Starting a garden is like a building, it's all about the location. Like all plants, vegetables need the sun to start photosynthesis. Fastest growing vegetables need full sun Fastest growing vegetables need full sun at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day without trees, shrubs, or fences blocking. That's why you won't be very successful if you plant sun-loving vegetables in shaded spaces.
If your garden provides partial shade, plant vegetables and herbs that tolerate those conditions, such as lettuce, kale, chard, spinach, chives, coriander, parsley, and thyme. Root vegetables, such as carrots, radishes, and beets, might also work if your site gets at least 4 hours of direct sunlight a day. Or if you have a sunny patio, switch to pot gardening. That way, you can place vegetables and herbs that you like from the sun, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, basil, dill, and rosemary, where they do well.
Place plants in rows at least 18 inches apart so you can easily walk between them. This approach makes more sense for large orchards because the rows make it easy to use mechanical equipment, such as tillers, to combat weeds. The downside is that the space reserved for the trails reduces the amount of vegetables you can plant. Increase the productivity of your garden with intensive cultivation, which means you can place two or three plants together in a bed approximately 4 feet wide (also known as a wide row).
Seeds are sown or transplants are placed so that their leaves barely touch at maturity. This approach, which uses almost every square centimeter of prepared soil, works well for most types of vegetables, excluding those that get tangled, such as cucumbers. The disadvantage of this method is that you have to weed by hand because the plants grow close together. Starting an orchard? Dream big, but start small and expand as you gain experience.
Raised beds make efficient use of space and keep maintenance to a minimum. I recommend using a flat-blade shovel (mine has a short D-shaped handle that makes the job easier) to cut grass into strips that are only slightly wider than the blade of the shovel. Start around the outside of the garden and work towards the center, cutting it into strips. You don't have to cut deep; maybe about 3 inches.
Spread an inch of compost on the soil after removing the grass. It can be compost that you made yourself, if you already have a container. It can be leaf compost made from harvested leaves that many municipalities in the U.S. UU.
Give away for free (call your local municipality and ask them if they do, you'll be surprised). Or it could be compost that you buy on the stock exchange or truck from your local nursery or garden supply company. Hell, you can even buy bagged compost online. I like Wholly Cow, Coast of Maine Bumper Crop, Blue Ribbon or Wiggle Worm molds.
Yes, I know this is a controversial step, especially for experienced gardeners who have decided not to turn the soil further to avoid the destruction of soil microbes and other types of soil life. However, when you start a new orchard in an area previously covered with grass and need to start growing fast, it's a step you'll want to take. Lawn areas are compacted and, when installing a new orchard, it quickly loosens and moves the compost closer to the root zone of your future plants. It should be added periodically to the organic garden, by far the most useful substance for building and maintaining healthy and well-balanced soil is organic matter.
It's also best to learn some gardening basics before investing a lot of time and money in this new hobby. We've provided a step-by-step guide on how to make a backyard garden in your home or other outdoor space. You'll also find that the taste and texture of garden-grown produce is even better than what you're used to finding at the grocery store. If you have the room and, more importantly, the time and energy needed to grow a huge garden well, do it.
Although I don't have to deal with rainforest wildlife, these tips for keeping deer out of the garden can also be useful to you. I'll also share some other ways of gardening that are easy, but require a little more financial input. In addition to buying plants and seeds for your new garden, this is the only step that could cost you some money. Plan to plant something new in the garden almost every week of the season, from the first cold-resistant vegetables and peas in late winter or early spring, to heat-loving transplants such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, once the weather turns warm and settles in.
Before sharing what I think is the best step-by-step technique for quickly setting up a low-budget orchard, it's important to discuss how to choose the best site for a new orchard. In the same way, make a habit of writing it down each time you apply organic matter or fertilizer to the garden, or the dates when you plant or start harvesting a crop. For larger quantities of insects, try insecticidal spray soaps that you can find at most garden centers. People want to know where their food comes from, but if you don't start your garden right, it will be a short-term exercise, fraught with weeds, too much work and disappointing results.
Since my younger sister started college this year, my mother should finally have time to create a garden where she can grow her vegetables and any other plants she wants. . .
