A vegetable garden should be placed on level and well drained soil. This area should be kept free from decoration. The location does not have to be ideal to work. Vegetables can thrive in many types of locations, including slopes. A vegetable garden can also be established in a new location as well.
Soil Preparation:
Soil must contain the necessary food elements, as well as be in top mechanical condition. A light dressing of lime, 10 pounds to 100 square feet, will benefit soils for the cultivation of vegetables. Lime is a sweetener for the soil, perfect for growing veggies.
Planting:
The best way to plant a garden is to plan it out on paper. Rows need to run from North to South to get the best use of the morning sun for the east rows, and the afternoon sun in the west rows. If the garden is on a steeping slope, the rows should be arranged across the slopes. This will help to prevent soil erosion and wasteful drainage.
Perennial Crops, like asparagus, rhubarb, artichokes, chives, herbs, and mint should be established in permanent beds. These items are best planted at the end or side of the garden. Vegetables that grows tall, like corn, peas, pole beans, and tomatoes, where they will not create shade for the lower growing plants. Vegetables that have short growing seasons allow several crops to be grown in few months.
Seedbeds:
The first step is to properly spade the ground and break up the large clumps. Then smooth the surface over with a rake, breaking up any remaining clumps and bring the soil to a depth of several inches. Any stones or waste need to be removed. The soil in the bed should not be tramped. Do not prepare any more of the seedbed then what you expect to plant, because if rain comes it can pack down the surface, causing the need for more raking and spading.
Seed Sowing:
Once the seedbed was prepared, stretch a line parallel with the edge of the garden and one foot from the edge to mark the first row, this line can be made from any string you have lying around the house. Tie it to a stake, three feet long, and mark it at 6 inch intervals, to use as a measure to determine the measure of the distance between the rows.
Seeds should be sown in shallow drills. Fine seeds like lettuce, spinach, and carrots, you can create a drill by using the end of the rake or hoe handle, scratched over the soil surface along the line. Other larger seeds need to be planted to a depth of two to three inches. Make sure rows are planted straight, otherwise cultivation may be difficult.
Fine seeds can be planted by shaking them gently from the packet. Sow fine seeds thinly, to you conserve the seed, and will not have to work as hard at thinning the plants out. Cover the seed to loose soil from the rake or by filling in the trenches by scuffing the soil with your feet.
It is best to pack the soil over the seeds with the back of the rake, or firm it down with the hands. This gives your seeds access to more moisture. After covering the seeds, create a short stake or labels to mark what each row is. This is extremely important if you are not familiar with the vegetables you are growing!