to grow because they know the region.
Q: Is it better to start from seeds or plants? When/how do you start?
A: The benefits of starting from seed vary according to what you want to plant. Specialty items like high-lycopene tomatoes, or beets, carrots and beans are best started from seed, but cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and leeks are best from transplants. Your best bet is to get information on each variety from the library, seed catologs and the Internet.
Q: Does soil preparation matter?
A: Yes! Your soil needs to be weed-free (if you plant among weeds, the weeds will win!) and porous. Simply, the better the soil and the less weeds, the better the yield. Note that if you’re starting from a newly turned area of lawn, grubs and cutworm can interfere, but usually just for the first year.
Q: What equipment do you need?
A: The basics are a spade, garden fork and trowel. A rake isn’t really necessary but comes in handy for cleaning up larger areas. For tender seeds, you’ll need a watering can or a hose with a gentle spray, and of course gloves are handy for picking up pests and stones without getting your hands or nails dirty.
Q: What are the easiest things for a beginner to grow?
A: First-timers will get the most satisfaction from beans (climbing and bush), tomatoes, Swiss chard and leeks. Herbs are also a good choice. Garlic—the regular kind, not the Elephant size—is easy to grow and will do well in a rose garden. Just break cloves off of an existing bud, push 2 inches into the ground in the fall and it will show up in spring ready for mid-summer harvest. Note that you can plant Swiss chard and leeks early, as they will take a little frost; tomatoes and beans need warm soil.
Q: Is “organic” harder to grow? How do you keep pests off?
A: Organic is ultimately easier than other techniques, as your food is always safe to eat. If you wouldn’t consume something, don’t give it to your plants. Hand-pick the pests or remove and destroy infected leaves—a good blast of water will work, too.
Q: Does growing your own vegetables cost more or less than buying them in a store?
A: You should be prepared for the fact that it can be more expensive, especially the first year; however, the fun, flavor and satisfaction of growing your own is worth something, especially if you love fresh food. •
