Fresh lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and radishes, this is what you get by starting a vegetable garden. When you can’t find fresh vegetables locally, try growing your own, starting small and planting what you like to eat is the first step. Make sure that all your plants need the same growing requirements and not needing more time and attention that you can give them. If you are starting small, don’t start with a large variety, more of the same will be best if you won’t always have the same amount of time to devote on your garden.

Planting on a cool day (if you can) as opposed to a hot sultry one will cause less stress on you and your plants. Water your plants in the pots they came in the day before you plan to plant them and never leave them in the pots in the sun, they will Dry Out. Loosen the roots before planting, this gives them room to spread out and grow when transplanted into the ground. Plant the plant at the same depth as the pot it came out of, not to high or the roots will show and dry out and burn and not to deep or the stem will rot.

Once you have them in the ground cover with soil but don’t press to hard when covering them, watering will help them to settle into the soil. Remember to water your garden as soon as you have finished planting and be sure to give it a least one inch of water a week. On hot dry summer days some afternoon wilting is normal but you will need to water more often. If your plants are wilting in the evening chance are they are stressed from the heat or are not getting enough water and or not enough nutrients, if it s been extremely hot, you will need to water more often.

If your vegetable garden is small plant vegetables that will give you a longer harvest, such as tomatoes, lettuce and beans. Keep in mind that tomatoes will need to be staked or caged but they can be pruned (cut back) allowing for air to circulate. Other appetite appealing vegetables that grow well are bell peppers, cucumbers, radishes herbs and carrots. In the long run growing, harvesting and eating your own home grown vegetables at mealtime in the summer will be the best part of the summer season.


Eudora DeWynter offers tips on Starting a Vegetable Gardenon her blog at http://www.gardentoolguru.com