7 Steps to a Bountiful Organic Vegetable Garden for First Timers


Starting a vegetable garden can seem like daunting task for some, but it really doesn't have to be! Once you understand the basics of what certain plants like and how to effectively care for them, you'll be well on your way to growing bountiful harvests.


1. Choosing A Site
Whether you're planning on building raised beds, growing straight in the ground or in pots and containers, you'll want to choose a site with ample sun exposure. Most vegetables like at least 6-8 full hours of sun a day in the peak of the summer months. This means that a south-facing site is ideal, while a southwest or southeast site may be fine for some vegetable varieties.

2. Know Your Soil

3. Know Your Hardiness Zone

4. Water!

5. Basic Tools
The basic tools that you'll likely want for your first gardening project are a spade shovel, garden fork, hand fork, soaker hose, hoe, a wheelbarrow and buckets. Choose quality brands like Fiskars and Cold Steel as you'll want your tools to take you through more than one season, or even one week.

6. Choose Your Plants
Think about what vegetables you would like to grow in your garden and consult seed packets, catalogues and online resources to see how much space growing them takes. If you're working with a relatively small plot, it's better to start off growing a few things rather than trying to grow several different things. You can easily start seeds indoors or in a greenhouse, but buying seedlings is a perfectly feasible option - just make sure they have been started and grown organically when purchasing.

7. Maintenance

Now all you have to do is wait for harvest time!

Related on Organic Authority

Planning A Garden: The Benefits of Companion Planting

8 Tips for Growing a Greenhouse Organic Vegetable Garden

A Guide to Planning Your Vegetable Garden for Food Preservation

Image: amortize

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