10 essential gardening tips for a bountiful vegetable garden

Experts share their gardening tips to grow vegetables successfully — Photo courtesy of cjp / E+

You’ve visited the local farmers markets in search of gardening tips, sampled homegrown vegetables, and enjoyed the overabundance of produce from your neighbors, but this year, you’ve decided to plant your own vegetable garden. How hard could it be, right?

Whether it’s your first year home gardening or you need some pointers on how to plant a successful vegetable garden, we’ve asked some experts to share their gardening tips, so your vegetable garden doesn’t just grow — it thrives. Here’s what they had to say.

How to plant a vegetable garden

Location, location, location

This rule doesn’t only apply to real estate. Where you plant your vegetable garden can make (or break) its success. You should consider the amount of sun the spot gets, along with identifying the closest water sources and what the soil composition is like. All of these things are important in determining the location of your garden.

“Your plants need plenty of sunlight — ideally at least six hours during the summer,” says Bret Douglas, horticulturist and owner of Ironclad Landscape Management in Florida. “In the cooler seasons like spring and fall, you might be able to get by with four hours, depending on what you’re growing. If your garden doesn’t get enough sunlight, your plants won’t thrive, no matter how much effort you put in.”

Another key part of deciding on your garden’s location is knowing the zone in which you live. Some plants won’t thrive in certain areas due to temperature, sun exposure, and rainfall averages, so it’s important to purchase plants or seeds that can grow in your region. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) identifies this as planting zones, and they can be found on the envelopes of seeds or by consulting the USDA’s website.

Know your vegetable garden’s soil pH

Not all soil is the same, so you might find it beneficial to research the pH of your soil and how that could affect the growth of your garden.

Anthony Urso, a micro-homesteader and avid gardener for more than 15 years, says understanding soil composition is imperative to having a successful garden.

“One-size-fits-all doesn’t work when it comes to gardening,” says Urso. “Certain plants thrive in specific soil types. Carrots love soft, loamy soil that allows roots to grow deep and straight. Cabbage prefers slightly acidic, nutrient-rich soil to develop firm, healthy heads. Soil amendments like compost, lime, or sulfur can help adjust conditions to meet your plants’ needs.”

Nurseries often sell soil-testing kits. You also can reach out to community gardening groups or local resources, such as agriculture extension offices, to learn more about soil testing in your area.

Make a plan before planting a garden

You might be tempted to just start planting in your free space, but when it comes to gardening, it’s best to have a vision and direction.

“Make a plan — yes, on paper,” says Madeline Hooper, host of the PBS show, “GardenFit.” “It’s important to measure your area and know how many plants you will need to fill the planting spaces.”

Douglas adds that a simple garden sketch can make harvesting easier.

“It’s important to know what plants you’re growing and where to plant them,” he says. “Grouping similar plants together based on their soil and watering needs can lead to healthier growth.”

Avoiding overcrowding is an important gardening tip — Photo courtesy of aluxum / E+

Give them space

Less is more when it comes to planting. If you plant too close together, it can lead to overcrowding.

“Some plants can be placed close together, while others need plenty of room to spread out,” says Douglas. “Understanding the growth patterns of your vegetables and herbs will help maximize your yield.”

Juliet Howe, a horticulturalist and founder of Twigs Designs in Connecticut, couldn’t agree more, especially if you want to stay on good terms with your neighbors.

“Don’t plant too much,” she says. “It’s really hard not to. When the seedlings are small, it is so easy to want all of them. You neither want your garden to be crowded nor do you want a yield of so much zucchini that you are off-loading it into your neighbor’s mailboxes before sunrise.”

Shower them with water — but not too much

You might think that giving your garden lots of water is showing it love, but too much water can be a recipe for disaster. When plants get overwatered it actually weakens their roots or leads to rot, so make sure you’re watering your garden based on your plants’ needs and not your urge to keep them glistening in the sunlight.

Urso says it’s most helpful to your plants if you aim to keep the soil moist an inch below the surface. “If the topsoil is dry but the lower layers are damp, your plants are fine,” he says.

He also suggests watering at the base of your growing vegetables as that’s where hydration matters most. Too many wet leaves might encourage disease. Watering in the morning is also ideal. “This allows plants to absorb moisture before the heat of the day, reducing evaporation and preventing fungal issues,” he says.

Give them the nutrients they need

Just like you need important nutrients to perform at your best, your plants do too. For a vegetable garden, this can be made possible through composting. According to the USDA, food scraps and yard waste can make up 20% to 30% of what Americans throw away, and composting is a way of recycling these items naturally. When these items are allowed to decompose naturally, you’re able to add nutrients to the soil without chemical fertilizers.

“A compost pile isn’t just a heap of kitchen scraps and yard waste,” Urso says. “It’s a living, breathing ecosystem that requires balance.”

For more gardening tips and tricks on how to compost properly, visit the USDA.

Remember the Rule of 3 when planting a garden — Photo courtesy of cjp / E+

Rotate your crop

If you find you enjoy vegetable gardening and want to make it an annual activity, it’s important to educate yourself on the benefits of crop rotation. Urso says this concept is as simple as remembering the Rule of 3.

“One of the most important principles in gardening is crop rotation,” he says, “and the Rule of 3 is a simple way to remember it: Don’t plant crops from the same family in the same spot more than once every 3-4 years.” Repeated planting of the same plant in the same spot can cause nutrient depletion in the soil. It also can attract soil-derived diseases.

Protect your bounty

If you grow a successful vegetable garden, word will travel fast amongst your wildlife friends, so consider protecting your bounty with fencing or other natural deterrents, including other plants.

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“No one wants to recreate Chevy Chase’s relationship with the groundhog in ‘CaddyShack,’” says Howe. “A fence around your vegetable garden will save you all kinds of heartache. If it’s possible, your fence should be 7 to 8 feet high.”

If fencing is not a possibility or you’re looking to make your garden a chemical-free zone, you can use a natural pest deterrent. Flowers like marigolds planted amongst your vegetable garden can help repel pesky insects like aphids.

Worry less about trends

You might be joining a vegetable gardening trend, but our experts say growing a successful garden is less about trending practices and more about embracing how the vegetable garden best serves you.

“Some gardeners plant things just because they look beautiful but have no real plan for using them,” says Douglas. “While a garden should be visually appealing, its primary purpose should be functionality — grow what you’ll actually eat. Keep the ornamental plants in your landscape beds and let your garden work for you. Your stomach will thank you.”

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Be patient

They say good things come to those who wait, and this might be especially true when it comes to vegetable gardening.

“Every gardener learns by trial and error,” Hooper says. “Plants do die from certain factors like an unusual drought, an invasion of whiteflies, or very hungry bunnies. A good gardener is one who has moved the same plant several times until finding exactly the right home for it for practical reasons and creative preferences. Be patient.”