Daniel Johnson - Vegetable Gardening for Beginners: Learn to Grow Anything No Matter Where You Live

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Learn to Grow Anything No Matter Where You Live

SAMANTHA JOHNSON
AND
DANIEL JOHNSON

It probably sounds funny, but it all started with one green pepper.

When we were kids, we lived in a little house on a lake, deep in the woods. There was not much sun and there were lots of deer, so we didnt have much of a vegetable garden. But one summer we had a little pepper plant in a pot, and after several weeks, the plant produced a single green bell pepper. The pepper was very small, but that didnt bother us. We were impressed by this green pepper that had appearedalmost magically!on our plant, and we felt sure it rivaled any supermarket pepper.

Planting seeds, tending and nurturing seedlings, and growing food is an experience unlike any other. After our first taste of vegetable gardening, we just kept coming back for more, and we still enjoy the thrill of harvesting fresh vegetables. Dan enjoys growing potatoes (actually, Dan enjoys eating potatoes, but you have to grow them first!) and giant pumpkins. Samantha loves to experiment with different varieties of heirloom beans (this year she planted Empress, Speckled Cranberry, Hidatsa Shield Figure, and Dragons Tongue) and she also likes growing cucumbers (crispy white onesnot those rubbery green things from the supermarket).

We also plant tomatoes, peas, onions, lettuce, squash, and carrots. Sometimes we grow cauliflower and broccoli, but we havent been as successful with those, and we usually like to devote garden space to plants that are productive. We also make it a point not to grow vegetables that we dont like to eat, which is why Samantha refuses to grow lima beans (ugh!) even though she loves all other kinds of beans. Why waste garden space on something you cant stand to eat?

Our horses, ponies, and rabbits help our gardening pursuits by being super sources of compost, which keeps our garden soil full of nutrients.

Caring for your own garden and growing your own food will give you a level of enjoyment and satisfaction thats hard to find anywhere elsebut its also a lot of work. Thats why we wrote this book: to guide you through the process of creating a vegetable garden. In these pages youll find information on soil preparation, seed selection, planting, daily maintenance, and harvesting, as well as on cooking, selling, and exhibiting your produce.

It doesnt matter if your garden is big or small (remember, we started with one pepper plant!)the important thing is to get started. Introduce yourself to the joys of vegetable gardening and experience the unique delight that comes from picking a ripe, red tomato and eating it while its still warm from the sun.

Happy gardening!

Good soil, plenty of water, proper tools, and a lot of patience are the basics of good gardening. Shutterstock

Chapter 1

Planning Your Garden

Lets take a minute to talk about an important topic: Just where are you going to place your new garden?

Selecting a Garden Space

Before you rush out the front door and yell, Its going here! lets take a look at some factors that you might consider when picking out the perfect garden space.

Sunlight

All plants need some sunlight, and vegetable plants in particular require a lot. Figure on six to eight hours per day at minimum.

Chances are you have never really watched your yard to see how the light hits it throughout the day. So do this: Pick a spot that you think would be a good candidate for your potential garden, and take note of how the sun shines on the area all during the day. (Cloudy days wont work because you cant really see where the area is shaded.) See if the location is in the sun at 9 oclock in the morning, then at noon, and again at 5 oclock in the evening. Did the spot stay sunny for the entire day, or did it become shaded at some point? Houses, sheds, garages, fences, and treeseven a tree quite far awaycan cast shadows on your garden at certain times of the day, and you might not have ever noticed. If you find the area is heavily shaded for too much of the day, youll have to find a new spot.

The ideal location for your vegetable garden will get plenty of sunshine.

Water Access

Gardensespecially vegetable gardensrequire a lot of water and most of this water must come from you. (Dont assume the rain will be enough.) Reasonably close access to an outdoor spigot is important. Of course, you can always buy multiple hoses and string them together, but this can get unwieldy (picture trying to coil up three or four hoses) and can also lead to poor water volume (the more hoses, the less water pressure you tend to get). If your perfect garden location is simply too far away to reach with a hose, you could always haul water in containers, but this is time-consuming and physically demanding. Water is heavy. Its better to plan on keeping the garden near a good water source. You can also try keeping a rain barrel to collect water from rooftops; this can be a great way of gathering water for your garden.

An outdoor spigot or water pump located within easy reach of your garden plot is not only convenient, but necessary.

Drainage

On the other hand, too much water can cause major problems. Avoid planting your vegetable garden in low-lying areas where water collects for long periods. Ideally, youre looking for a nice flat piece of ground that will not become a puddle when it rains.

Water access is an important consideration when selecting a garden location. In order to keep your garden well hydrated, youll want a nearby water source.

Soaker hoses are the best way to water a vegetable garden. Theyre convenient and effective, and because they dont get the leaves wet, they help prevent disease.