Good soil is crucial for healthy vegetables to grow and flourish. You may procure a soil testing kit from your home improvement store or if the service is offered, they can do a test with a soil sample you provide. Compost or gardening soil like Miracle-Gro® Organics Garden Mix For Vegetables & Herbs will give that added boost of nutrients for a robust harvest. Layer your soil as per your veggie type and use a hoe or a tiller to get rid of rocks and weeds. Another secret soil tip: you can assess how good your soil drainage is by looking at what happens after it rains. If puddles appear, raised garden beds are a more viable option.
let’s get this garden party started
From reduced pandemic life activities to increased grocery prices, more and more people are embracing the art of growing your own vegetables.
Whether you’re totally green or a seasoned sprouter, here are our tips for starting and growing your own vegetable garden.
vegetable gardening 101
Decide how much time you wish to put into your garden and the types of veggies you wish to sow and grow. Aim for a minimum of 6 hours of daily sunlight. Choose which veggies need to be grown in the ground, raised garden beds, or containers (and which ones are ok with a combination of those).
timing is everything
Vegetable harvests vary so that means your gardening timing will too. Some veggies prefer cooler weather, like carrots, peas, broccoli, lettuce, and spinach, so springtime is good for planting, before the last frost. They can often be re-planted for a later harvest that same year.
Once the frost is over and the soil has warmed, get ready to plant vegetables like corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, who like sun-kissed warmth.
feed the seeds
Now that you’ve planted your veggie garden, you can water it, preferably in the morning. This prevents disease, as the plants will be drier by nightfall. The amount of food and water a vegetable needs depends on its type (for instance, eggplants require more than lettuce.) A month after planting, you may introduce water-soluble plant food, like Miracle-Gro®Organics Plant Food for Vegetables and Herbs , adding it every week.
weeds be gone with mulch
Mulch is an effective and attractive way to prevent destructive weeds from growing by blocking their sunlight. Simply apply about an 8cm / 3-inch blanket of mulch like Scotts® Nature Scapes® Mulch around your veggie planter or garden. Mulch also keeps the soil moist and cool.
