The art of vegetable gardening has always been considered as one of the most fascinating and enjoyable past times. This hobby is very much in demand nowadays, as people are becoming more and more health conscious. It is a healthy way to spend your leisure time. There are various ways to get started with this hobby. You can choose from several different types of vegetables. You can also use various types of soil for growing these plants. The choice of soil and the type of vegetable will depend on your budget and your availability of space. Here are some tips to help you get started.
Choosing Your Soil
The first thing that you need to do is to decide what kind of soil you want to use. You can choose from different types of soils such as potting mix, sand, clay, peat moss, compost and even a mixture of all of them. The best option is to use a combination of all of them. You can start by purchasing a good quality organic soil. You can buy this from any garden store or online. If you don’t have enough money to buy it, then you can just make your own soil using the ingredients listed below.
Ingredients:
1/3 part peat moss
1/3 part perlite
1/3 part vermiculite
1/3 part bark chips
1/3 part coarse sand
1/3 part composted manure
1/3 part lime
2 parts horticultural grit
1 part bone meal
1 part superphosphate
Mix the above ingredients together well and keep aside.
If you want to save time, then you can prepare this mix at home. All you need to do is to add all the ingredients to a large bucket and mix them well. You can use this soil mix for all types of vegetables. However, if you want to grow only one type of vegetable, then you can purchase it separately.
Planting Your Vegetables
After you have prepared the soil, you need to plant your vegetables. Planting is the most important step in the process. Make sure that you plant your vegetables in the right position. You can plant them either in rows or in a single layer. You should also ensure that they receive adequate sunlight. Watering is also an important step. You should water your plants regularly. However, you should not overdo this. Over watering can lead to root rot. In order to avoid this, you should make sure that you water your plants when the soil is dry.
Harvesting Your Vegetables
You can harvest your vegetables once they reach maturity. You should wait until the leaves become yellow. After that, you can cut the stem at the bottom of the plant and take it out. You should also remove any weeds from around the plant. After harvesting, you should let the plant dry for a few days before storing it.
