With the high cost of healthy, organic foods, there is no better way to get fresh, inexpensive veggies than to plant your own garden. Unfortunately, many Americans reject the idea outright because they lack experience. But planting a vegetable garden using topsoil is not only easy and fun, but it also doesn't take much time. In fact, almost all of the hard work can be completed on the first day. So circle a date on the calendar when the whole family has a clear schedule and enlist the kids to help. Where To Start A vegetable garden really only needs three things to survive: sunlight, water, and topsoil. So, the first thing you must do is find a place in your yard that gets a lot of sunshine. Once you have selected a spot, mark it off with either masking tape or washable spray paint. But before you start digging, you must do a bit of planning. Vegetable Garden Layout Because each plant will need between 18 to 24 inches of room to grow, you must decide how many veggies you want and make the calculations. If the patch of earth you have selected is not large enough to support that number of plants, you can either scale back or start another plot later on. Getting Dirty After you have removed the layer of grass, let the kids lend a hand with loosening up the topsoil. This is an essential step that helps aerate the soil and will later help water penetrate more easily down to the plant roots. After the earth has been turned, you can dig your holes. The standard depth for a plant is about twelve inches. If you do not have at least two inches of topsoil, it may be necessary to buy some nutrient-rich blends from your local garden supply store. You can also add about two inches of compost to your plot. This will also help add air and nutrients to your soil. Just make sure you don't use too much. You only need about ten to twenty percent compost in your soil, or you may end up over-fertilizing it. Planting Schedule Lastly, it is important to know which crops to add when you're building your garden. Certain vegetables grow best when sown in the spring or fall while others flourish when started in the summer. The most popular summer plants include tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and squash. The most popular fall and spring veggies include broccoli, peas, spinach, and lettuce. Tending Your Plot After the seeds have been sown, your only responsibility is making sure they receive enough water during a dry spell. Oh, and patience, of course. The average crop will be ready to pick in about two to four months. And that's how easy growing a vegetable garden can be! When considering topsoil, PA residents visit Britton Industries. Learn more at http://www.brittonindustries.com/Britton-Industries-Topsoil-p/bri-topsoil.htm.
Related Articles -
topsoil, pa,
|