Vegetable Garden Design – Laying Out and Planting Vegetable Gardens

Vegetable garden design is vital as you begin planting vegetable gardens, because it’s important to know how the garden will be ordered out. Companion planting, planting space, and what type of vegetables you want to plant are all elements that must be considered when putting together your garden layout. Here are some helpful tips on how to plan your own garden and begin planting vegetables.

Take Time to Sit Down and Plan

Before choosing a vegetable garden design you need to decide on what variety of vegetables you would like to plant and where you would like to place them. Here are additional factors you need to think about for your garden layout:

* Type of Vegetables * Amount of Light in the Space * Drainage System * Soil Amendments * Garden Space * Additional Space (if needed)

You also need to think about whether you want to plant a variety of vegetables, or you want to grow one type of vegetable. Researching about the amount of light certain vegetables need, and the amount of space needed are both vital facts that need to be considered.

Make a list of vegetable plants you want to use and find the plant stipulations of each, and then compare that with the acquirable garden space you have. This will wage you with an intent of where you need to place certain vegetables in your space.

Choose Your Type of Garden Layout

Vegetable garden design layouts come in three basic types and they are: rows, beds and “potager” style.

The most favourite type is the rows style of layout, which involves planting seeds in a row which can either consist of planting one type of seed in a row or several different types of seed.

The bed type of vegetable garden design is similar to the rows style, but in a smaller way. This design grants you to access the plant beds from the edge of the garden instead of coming from the interior of the planting bed. This grants you to refrain stepping on the beds, which is important, because that tends to harden, or pack down the soil and makes it difficult to alter and dig in the start or spring. An added convenience is that the bed style is a great way to make the most of your acquirable garden space, and for simple gardening, you can even use raised beds.

Of all the styles, the “potager” type is the most decorative vegetable garden design. The word, “potager,” which means kitchen garden in French, is described as geometric, which grants you to plant your garden by color or even food type, in circles or whatever shape you prefer.

Companion Planting as an Option

Companion planting is the placement of different types of plants together that actually help apiece other in the growing process. For instance, Native Americans commonly planted corn, beans and squash together. While the corn gives the beans a place to climb, the beans place nutrients in the soil for its three companions and the shade from the squash leaves provides shade for the plant roots beside it. This preserves water as well as serving in the prevention of weeds. Onions are great companion plants, as well, because they tend to drive aphids and slugs away from other vegetables. Basil and carrots make great companion plants for tomatoes, because they actually improve the tomatoes taste. One final example is horseradish, which when planted with potatoes, will protect them from disease.

This concept is certainly worth spending time on, and will wage you with years of enjoyable and successful gardening. For more information, you can do research in your local library or online for vegetable garden design.