Home Vegetable Gardening

By Cathy Ziaja – U. C. Master Gardener

Calling all home vegetable gardeners. It is that time of year to start planning your spring and summer vegetable garden. Spring is just around the corner and now is the time to prepare the garden for your future bountiful harvest.

Before you start, there are a few basic garden guidelines that should be considered. First is location. You will want to choose a site that gets a minimum of eight hours of sunlight for optimum plant growth. Level ground is easier to work with but if your ground slopes, plant your vegetables across the slope. An available water source near the garden is a must. And, by all means, make your garden site convenient to you so you will visit it often.

The second is soil condition. Before you start digging in the garden, check your soil. By using a simple test, you will be able to determine if the soil is too wet to work. Reach down and grab a handful of soil, then squeeze and release it. If a clump forms, it is too wet. Let the soil dry more, otherwise the soil structure could be destroyed and you may end up with hard, cement-like clumps. Now if the clump falls apart, the soil is ready to work.

Third, a productive garden is dependent on nutrients provided by the soil. No matter what soil type you have, good compost is essential. Compost makes the soil light and airy, helps retain soil moisture and provides plenty of nutrients. Additional fertilizers, such as phosphorous for root development and potassium for blossom and fruit development, can also be worked into the soil. Generally, the addition of plenty of good compost will give most vegetable plants a long productive life.

Timing is the forth essential for a successful garden. You will want to plant the right type of plants at the right time of year. Now is the time to put in your spring garden of leafy green vegetables and even transplants of Cole crops (cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower). These vegetables do well in cooler, spring temperatures but bolt (go to seed) as soon as it gets hot. If the ground has not warmed sufficiently, summer crop seeds will not germinate. If a frost comes along, summer vegetable plants will not survive without protection. Therefore, summer crops such as tomatoes, beans, peppers and melons, to name a few, should be planted after any danger of frost. The Master Gardeners of El Dorado County have an excellent Vegetable Planting Guide available at the office. It will guide you in planting seeds and transplants throughout the year.

As you plan your garden, remember to plant vegetables that you like. There is no sense wasting your resources on something that you will not eat. The same is true regarding the size of your garden. The size of your garden should meet the needs of you and your family. This way the garden does not become overwhelming and a burden but stays enjoyable to you. Planting in succession will give you a smaller but continuous harvest to enjoy. Keep in mind as you plant your garden that most vine type plants can be grown upwards. Tomatoes, cucumbers and even melons can be grown vertically using concrete reinforcement wire cages. This not only saves space but also makes harvesting easier.

As your harvest begins, keep the fruits of your labors picked at their peak. This will maximize the amount of vegetables that a plant will produce and give you your bountiful harvest.