> Next: Planning Productive Gardens
Planning a Home Vegetable Garden
Plan a successful vegetable garden by answering these simple questions:
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- Where to begin?
- What comes first?
- What skills and knowledge do I need to learn?
- Where should I plant?
- What vegetables should I grow?
Getting Started
Preparing to plant a home vegetable garden begins with careful consideration of your choices and decisions.
Thoughtfully explore every option. Rushing into a project full of enthusiasm might cause mistakes.
Planning ahead means your first-time vegetable garden will be successful and productive.
Where to Begin?
As a hobby, growing greens, fruit, and berries appeals to all generations, young and old.
Everyone can participate, from youngsters helping to water rows of peas to octogenarians tending an herb garden or a window box filled with chives.
Newcomer or old hand? Look at the top of this page. There’s a link to follow that walks you through each important step. Each page has one.
Also check out the “Related” content down at the bottom of the page, filled with more details.
First-time gardeners should take the time to acquaint themselves with every major concept, from what makes a vegetable garden productive to choosing a site and picking out vegetables.
Those with experience will find all the tools and tips they need to add to their gardening skills.
— Choosing a Vegetable Garden
Let’s get started by planning the right garden for you.
There are lots of different gardens from which you may choose. Start with a visit to The Guide to Productive Gardens. Here’s what it contains:
— Your Garden’s Site and Climate
Next, it’s time to look at your garden site with a critical eye. Think about sun and wind exposure, available space, soil, and all the rest of the things needed to grow vegetables.
Vegetables grow well and produce best in well-protected locations with lots of sunlight. That means your garden should have at least 6 hours per day.
Vegetables also need space. Give them sufficient room to prevent crowding. If you only have a small space to garden or there’s more shade than sun, relax. Gardens can grow up as well as out.
You’ll find ways to succeed in most every yard.
Learn more about your garden site by clicking on these links:
— Other Options and Decisions
You still have some basic choices to decide before you can begin choosing vegetables to plant.
Let’s look at a few of these options.
Will you garden organically or traditionally? Find out exactly what “organic” and “natural” mean. It’s the fastest growing type of vegetable gardening [see Organic Gardening].
How much room will your garden occupy?
How can your garden produce all the vegetables you want to grow?
Learn more about these and other major choices by clicking on these links:
> Next: Planning Productive Gardens