Vegetable Gardening Efficiently – Only what You Need

A common mistake among newbie gardeners is planting more produce than they can handle. As eagerness goes unchecked, first-timers find themselves getting carried away and adding more without understanding what’ll happen come harvest time. You may have a hard time even giving away all those radishes.

Vegetable Gardening Efficiently – spread the joy of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Instead of simply growing as mush as your garden row allows, plan your garden with your vegetable consumption in mind. This is key to economical grocery gardening, a popular trend for many households across the United States. Start with what your family will actually consume and then plant accordingly (take into account failed seedlings, insect invasions, and offerings for the birds, too!).

The nation has seen about a 30% growth in the number of families growing their own vegetables since 2009. Its popularity is the result of many factors, including saving money, food safety, transportation costs ($0), and the benefits of exercise and family togetherness as well. With all of these benefits, it’s no wonder Americans are coming to love the taste of “fresh-picked.”

Because of the problem of growing more than a family can consume, many new-gardeners are put off. To avoid getting overwhelmed, many experts recommend you start with a four by four foot garden bed close to the house. Decorate the garden with flowers and other plants that you’d enjoy growing. If you’re not sure you’d want a garden, but like the idea of trying it out, simply try throwing in a few herbs into your existing flower bed.

Staples with which a gardener should begin include green onions, carrots, and herbs—all of these give great yield with little space, and extras can be stored for weeks in the refrigerator.

Plan your system by calculating growth cycles. For example, for a veggie your family loves, like lettuce, do the math. This veggie takes about 50 days to mature from seed and an additional week to sprout. Progressive planting throughout the growing season ensures that you won’t have too much of a good thing at harvest time, and will spread the joy of fresh vegetables and fruits throughout the growing months.