Where to Start?
If your are new at this whole gardening thing, start off simple. Where doI start when planting vegetables? You maybe asking your self. When I decided to dabble in gardening I wanted to grow everything! Let me tell you know. DO NOT make that mistake! Lots of waste(if you don’t know how to preserve) and you may not actually eat the foods you grow as often as you would have thought.
So where to start then? Start with writing down all the vegetables, and even fruit you eat! Basically anything you would grow!
After you have done that go back through the list and take out what wouldn’t work for the environment you live in! For example, coconuts in Wisconsin outside isn’t the best decision.
Hint: Looks up your zone! Plant Hardiness Zone Map
After you have done that go take a stroll outside in your yard and big the best area to plant vegtables!
Once you figured out your zone and the possible vegetables to grow you will need to really study your yard. Determined where the sun hits through the day and look at what the vegetables you would like to grow need. Full sun? Part sun? etc…
One example I have would be peppers! Bell peppers to be exact! Bell peppers where a vegetable that people told me not to start with and guess what? I didn’t listen. And I am glad I didn’t listen.
My Failure When Planting Vegetables
As I was saying before I started my first garden with Bell Peppers. They are not exactly the easiest if you want to see more visual progress sooner than, let’s say, baby spinach. Along with peppers I added snap peas! Peas are a super easy vegetable to start with and give you lots to look forward to right away. Yet, pepper are where the learning really happened.
I started out with seeds, which took forever for them to come up, and once they where planted outside I ended up having a few peppers each plant that was no bigger than my palm. But for me and the beginning of my journey that was a success!
With saying all of this when you actually go in heat first but a manageable amount you will learn a lot more than the “advice” people tend to give.
Where do you live? Where to set up shop when planting your vegetables?
Now that you have figured that portion of your garden out you will need to map out how much room you will need for your plants to thrive!
Remember don’t be like me trying to do everything at once. Give your self grace when determining the size of your garden. There are so many little variables are present that when you “fail” you won’t have to sit on the question of how? and why? You will be left with knowing more about the plants, and your environment. Soil, lighting, acidity/alkaline…etc. these are just the few of the example of learning hoops that you may or may not encounter.
Seeds or Seedlings? Make the right choice when planting vegetables.
What’s the difference between seed and seedling? That would be the stage at which the plant is at in its cycle of life.
A seedling is when the plant is extremely young.
A seed is right before the plant erupts. So a seed would need to be planted in soil.
And if you choose a seed you will have to get some dirt and water and create the best enviorment for it to start its life.
Again, don’t start off too picky. You will be able to adjust as you go. When planting vegetables you will find most vegtables are resilient.
How to Choose what to grow?
This is a more so a lifestyle question. You could begin with seeds and then transplant into your garden. But there is also a stage called “hardening off” the plant. This is where you take the time about 2 weeks of preparing your baby plants to endure the harsher conditions of being outside.
Or you could just purchase seedlings, usually already harden off, from your local nursery or store.
PRO TIP: When looking for seedlings you can also check your local farmers market or Facebook market! So you will know exactly where your food is coming from.
Planting Vegetable Tips?
- Don’t go in over your head
- Pick plants you would eat and not waste
- Learn how to preserve your food
- Use each “failure” as a learning experience not a downfall
TBD
Find your Connections
what I mean by find your connections is find other local farmers, homesteader, gardener to ask questions about any problems you encounter. I say this because the internet is just so full of opinions. So having some people in your area is extremely beneficial with tackling issues like plant illness, soil Ph. etc.
Again these are just some issues you don’t want to focus. Pretty much you don’t want to worry until you have something to worry about!
JUST PLANT!
If anything the best way to learn is by not questioning much and just doing it! DO NOT give up and just go in head first! You are really going to learn by making PLENTY of mistakes which is the best way to achieve that green thumb!
You got this!
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