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Vegetable Garden Care
Planting and Caring for Your Vegetable Garden!Once you have decided where to construct your garden and how much space you will need, the fun begins. Planting a garden is a very rewarding and enjoyable undertaking that all members of the family can participate in, especially the youngest ones!
At the farm our preference is to plant vegetables in raised beds versus planting in rows in the ground. Although constructing raised beds requires an initial investment of both time and money, the rewards you will reap in increased productivity and improved soil condition are worth it.
Raised beds are more productive for several reasons:
- Foot / cart traffic is restricted to garden paths, therefore the soil in raised beds remains loose and friable.
- The construction of raised beds gives you the opportunity to correct a site which slopes or has poor drainage.
- The soil which you fill the raised beds with can easily be mixed to be the ideal PH and porosity for the vegetables you wish to grow.
- Proper crop rotation is much easier to accomplish with raised beds than standard garden rows.
- The soil in raised beds heats up faster than ground soil in the spring, allowing you to typically start planting 1-2 weeks earlier than in a standard inground garden row.
When to Plant Vegetables:
The time at which vegetables are planted outdoors depends on the cold hardiness of a particular species or cultivar. Vegetables can be divided into two categories based on temperature requirements: cool-season and warm-season crops.
Cool-season vegetables originated in temperate climates and have their favorable growth period during the cool parts of the year. Cool-season crops grow poorly in summer heat. Typical cool-weather crops include: arugula, beet, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, chicory, escarole, kale, lettuce, onion, peas, radish, spinach and turnips. Though cool-season crops continue to grow well past the earliest freeze in the fall, they should be started early enough to mature before hard freezes are expected. Cool-weather crops can be planted in the early spring and then again later in the summer.
Warm-season crops primarily came from subtropical and tropical regions and require warm weather for seed germination and plant growth. They are injured or killed by freezing temperatures and should not be planted outdoors in the spring without protection or until the danger of freezing temperatures is past. Warm-season crops planted in the summer to mature in the fall should be planted early enough so they can be harvested before the killing freeze in the fall. Typical warm-weather vegetable crops include: cantaloupe, carrot, corn, cucumber, eggplant, lima bean, okra, parsnip, pepper, potato, pumpkin, snap bean, summer squash, sweet potato, tomato, watermelon and winter squash.
Fertilizing Your Vegetable Garden:
If you have properly prepared your soil with ample organic amendments prior to planting in the spring, the nutrients in the soil should be sufficient enough for a years worth of vegetables. Some gardeners though like to apply additional fertilizer in the summer to boost production or if you are planting in succession or interplanting, an additional dose of fertilizer will benefit the growth of your vegetables. If you do add additional fertilizer stay away from synthetics such as Miracle Gro and Scotts and opt instead for an organic liquid fertilizer that is fish or kelp based such as Maxi-crop. Organic liquid fertilizer should be applied very early in the morning when the air is still cool. After application wait several hours then hose off any excess on the leaves to prevent sunburn. If you use a granular fertilizer make sure that it does not come in contact with the stem of the plant as most vegetables have tender stems.
How Many Seeds to Plant in Your Vegetable Garden:
Use the chart below to help you decide how many plants you will need to plant of each variety. The chart uses the average consumption of a family of four for each variety. Each year that you grow a vegetable garden you will be able to gain a better feel for how much you need to grow of each variety to get your desired yield. Remember when planting your garden always include a little extra to give away to neighbors, friends, elderly individuals or to a food bank for those who are less fortunate than you. Growing your own vegetables organically is a great way to provide your family with healthy, high nutritious food and the perfect way to help others in your community.
Type |
Spacing |
Plant per 4 Persons |
Seeds Needed |
Seeds/oz |
Seeds/gram |
| Asparagus | 9" to 12" | 32 plants | 32 | 1300 | 46 |
| Bush Beans | 4" to 6" | 80 to 120 foot row | 360 | 90 | 3 |
| Beets | 4" | 60 foot row | 180 | 1000-2750 | 37-99 |
| Broccoli | 24' to 30" | 12 to 15 plants | 15 | 5000-9300 | 174-330 |
| Cabbage | 24' to 36" | 12 to 15 plants | 15 | 2750-10500 | 99-370 |
| Carrots | 2" to 4" | 40 foot row | 240 | 11000-24300 | 385-850 |
| Cauliflower | 18" to 24" | 12 to 15 plants | 15 | 5000-9300 | 174-330 |
| Corn | 8" to 12" | 140 foot row | 210 | 135-400 | 5-6 |
| Cucumbers | 8" to 36" | 6 to 8 plants | 8 | 1000 | 35 |
| Kohlrabi | 6" to 8" | 12 to 15 foot row | 30 | 7300-9300 | 257-330 |
| Leaf Lettuce | 12" | 20 to 30 foot row | 30 | 26500 | 935 |
| Mustard | 6" | 3 to 4 plants | 4 | 13125 | 462 |
| Green Onions | 1" to 2" | 10 foot row | 120 | 13000 | 440 |
| Peas | 2" | 120 to 160 foot row | 960 | 100 | 3 |
| Peppers | 18" to 24" | 6 to 10 plants | 10 | 4300 | 154 |
| Pumpkins | 36" to 48" | 3 plants | 3 | 185 | 6 |
| Radishes | 2" | 20 foot row | 120 | 2000-4500 | 70-160 |
| Spinach | 12" | 10 to 20 foot row | 20 | 1500-4000 | 50-150 |
| Squash | 36" to 48" | 3 plants | 3 | 260 | 10 |
| Tomatoes | 24" to 36" | 10 to 15 plants | 15 | 10000-11875 | 350 |
| Turnips | 4" to 6" | 10 to 15 foot row | 45 | 7800-15300 | 275-530 |
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