Vegetable Gardening

Instructions Step 1: Choose a site Choose a gardening site with full sun, good irrigation, and crumbly soil. Step 2: Till the soil Till the soil to remove any underlying weeds and to aerate the soil. TIP: If you need to add soil to a garden, choose soil that has a low sand content. Step …

Instructions Step 1: Get a container Find a large plastic container for your upside down plant. Ready-made planters are sold at gardening stores, but you can make your own out of almost any kind of large plastic cylinder. TIP: Reduce, reuse, and recycle by using a 2-liter soda bottle, milk jug, plastic bucket, hanging plant …

Instructions Step 1: Prepare soil Prepare soil in a bed that gets plenty of sun. Tomatoes prefer fertile soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.8 that drains well. The soil should be rich in organic matter. TIP: A soil pH test kit can be purchased at any gardening retailer. Step 2: Choose healthy plants …

Instructions Step 1: Remove the yucca from the soil Remove the yucca from its container if it gets too tall. Pruning isn’t necessary for outdoor yuccas, but you can use the same pruning method there as well. TIP: The best time to prune yuccas is in the early spring, just before they enter their growth …

Instructions Step 1: Pick the right culture Pick the right culture spores for your skill level — oyster and button mushrooms are the easiest to grow, while shiitake and morel mushrooms can be difficult. TIP: Search online for the different types of spores and their difficulties. Step 2: Choose a growing area Choose a growing …

Instructions Step 1: Wash and prep cartons Cut the tops off the milk cartons evenly around all sides and wash them to remove milk residue. Then use a pencil to punch 4 to 5 holes through each side of both cartons. Step 2: Sterilize sawdust and coffee Put the sawdust and coffee grounds into a …

Instructions Step 1: Start babysitting co-op Start a babysitting co-op. Take turns watching each others children without pay and let one another enjoy a night out with their significant others. Step 2: Start a produce co-op Start a produce co-op. Have different neighbors grow different fruits, vegetables, and flowers, and share the harvest with each …

Instructions Step 1: Evaluate available sunshine Evaluate the available sunshine, keeping in mind most vegetables require about 6 hours of full sun daily to make container gardening viable. TIP: Lettuce, carrots, and onions tolerate partial shade. Step 2: Choose container Choose a large container that provides plenty of room for growth and good drainage. Line …

Instructions Step 1: Choose a sunny spot Choose a sunny location with good drainage and plenty of space for the vines to stretch out. Step 2: Test the soil Test the soil for a pH of 6.5 to 6.8 and add lime or granulated fertilizer as necessary. Step 3: Apply manure Apply cow or horse …

Instructions Step 1: Determine type Determine which variety of lima bean you want to grow and decide whether you want to grow a bush or a pole plant. Step 2: Start indoors Start your seedlings indoors 2 to 3 weeks before you intend to transplant them. Do not move the plants outside until after the …

Instructions Step 1: Buy crowns Buy asparagus crowns at your local nursery or through a catalog. TIP: You can start with seeds, but seeds take longer to grow. Step 2: Find a spot Select a well-draining site that gets at least partial sun. Full sun is not necessary. Step 3: Prepare soil Make sure the …

Instructions Step 1: Provide adequate light Locate your plant where it gets enough light. Some species do well with as little as two hours of light per day; others need six to 10. Step 2: Water lightly Water the plant no more than once every two weeks though spring, summer, and fall. Allow the potting …

Instructions Step 1: Choose a container Choose a container for your tomatoes. Be sure to use something with adequate drainage that has a diameter of at least 12 inches. Step 2: Buy undemanding varieties Buy tomato varieties that don’t demand too much water so they stay strong throughout the summer. TIP: Buy plants marked “patio …

Instructions Step 1: Identify main stem Identify the main stem of the tomato plant in your garden, which can become more difficult with larger plants. Follow the stem up from the soil. Step 2: Identify the first leader Identify the first leader stem that comes out of your main stem. It will usually be the …

Instructions Step 1: Get a guide to vegetable plants from a home store or garden supply shop. It will list the different plant “families” or groupings. Step 2: From season to season, avoid growing vegetables from same family in the same garden. Step 3: For the best results, develop a three-year rotation plan, such as …

Instructions Step 1: Choose your garlic Choose the type of garlic you’d like to grow. There are two garlic categories, softnecks and hardnecks. Step 2: Prepare the bed Prepare your bed by loosening the soil and adding fertilizer such as compost. Step 3: Plant the cloves Plant as close to the autumnal equinox as possible …

Instructions Step 1: Use rich soil Use rich topsoil with plenty of compost to ensure the cucumbers receive lots of nutrients. Step 2: Choose area Plant in an area where your plants can receive full sun, and where they have plenty of room to grow. Step 3: Plant in warm weather Plant the seeds when …

Instructions Step 1: Start early Start your crop early, since sweet potatoes require 100 to 150 days to mature. Begin your slips indoors, about 12 weeks before transplantation. TIP: For best results, start your slips from a tuber that is already disease resistant so that this resistance is passed on to your crop. Step 2: …

Instructions Step 1: Consider growing hydroponic lettuce Consider growing lettuce hydroponically if you want lettuce throughout the year. This can be done in a greenhouse or at home in pots. TIP: Search online or visit a hydroponics store for more information about using this method. Step 2: Start seeds indoors Start your seeds indoors, ¼-inch …

Instructions : Mature, hardened sweet peas, unlike garden peas, are poisonous and should not be eaten. Step 1: Prep the bed Prep your soil bed by breaking up clumps with garden tools, adding fertilizer like manure or compost, and digging a 1-inch-deep trench for the seeds. TIP: To help the seeds absorb water and sprout …

Instructions Step 1: Buy certified seed potatoes from a nursery. These are disease-resistant potatoes sold especially for planting. Step 2: Get seed potatoes Dig one or more trenches about a foot deep and 2 to 3 feet apart. Fill the bottoms with loose soil mixed with fertilizer. TIP: Don’t fertilize with fresh manure and lime, …

Instructions Step 1: Obtain wheat seeds Buy wheat seeds from a health food store, a nursery, or online. TIP: Make sure the wheat seeds you buy are suitable for consumption. Step 2: Soak wheat seeds Place a handful of wheat seeds in a container and cover them with cool water for eight to 12 hours. …

Instructions Step 1: Decide on a garden type Decide between a raised-bed garden or an in-ground one. Raised beds, which consist of purchased topsoil that sits within a wooden frame, are ideal if your soil is stony or sandy. The main advantage of an in-ground garden is that it needs less watering. TIP: For an …

Instructions Step 1: Pick a good spot Pick a sunny spot. Tomatoes need at least six hours of sun a day. Step 2: Test the soil Test your soil to find out what nutrients it needs. Garden centers often sell do-it-yourself kits, or you can arrange a test through the Cooperative Extension System, a national …