The gardening season is already here and every gardener is getting to work! Growing your own vegetables, what could be more useful and healthy! Of course, there is a lot to do in the vegetable garden so that you can prepare the vegetable beds. A good garden starts with good soil - and there's no better example than a vegetable garden. Ensure a bountiful harvest by doing all the preparation steps correctly. Our step-by-step instructions will definitely help you!
Preparing vegetable beds – Choose a suitable location
Most vegetables need a sunny and protected place to grow well. Therefore, you should grow your vegetable garden in a place that gets plenty of light. At least 5 hours of sun a day will promote growth. As a rule of thumb, an area that is good for sunbathing is also an ideal place for growing vegetables.
Avoid places that don't have oneProvide wind protection, because wind will weaken or break the stems. You can build a fence or hedge next to your vegetable garden to protect your vegetables.
Mark and clear the vegetable patch of weeds
It's a good idea to delimit the vegetable patch. How do you proceed? Draw a square or rectangle of the desired size. Check the right angles by measuring the diagonals and adjusting them if necessary.
Next, cut the sod with a spade and remove it. Remove all kinds of weeds from your vegetable patch. Always remove the plant by the roots, otherwise it may simply grow back. Dig the soil with a garden fork and turn it about a spade deep. Make sure the soil is thoroughly loosened.
What kind of soil is suitable for vegetable beds?
Of course, many gardeners ask the question of what soil is suitable for vegetable gardens. For the vegetable garden you need high quality soil, this is very important if you want a good harvest. Make sure the soil is rich in organic matter and contains lots of nutrients.
Don't forget compost and mulch
Compost is one of the most important sources of nutrients for your vegetable garden. Making your own compost is easy and inexpensive.Find out herehow to make your own compost.
Regular addition of compost benefits all types of vegetables. What function does compost serve in the garden? It helps sandy soils to retain water and gives clay soils a lighter consistency to prevent waterlogging. So, before planting your vegetable patch, add a bag of compost to the soil and work it in thoroughly.
Likewise, add a thick layer of mulch. What is mulch used for? This allows you to control the weeds. Mulch also helps conserve soil moisture. This means you don't have to water your vegetable garden as often. Mulch also adds nutrients to the soil, and as it decomposes it helps build rich, fertile garden soil. If you prefer, you can lay down a thick layer of newspaper before mulching your vegetable garden to help control weeds. You can mulch your garden with straw. This is an inexpensive option.
Do not till wet soil
You should never till wet soil, even if you are impatient for sowing. Working the soil too early can severely damage the soil structure and hinder future plant growth. Wait until the soil has dried slightly before working on it. This is also easier and simpler.
Finally start planting
Now your vegetable patch has been prepared and you can finallystart sowing. Consider the right conditions for each type of vegetable, when and how to sow. If you plant in generous rows, your vegetables will have enough space to thrive. You can label your rows so you know what is growing where.
In fact, it is important to make sure that there is enough space between plants so that they can grow and not compete with each other for water and nutrients. This makes maintenance and gardening tasks easier for you.
Always try to use fresh seeds as this will ensure optimal germination. For most seeds, the germination rate decreases from year to year. If you are sowing larger seeds, you can easily sow them by hand, and for smaller seeds, you can use a seed dispenser.
