Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Vegetable Gardening Tips

By: Tian Xiangyu
Word Count: 453

Vegetable gardening can be enjoyable and relaxing. You can not only get exercise but also get to enjoy the fruits of your labors at the end of the season. Using the right garden accessories, as well as planning ahead, will help you grow a fantastic garden. To get the best results from your garden, there are a few important things to consider.

For the best success, a vegetable garden should be well planned out in advance. The garden location is important. You must take sunlight, drainage, soil quality, and shade from buildings and trees into consideration. A good vegetable garden must have at least six hours of full sun each day in order for your food crops to mature properly. The soil should be very fertile and well draining so that water never puddles after a rain storm. Choose a spot close to a water supply for convenience, and to avoid having to use long lengths of hoses.

Another thing to think about is what kind of vegetables would you like to grow. Think about what vegetables you would buy when you go shopping. Unless you are growing them to give away, you'll probably want to grow vegetables that you will enjoy eating.

Implement flowers and herbs with vegetables, which can add interest, variety and health to your vegetable garden. Flowers or herbs that have strong odors are known to repel pests and help prevent disease. Some vegetables will create exceptional borders and can be used for ornamental purposes.

Vegetables need proper watering. Consistent watering will produce successful results. Don't water at night in hot or humid weather. The moisture and humidity may combine with the high temperatures to promote plant diseases. This may happen when water gathers at the roots or the foliage is allowed to become excessively wet and causing diseases to spread.

It's better to remove weeds by the roots rather than chopping them up with a tiller or cultivator, for many can re-sprout from the chopped-up bits. Get ahead of weeds early in the season and keep them from returning in force with a layer of organic mulch. Don't use wood chips, as they break down they can compete with plants' roots for nutrients. Get a compost pile started and be ready to collect leaves this fall so next year you'll have plenty of free mulch.

Be vigilante against insect pests throughout the growing season. Discovering a bug problem early will make it much easier to take appropriate action and eliminate the pests. Do not use pesticides once the plants have fruited unless it becomes an absolute necessity, and be sure to follow the manufacturers recommendations.


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