Now that the shemittah year has passed, during which we did not work the land in Israel, we can start to think about vegetable gardens again! I don't have any land, but might be able to install some raised beds on a paved area, which could also work. I dream of having a cutting garden to fill vases with home grown flowers, though vegetables would be wonderful too! Setting up a vegetable garden can be very fulfilling, and the reward is enjoying the healthy food you grow yourself, and witnessing the miracle of it all! While you might not save money on food, you will certainly have fresher produce than if you were to purchase it in a store. And of course you can choose to go organic, and then you will quite likely save money. There are some important things to consider when setting up your vegetable garden, so keep on reading, and consider adding "gardener" to your growing list of talents!
Budget for the Project
Many people want to grow food at home because they feel it might be a budget conscious decision, but that’s not always the case. If you don’t have a garden yet, it can be expensive to get set up. From fencing to pesticides to weed control, you might be surprised at how quickly things can add up. Spend some time shopping around to see how much it may cost to set up your own garden. One worthwhile option might be to get a personal loan so you can afford to set up your garden in the best possible way, without breaking the bank and depleting hard-earned funds.
Choose the Right Location
You will want to pick a good location, as this can make or break the success of your harvest. You'll want to grow your plants in full sun, so pick a place that gets a minimum of 6 hours of sun every day. If you do not have this much sun, you may want to pick shade-loving plants, such as leafy greens. Spend the time to monitor how many hours of sun any possible locations get, in order to be quite sure that your chosen location really does have full sun, as that is crucial!
Take Care of the Soil
After clearing a patch of ground, you will want to make sure the soil is rich enough to support healthy plants. You can do a soil test in the area to determine the number of nutrients in the soil, which will help you figure out what to put back in. If you don’t have compost already, you may want to purchase some from a gardening shop. You'll want to spread about an inch of it over the dirt once it is cleared. You'll want to use a rake to spread it over the surface of the garden.
The next step is to turn the soil to work in the compost. Some gardeners do not like to turn the soil because they don’t want to disturb helpful microbes. However, if there was grass or other plant life in the area before, this step is critical. The area may be packed down, so turning the dirt can loosen up the soil, allowing the compost to work its way down closer to where the plants’ roots will be. You can turn it by hand using a shovel, making sure you break up any larger clods. You can also rent machinery to make the task easier, which could be worthwhile if you are creating a larger garden.
Start Planting
Once you have prepared the plot, you will be ready to start planting. You can sow the seeds directly in the garden or transplant seedlings. The type of vegetable will determine whether it is best to plant seeds or go with transplants. You can grow your own plants or you can purchase them from a gardening shop. Other vegetables may grow from bulbs or tubers. It is important to plant at the right time of year since some vegetables, like lettuce, do better when it’s cooler, and others, such as squash, do better when it is hot out. The area you live in will determine when to plant certain types of vegetables. No matter when you plant, make sure to water everything well. Also think about how you like to eat, if you enjoy fresh zucchini salads, be sure to include them in your garden, while things like tomatoes will go bad and waste your time if you don’t plan to eat them often.
Caring for Your Plants
The work isn’t done once the plants are in the ground, as the loving care is yet to come. You'll want to understand how to maintain the area so you get a good harvest. For example, do check for weeds every few days and pull them up when they are still young, as they are harder to pull out once they get large, and they can start to choke out your vegetable plants. Putting down mulch can help preserve water, but you’ll still want to water the roots of the plants when it is hot and dry. Your watering schedule needs to be worked out according to the daily temperatures and hours of sun, but this information is not difficult to come by. Also, of course you'll want to know which plants require more water than others and water accordingly.
All the best with the new and exciting venture, it is truly worth it!
