Does anyone have their own vegetable garden?

cervenec

I was thinking of starting a small vegetable garden (it's the wrong season for most things, but I can do Kale and broccoli right now I think) and I was wondering if anyone had tips or recommendations?

Heidi64

We are in our second year of having a garden. LOVE it. I think reading up on companion gardening would be helpful. ie Plant beans by corn so the nitrogen from the beans helps fertilize the corn and such. Read up on freezing and dehydrating. If you can, learn how to can. I put up peaches and apples and applesauce last year and boy was THAT yummy to have in the middle of winter. Good luck to you.

SavCal71

My advice? don't try having a garden in a summer or record drought and 100+ temps ...

2Bgoddess

I have gardens! my biggest tip is to not have your garden in the ground. have it elevated. I mean, like, build a box. being above ground makes weeding easier, more space for roots, better drainage. nothing worse than rotting roots because the beds get flooded.

this year my gardens included squash, cucumber, green pepper, peas broccoli, 3 kinds of tomato, beets, cauliflower, carrots, chives, oregano, and lavendar. (ok, we don't eat lavendar, but it smells lovely!)

infamousmk

YES! My boyfriend does most of the tending, but the best bit of advice I can offer is to stay on top of weeding early as you can. The more weeds you pull at the beginning of the season the better. Also, definitely read up on drying/canning/preserving! Have fun!! I love my garden!

DKBelle

I have some tomato, sorrel, strawberries and basil I think it is a great idea. I don't have much place therefore I can't have anything else, but I would love to plant more veggie. I grow up in a house with a huge garden and my mom used to plant everything you can imagine in our garden )) I miss those days! Now I am stuck with my small kitchen garden lol

cervenec

Thanks for the responses! I'll definetly look into freezing/dehyrdrated when I get started. It makes me really excited seeing how enthusiastic everyone is!

kailisa2000

Yes! I suggest reading up on Square Foot Gardening to get the most out of your space. We have a very small garden and successfully grew lettuce, herbs, spinach, celery, carrots, pumpkins, squash, onions, potatoes, strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, sweet peppers, beans, peas, zucchini......attempted a few other things that didn't take off so well. And I do NOT have a green thumb, so this is totally possible for anyone

BigMike915

I grow a garden every year. This year I grew, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, onions, okra, corn, green beans, and jalapenos. I normally grow more but I got a late start this year. Weeding can be a pain, but what I do is place newspaper on the dirt and cover it in leaves. For the things like tomatoes, okra, corn, peppers, etc. I plant them in rows far enough apart that I can still run my tiller through. It makes a huge difference, and your not on all fours yanking weeds all season long.

AmyRhubarb

I will echo kailisa2000 - check out Square Foot Gardening! Great book with lots of great info for an abundant garden without a lot of space. I like in central California, so our growing season is pretty much year round. I have two large raised beds and one small one. I rotate seasonal crops in the large beds and keep herbs and rhubarb in the small one. I have had great success with tomatoes, squash, eggplant, peppers, & cucumbers in the summer. In fall/winter/spring I have grown lettuce, spinach, carrots, green onions, garlic, potatoes, parsley, turnips, strawberries and more.

Find what zone you're in and figure out what you can grow in your area and have fun! I joined a Seeds of the Month club as well - seeds are inexpensive, and I am sent four packets every month - encourages me to try new veggies!