How To Start A Garden Vegetable Patch

Have you ever thought of building your own vegetable patch from scratch but are unsure of where to start? Here we take a look at how you can get started with your own vegetable patch and some great tips on what to grow.

Growing your own vegetables is satisfying, fun and extremely rewarding. It is an activity the whole family can get involved with; if younger children help plant and then watch their produce grow they will be more eager to try new fruit and vegetables, improving their diet.

Sunshine

One of the key factors to consider when locating the perfect spot in your garden for your vegetable patch is where does the sun reach most.

Avoid choosing a location for your patch where you will be planting closely to large trees, shrubs, sheds or outbuildings as this will pose a threat of casting too much shade onto your vegetables and will ultimately affect their growth.

Typically vegetables like onions, carrots and chili thrive in the sunshine and can grow to their maximum potential with 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Although sunshine is a must to ensure your vegetables flourish some varieties need to be slightly sheltered and shaded to avoid them becoming over ripe, tomatoes are a prime example of this.

Some protection can be an advantage to protect from harsh weather conditions such as wind, rain and the cold. Simply install a low fence with netting over the top which can easily and cheaply be assembled to protect your vegetables.

Soil

Soil is a crucial element to ensure your vegetable patch flourishes as it provides all the essential nutrients your plants need.

Firstly you will need to examine your existing soil before you begin to prepare and then plant. Ideally the best soil to grow produce in is an equal mix of earth, sand and clay. Many people are unsure of how to check if soil is up to scratch, local garden centres could analyse a sample to assist you with this.

Once you are sure you have the correct soil, it will need cultivating (breaking up) to prepare for planting. Using a cultivator tool will make this job easier.

Compost and manure can then be raked into the soil to help enrich it, after this a layer of topsoil can be laid on top to allow you to plant seeds as the soil underneath begins preparing itself for future planting.

Vegetables which grow all year round are heavy feeders and as a result of this it is vital they are planted in rich soil to ensure strong growth and help them to be resilient to any disease and pests. Types of year round vegetables include: carrots, courgettes, lettuce and beetroot.

It is advised to plant your seeds in raised soil beds so the soil you work with is raised higher than the ground. There are many benefits to this; less risk of people treading on your plants, the soil warms faster in the sunshine and the elevation helps the soils to drain better.

Tools

It is essential that you have the right tools required to not only prepare your vegetable patch but once established to maintain it.

To begin with you will need tools to assist you in preparing the soil which will include the basic tools of a shovel, a trowel and a fork or hoe.

A fork and spade are used to break up large mounds of soil and clay which are often found in gardens and to loosen it in preparation for planting. In particular gardens where the soil is extremely clay like and hard to break down a pickaxe or mattox may need to be used.

Once the soil has been prepared a rake is needed to rid the soil of weeds, rocks or other debris to ensure it is as smooth as possible.

Hand cultivators are also a must have tool to ensure that once you have planted your seeds you are able to maintain the area around them to get rid of weeds and also to mix in any additional organic matter you may add to maintain the soil.

Our extensive range of tools will assist you in every aspect from preparing to maintaining your vegetable patch.

 What to plant

This is the fun and truly unique part of growing your own vegetables as your vegetable patch can be tailor made to suit your tastes and culinary needs.

The first thing to bear in mind is the size of your vegetable patch, don’t be tempted to over crowd the area. Remember vegetables differ greatly in size and yours won’t grow to the full potential if they are fighting for space and water.

The second point to consider is whether to plant seeds from packets, seedlings or ‘starts’ which are already grown and ready to be planted.

Tomatoes, onions, broccoli and peppers are just some examples of seedlings which can be bought and placed straight into your prepared soil. The advantages to these as opposed to seeds are they are quicker to establish into your vegetable patch and ultimately produce your chosen vegetable at a much quicker rate.

Whether you fancy growing the traditional veg such as carrots, leeks, onions etc. Or you fancy trying something a little different such as pak choi or chillies we have a wide selection of seeds to cater for every taste range.

Planting is quick and with easy to read instructions you’re guaranteed to savour every mouthful of your desired vegetable.

Maintenance

Once your vegetable patch is up and running maintaining it is a crucial element to ensuring it blooms.

Regular watering is the key to making your seeds and plants thrive. Although here in the UK we are often graced with frequent showers throughout the year that can’t solely be relied upon to water your vegetables. Growing plants need 2 inches of water per week, more if we are experiencing particularly warm weather.

The devil in every garden is weeds! Your seeds and growing vegetables will not want to compete with surrounding weeds for water so ensure your soil is as weed free as possible by frequently hoeing or cultivating.

Garden pests will also prove an ongoing battle.Slugs are the most common form of pest which wreak havoc, many experienced gardeners advise handpicking them off when found as an effective method.

Your vegetable patch will never be completely free of any level of pest at any given time but regular maintenance and checking of your vegetables will ensure you can eliminate the risk of any damage caused by them.

You can also read our earlier blog which advises how to encourage ‘good’ wildlife in to your garden which will rid it of any pests naturally.

The benefits of growing your own vegetables are never ending and we’re positive that once you start you’ll never look back.

Visit our website where we have everything you need to create your home grown organic vegetable patch.

Published July 30th, 2014 by Jordan. Article ref 2986

Tags: gardening, grow your own, vegetable patch, vegetables

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