Growing vegetables in your home or garden is good for you, your neighborhood, and for helping to reduce your global footprint on this earth. Growing vegetables at home can be done in a single pot on your patio or on a larger scale depending upon the space and time you have available.
Good planning and preparation will reduce the workload in your garden. For example, if you install a drip system that can accommodate all of your beds, you will never have to drag an irrigation hose around. If you apply a heavy layer of course mulch between the beds, your weeding will be minimal. If you build raised beds, your garden will be more organized and less likely to degrade to weeds. There are many resources to help you plan the perfect garden for your home and family, connect with your local UC Master Gardener Program for free advice and help.
One of the best ways to make a plan for your garden is using grid paper and draw where you are planting specific vegetables, include planting dates, varieties and other notes. This will come in handy to reference during your growing season as well as for next years planning.
Choose the best site for your garden, preferably in a location that is easily accessible from your home. Make sure the site receives 6 to 8 hours of full sun per day. Avoid planting where shade from trees or buildings limits light for part of the day because it will decrease yield and increase disease problems in many plants. If shade is a problem, plant leafy crops in those areas and save the full sun areas for crops that bear fruit (tomato, eggplant, squash etc).
When deciding where to plant your vegetable garden, choose the best available location by keeping the following factors in mind:
Good soil
Level ground
Water supply
Adequate light
Close to home
Plant enough of each vegetable crop to meet your family’s needs for fresh, stored, and preserved supplies. For most vegetables, there are a number of varieties (cultivars) from which to choose. When choosing vegetable varieties, consider such factors as disease resistance, maturity date, flavor, compactness of plant and the size, shape, and color of the vegetable desired.
Keep in mind past experiences with a given variety and compare new varieties with your favorites. Whether purchasing seed or transplants, always note the specific crop variety. Avoid generic or unlabeled transplants, since characteristics can vary widely with different varieties of the same crop.
The California Master Gardener Handbook provides great recommendations on when and when to plant by seed (row) or young transplants (plants) and how much to plant for a family of four. A few ideas for the spring planting in the Valley include:
Carrots, 20-30 foot row
Cucumbers, 6 plants
Eggplant, 4-6 plants
Peppers, 5-10 plants
Pumpkins, 1-3 plants
Summer Squash, 2-4 plants
Winter Squash, 2-4 plants
Tomatoes, 10-20 plants
Watermelon, 6 plants
For more information, visit: mg.ucanr.edu/Gardening.
