If you’ve always wanted to grow your own vegetables and feel that now is the time to start but

don’t know how to begin, here are some basic tips:

Where to plant?
Most vegetables require 6 to 8 hours a day of direct sun, so a plot with a southern or southwestern
exposure is perfect. Avoid low areas that tend to drain poorly. As a beginner, keep your plot to 100
square feet or less. That size will take you roughly an hour to prepare, an hour to plant and a half
hour each week to weed, water and harvest.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have the perfect location — almost nobody does. Consider using
several small areas to take advantage of fragmented sunny spots. Or interplant vegetables in your
flower garden. Many vegetables grow well in containers on a sunny porch. (Container plants dry
out faster than garden soil, so you have to be diligent about watering, and these will also require
more fertilizer than vegetables grown in the ground.)

Soil prep 
Soil in our area typically has sufficient nutrients to grow vegetables. Do not disturb the soil until it
is dry enough to be worked. Wait until a handful of soil crumbles a bit after you if give it a gentle
squeeze. There’s no reason to haul in topsoil, but do remove any weeds where you plan to grow
your crops.

It’s a good idea to check the soil pH and correct this if needed (pH is the relative acidity or
alkalinity that determines nutrient availability.) It’s also a good idea to mix in organic matter such
as compost. And you’ll want to fertilize occasionally, especially if the vegetables you plant are
heavy feeders, such as tomatoes. Consult seed packages and Cornell Cooperative Extension for
information on fertilizer requirements for specific vegetables.

Critter control 
Your hard work will be for naught if you don’t varmint-proof your garden. Unless your vegetables
are in containers on an inaccessible deck or patio, this means erecting a tall fence for deer, and one
that extends out at least 12 inches horizontally from the base (a few inches under the soil surface) so
rabbits and woodchucks don’t burrow. For accessible container gardens, consider covering plants
with hardware cloth cages or supported plastic mesh so critters don’t have a feast on your porch.

What to grow?
Plant what you know your family will eat; if they tolerate only vegetable basics, don’t go wild with
kale and bok choy. This first year of your garden, consider growing easy vegetables that typically
taste better homegrown than store-bought, such as peas, snap beans and some salad greens. Good
for small spaces: salad greens, beets, herbs, hot peppers, radishes, snap beans. Tomatoes may be
more of a challenge. Start with small to medium-fruited varieties that have multiple disease-
resistance. Know that broccoli, cabbage, corn, cucumber, melons and squash take up a lot of room
and can get buggy.
Various types of lettuce grow in vegetable gardens
Cate Gillon, Getty Images

How to plant and how much to grow?

Plant tall vegetables in the back (north side) of your garden so they don’t cast shadows on smaller
plants. Save space by trellising crops that produce runners or vines, such as squash and pole beans.
You can group plants together with similar requirements, such as those that tolerate a bit of shade,
or group early crops together so you can plant a second batch more easily. You can plant in rows or
in “blocks” of plants; the latter provides a higher yield.

Avoid growing too many plants of one crop. A few productive tomato plants can supply the average
family more than enough fruit. A few square feet of radishes or lettuce can overwhelm you; if you
plant several at a time biweekly, you’ll have a steadier supply of produce. Follow advice on seed
packages or seedling pots for planting, spacing and yield information.

Care and harvest 

Keep seeded areas evenly moist until plants emerge. Mature vegetables typically require an inch of
water per week. A good, deep soaking is better than frequent, light waterings. To minimize
diseases, water early in the morning and try not to wet leaves. Fertilize only as necessary. Suppress
weeds with a thin layer of organic mulch or pluck them when they’re young; they otherwise
compete with your vegetables for light and water. Harvest vegetables regularly and at their peak for
continued production (and best flavor).