Vegetable gardening for beginners
The Gardener's Corner
By Judith Rogers

Nothing tastes as good as the fresh vegetables you've grown yourself and beginners planting their first vegetable garden need to think about several things.

First of all, the size will be determined by the number of people to feed and the time you can devote to it. Location is important as most vegetables will require at least six hours of sunlight, a deep soil rich in organic matter with a pH between 6 and 7 and good drainage so the vegetables won't rot. Lastly the vegetable garden should sit near a water source.

Consider a level or gently sloping area away from the foundation of a house, where lime could leach into the soil. It should also be far enough away from water and nutrient seeking roots of trees and shrubs. Avegetable garden measuring 4.5 by six metres (15 by 20 feet) ideally should supply enough vegetables for a family of four. Choose your favourite vegetables to plant, keeping in mind some need a lot of space, and place the tall varieties where they won't overshadow the shorter ones. Storage may also play a part in what you grow, depending on if you have a cold cellar, freezer or plan to do home canning.

Cool season crops like peas, lettuce, radishes, spinach and brassicas thrive in cooler weather and most can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked. Swiss chard, spinach and leaf lettuces can be planted in early spring with a fall crop planted again in August or early September.

Some warm season plants such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, pumpkin, snap beans, squash and corn need to be started from seed indoors as they require a long, warm growing season and tomatoes in particular are very susceptible to frost damage.

Plant these vegetables in early summer when the soil and sun are warmer.

Tools of the vegetable gardener will include a hoe that is used for weeding and marking the rows; often string can be used for this. A garden fork for turning over the soil and mixing in organic matter and a shovel for digging holes are also needed.

Start by clearing the sod, weed and debris, then use the fork to turn over the soil 30 to 35 centimetres deep and incorporate a layer 7.5 to 10 cm thick of compost or composted manure.

Rake and level the garden; loose, well aerated soil allows oxygen to reach plant roots and warm the soil quicker. Another option is to create raised beds which will also heat up faster and can cut down on the distance for bending over. Once the vegetables start to grow, mulch between them and the rows to keep the weeds down and moisture in. Heavy feeders like tomatoes will need extra fertilizer besides that which the soil is providing and rhubarb benefits from an addition of manure every spring.

Seed packets explain thoroughly when to plant, depth, space apart and ways to ensure even moisture for best results. Before long, you will be eating your own home grown vegetables.