Vegetable garden ideas – designs and layouts for backyard plots
- 1. Select vegetables that you love (Image credit: Getty Images) ...
- 2. Start your vegetable garden small (Image credit: Becky Searle) ...
- 3. Stagger your planting so you have crops all year round (Image credit: Getty Images) ...
- 4. Incorporate herbs into your vegetable garden ...
- 5. Label your plants ...
- 6. Embrace companion planting ideas ...
- 7. Add a water butt ...
- 8. Create a productive living wall ...
How do you start a vegetable garden?
Starting a Vegetable Garden
- Location. Choose a location in an area that will not blot the landscape after the growing season has faded. ...
- Layout. Once you have established a site for your vegetable garden, consider its layout. ...
- Plants. ...
- Soil prep and planting. ...
- Upkeep and harvesting. ...
How to start a vegetable garden?
• Transplant tomatoes into the garden, planting the plants 1 inch deeper than in the pot or even deeper. • Plant corn, bean, pumpkin, squash, cucumber, and early-maturing melon seeds now if the soil is warm. • Plant eggplant and pepper plants when the soil has reached at least 50 degrees.
How do you plan a small vegetable garden?
Small vegetable garden ideas – 11 layout designs and the best crops to grow
- Grow crops that offer rich rewards. The trick is to grow small amounts of different crops that offer big rewards. ...
- Use trellis for compact small vegetable garden ideas. A super-smart small vegetable garden idea is to try vegetable garden trellis ideas, to make the most of the space by ...
- Position a small vegetable garden near the kitchen. ...
How do you plant a small garden?
How to Start a Garden – 10 Steps to Gardening for Beginners
- Decide What You’d Like to Grow in Your Home Garden. Rule #1 – If you won’t eat a crop, don’t grow it in your vegetable garden. ...
- Choose a Location to Start Your Garden. Most fruits and vegetables need full sun, with a minimum of five hours of direct sunlight per day for fruiting.
- Plan Your Garden Beds. ...
- Invest in Basic Garden Tools. ...
- Test Your Soil. ...
How much sun do vegetables need?
How big is a vegetable garden?
What vegetables can I add to my vegetable garden?
What flowers are good for vegetable garden?
What is a BHG107466?
How to keep your garden from getting muddy?
How to keep pepper plants from sprouting?
See 4 more
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How do I make my vegetable garden look pretty?
12 Tips for Pretty Vegetable Gardens That Yield Lots of...01 of 12. Bring in Fruits and Herbs Too. ... 02 of 12. Pick the Right Spot. ... 03 of 12. Make an Entrance. ... 04 of 12. Just Add Flowers. ... 05 of 12. Protect Your Plants. ... 06 of 12. Grow Up with Raised Beds. ... 07 of 12. Think Like a Designer. ... 08 of 12. Grow in Containers.More items...•
What is the best vegetable garden layout?
The most basic garden plan consists of a design with straight, long rows running north to south orientation. A north to south direction will ensure that the garden gets the best sun exposure and air circulation. A garden that runs east to west tends to get too shaded from the crops growing in the preceding row.
How do you make a perfect vegetable garden?
Tips for Growing the Perfect Vegetable GardenLocation is key. Most vegetable plants do best in full sun. ... It's all about the soil. ... Water wisely. ... Use Mulch. ... Use patience with pest control. ... Don't over fertilize.
What vegetables should not be planted together?
Other commonly believed plant incompatibilities include the following plants to avoid near one another:Mint and onions where asparagus is growing.Pole beans and mustard near beets.Anise and dill neighboring carrots.Cucumber, pumpkin, radish, sunflower, squash, or tomatoes close to potato hills.More items...•
Which vegetables should be planted together?
Companion Planting ChartType of VegetableFriendsCabbageBeets, celery, chard, lettuce, spinach, onionsCarrotsBeans, lettuce, onions, peas, peppers, tomatoesCornClimbing beans, cucumber, marjoram, peas, pumpkins, squash, sunflowers, zucchiniOnionsCabbage, carrots, chard, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes12 more rows
How do you plan a vegetable garden for beginners?
0:265:06Planning a Vegetable Garden for Beginners: The 5 Golden RulesYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf you haven't got anywhere in full sun then grow crops that can cope with shade such as leafyMoreIf you haven't got anywhere in full sun then grow crops that can cope with shade such as leafy salads and greens. Cool season crops like peas will benefit from summer shade and hot climates.
How do you plan a garden layout?
0:417:22How to Plan a Vegetable Garden: Design Your Best Garden LayoutYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMake sure that you consider the size of plants when they are fully grown. For example sprawlingMoreMake sure that you consider the size of plants when they are fully grown. For example sprawling squash should be at the edge of vegetable beds. So they don't smother other crops.
Do and don'ts of gardening?
There are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to backyard gardening:Do: Fertilize the lawn in late summer to early fall. ... Don't: Walk in your garden beds. ... Do: Pay attention to the depth that seeds should be planted. ... Don't: Work the soil while it's wet. ... Do: Thin your plants. ... Don't: Overwork the soil.More items...•
What month should you start a garden?
For most crops, you should start seeds indoors about six to eight weeks before the last spring frost date. In the Midwest, plant your seeds indoors in the middle to end of April. In the South, the last frost can occur as early as the beginning of February, so plant your indoor seedlines then.
What should not be planted next to tomatoes?
Companion Plants To Avoid Growing Near TomatoesBrassicas. Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi can stunt the growth of your tomato plant because they out-compete them for the same nutrients. ... Corn. ... Fennel. ... Dill. ... Potatoes. ... Eggplant. ... Walnuts.
What grows best next to tomatoes?
Companion Plants to Grow With TomatoesBasil. Basil and tomatoes are soulmates on and off the plate. ... Parsley. ... Garlic. ... Borage and squash. ... French marigolds and nasturtiums. ... Asparagus. ... Chives.
What to plant with tomatoes to keep bugs away?
More Herbs & Flowers to Plant with Tomatoes to Keep Bugs Away: Don't just stop at planting Marigolds with your tomatoes. For further protection from pest bugs, you can also plant basil, beans, bee balm, borage, sweet alyssum, chives, garlic, nasturtium, mint, anise, onion, and parsley.
What direction should vegetable garden rows run?
Always plant the tallest vegetables to the northern side of the garden and the shorter growing vegetables to the southern side of the garden. That said, most recommendations agree that planting north-south is marginally better. The north-south orientation allows the sun to penetrate the garden by shining down the rows.
How do I group vegetables in my garden?
It recommends that you divide crops into four main groups as follows: Legumes (bush beans, peas, pole beans, broad beans); root vegetables (radish, carrot, potato, onion, garlic, beet, rutabaga, sweet potato, shallots); leafy greens (spinach, chard, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach); and fruit-bearing( ...
How do you layout a raised vegetable garden?
In your raised bed, you divide the space into a grid of 1- x 1-foot squares. Then you follow his plan for how many plants or seeds should be added to each square. The density is based on the plant size. So that might mean one tomato or several carrots.
How do you design a garden plant layout?
3:504:47How to layout your garden (part 1) - plotting plants and landscapingYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou start to fill those shapes with squares circles rectangles that overlap to form a pleasingMoreYou start to fill those shapes with squares circles rectangles that overlap to form a pleasing pattern within that.
What is the best fertilizer for vegetable plants?
Fertilizer. A good natural fertilizer will boost your vegetable plants. Work bone meal, blood meal or fertilizer into the soil. Compost works well.
How to grow a vegetable garden in the sun?
Select a garden area. Vegetables need strong, full sunlight, so choose the sunniest part of your yard to create your vegetable garden. Avoid areas that are shaded by your house or a tree during part of the day. Choose a spot with good drainage and rich soil.
How to loosen dirt on a plot?
Use a soil tiller or hoe to loosen the dirt and prepare your plot. [4]
Why mulch the entire area?
For better plant growth and weed control mulch the entire area. [9]
How to get rid of rocks in the dirt?
Work fertilizer into the soil with a garden rake. Be sure to distribute it evenly. Be sure to take the time to remove large rocks buried in the dirt. They'll get in the way of your plants' roots, and it's worth taking the time to clear the area.
Why do you plant vegetables in rows?
Planting vegetables in rows helps you keep track of which plants are which.
What tools do you need to dig holes in soil?
A shovel, a spade, and a garden rake. Use these essential gardening tools to dig holes and to move plants and soil. A ruler or measuring tape. Vegetable plants need to be planted at different depths, so it's useful to measure the holes you make with a ruler. A hose with an adjustable watering feature.
What are some ways to improve the appearance of a garden?
Repurposing discarded or broken things in your garden is a great way to help the visual appeal of your garden and the environment at the same time. 2. Flowers. Some flowers not only improve the appearance of the garden, they attract pollinators. Many of them are edible as well.
What does Jerusalem artichoke smell like?
Jerusalem artichoke flowers are similar to a sunflower and smell like chocolate.
How wide should a garden path be?
What is in between your garden beds is actually more visible when the garden is in full swing; everything else is, well, green. Your paths should be at least 2.5 feet wide; more room is better because it makes walking through the garden more comfortable.
What is the best material to use for a garden?
Furniture made of materials such as stone, wood or metal is more visually appealing in a garden than plastic, and will fit the overall design better.
Is a vegetable garden a beauty?
Vegetable gardens are becoming a thing of beauty as more gardeners are growing food in their front yards or making their edible gardens part of the home’s landscape. Personally, I always thought veggie gardens were a wonderful thing to see wherever they were, but even I am learning that with just a little consideration they can look much more appealing. Here are four things to consider when planning your vegetable garden's aesthetics:
Who is Gardening Jones?
Gardening Jones is a master gardener in Pennsylvania. Learn more at gardeningjones.com/blog.
Tips for Creating a Beautiful Vegetable Garden
I didn’t realize how rewarding having a garden could be. Hot summer days were often started early in the morning with a cup of coffee in hand as I strolled through the rows looking at the current growth of plants.
My Favorite Gardening Essentials
As I have been gardening for several years, I have added items to my garden to create organization and beauty. I have also invested in some high quality tools that I know will last for years to come. Here are a few of my favorite products that I use.
Tips for Creating a Beautiful Vegetable Garden on a Budget
The supplies that you need for starting a garden can add up very quickly. Here are a few vegetable garden tips for creating a beautiful garden on a budget.
Creating a Beautiful Vegetable Garden Inspirational Posts
Looking back through these garden photos, I realize how much I miss this garden space. I had mixed vegetables with flowers, as well as unique vintage elements to create a beautiful vegetable garden space.
How to keep plants watered in a gallon jug?
Keep your plants watered with gallon jugs. Poke a few holes in the bottom of an old, empty gallon jug and bury it approximately two-thirds of the way into the ground next to or between plants. Leave the top exposed and fill with water. The water will seep slowly into the ground, adding moisture to plants. Keep track of the water levels to prevent them from becoming empty. The lids can be reapplied lightly, or you can insert a short stick to keep the opening unclogged and make it easier to locate once the plants have gotten larger. This method also works well with two liter bottles, and it’s a great way to recycle, too.
How to keep water bottles from getting empty?
Keep track of the water levels to prevent them from becoming empty. The lids can be reapplied lightly, or you can insert a short stick to keep the opening unclogged and make it easier to locate once the plants have gotten larger. This method also works well with two liter bottles, and it’s a great way to recycle too.
How to add visual interest to vegetable garden?
To add visual interest and variety to your vegetable garden, plant them with flowers and herbs. Flowers and herbs not only help with creating a pretty vegetable garden, but they are beneficial in other ways.
How to train vines to grow?
Use a ladder as support for vine-growing plants such as pumpkins; you can use the rungs and sides of the ladder to train the vines while placing pumpkins on the steps for further support; this technique also works well with staking tomato plants.
How to keep a plant from cutting?
Got some branches lying around? Pick out some of the sturdier sticks with thick, stubby branches for staking up your plants. Tie them with pantyhose to prevent cutting into the plant.
How to get more nitrogen in your garden?
Nitrogen encourages larger yields. Fertilize your garden soil by planting alfalfa grass or crimson clover before the next garden season . These plants naturally produce nitrogen.
What crops can increase harvest?
Keeping the blooms picked off crops, such as potatoes, can often increase your harvest.
What type of garden is best for sustainability?
If you are drawn toward sustainability, look into creating a permaculture garden . This type of garden tries to duplicate the layering found in natural systems and forests. There are upper story trees, climbers, perennial vegetables, root crops , and self-sowers that intermingle, creating your own personal foraging garden.
What is a garden room?
The term garden room usually refers to a secluded spot in the garden. But gardening in a greenhouse will not only provide fresh vegetables year-round, but you can also pull up a chair and literally watch the plants grow.
How to make a pallet garden?
They also make great vertical gardens. Staple some landscape fabric to the inside of the front of your pallet and the outside of the rear. Fill the whole thing with some good potting soil. Then turn the pallet on its side and make slits where you want to insert your plants. If you are going to be hanging your pallet garden, make sure you have sturdy hooks, because all that soil and wood will make it very heavy.
What is a vegetable garden?
Vegetable gardens come in all shapes and sizes. Vegetable gardens can be just as creative and attractive as ornamental flower gardens. There was a time when people simply had "a garden.". Vegetables and flowers were chosen for their usefulness and intermixed in one garden, a cottage garden, that was often in the front yard.
What vegetables are too beautiful to be confined to the garden?
Some vegetables, like rainbow Swiss chard, are too beautiful to be confined to the vegetable garden. Show them off by making them focal points in your garden.
Can you hang a garden of vegetables in a hanging basket?
Hanging Garden of Vegetables. There is no gardening rule that says hanging baskets have to be flowers. Most vegetables will work in hanging planters, too. You may even get a better yield, due in part to the heat that is being reflected back off the wall.
Is rainbow Swiss chard good for a vegetable garden?
Marie Iannotti. Some vegetables, like rainbow Swiss chard, are too beautiful to be confined to the vegetable garden. Show them off by making them focal points in your garden. This rainbow Swiss chard was recently planted in these strawberry pots, but once they fill out, they will be even more attractive.
How to plant a crop?
Many different crop layouts can work for a particular garden space and there will be far more variation in the harvest due to factors beyond our control such as weather and pests than in whether leeks should be placed next to carrots. Although some gardeners swear by complex companion planting systems the main principles that have been proved to work are summarized as: 1 Mix up plants to confuse pests: Large areas of a single crop (or a single crop family) attract pests whereas mixed planting can confuse them. See our article on Common Sense Companion Planting for details. The one exception to this is where plants require special protection, for example, cabbages, broccoli and cauliflowers may be grown together if they are all going to be protected from caterpillars in a tunnel of netting or horticultural fleece. 2 Grow insectary plants: There are a number of well-known flowers that attract beneficial insects (ladybugs, hoverflies etc) that will naturally control pests. See my article on Flowers for Vegetable Gardens for help in choosing these. 3 Consider Shade and Support: Tall plants can shade others or can be used to offer support to others e.g. climbing beans can grow up sweet corn.
How to plan a vegetable garden?
Far better is to make a list of your favorite vegetables and narrow it down to the ones that taste best fresh or cost a lot to buy in the shops. Plan to create a few vegetable beds each year, expanding as you become confident and find the timesaving shortcuts that work for you. Defining good paths (using materials such as woodchip and weed suppressant fabric) will pay back many times over in the time saved maintaining them.
What are some ways to attract insects to plants?
Grow insectary plants: There are a number of well-known flowers that attract beneficial insects (ladybugs, hoverflies etc) that will naturally control pests. See my article on Flowers for Vegetable Gardens for help in choosing these.
What plants can be placed at the edge of a vegetable garden?
Roaming Plants: Next place plants that like to send out vines that roam around the garden – melon, squash etc. These need to be situated at the edge of your vegetable beds so the broad leaves attached to the vines don’t cover your other plants. Placing them at the edge lets them spread out across paths or grass.
Why mix up plants?
Mix up plants to confuse pests: Large areas of a single crop (or a single crop family) attract pests whereas mixed planting can confuse them. See our article on Common Sense Companion Planting for details. The one exception to this is where plants require special protection, for example, cabbages, broccoli and cauliflowers may be grown together if they are all going to be protected from caterpillars in a tunnel of netting or horticultural fleece.
How wide should a raised garden bed be?
In general it’s a good idea to define garden beds 4 feet (1.2m) wide and as long as you want them to be with a 2 foot (60cm) path between them. This is about as wide as you can go before it becomes uncomfortable to lean into the middle of the bed (you’ll appreciate this when weeding) without treading on the soil (best avoided as it compacts the soil structure). If you have children around then it’s useful to clearly mark the edges and building raised beds is a good way to do this (also good if you have heavy or waterlogged soil as they drain well.)
What plants do you want to be able to regularly harvest?
Accessibility: What plants do you want to be able to regularly harvest? Herbs, salad, tomatoes etc..? These should all be placed as near to your kitchen as possible. Not only will you then be more likely to use them but it will help you to keep on top of the weeds and remove slugs regularly.
What to put in a container vegetable garden?
Vegetables and herbs with different textures, attractive foliage, and colors can be an excellent addition to your container vegetable garden; they can add visual interest to it.
How to brighten up a container garden?
2. Choose Colorful Containers. You can brighten up your container vegetable garden by choosing colorful containers to grow your favorite vegetable and herbs. 3. Use Hanging Baskets. Image Credit: HGTV. Don’t cast out the idea of growing herbs and vegetables in hanging baskets.
What are some good things to grow in a container garden?
Tomatoes are a wonderful and the most important addition to a container vegetable garden. They look beautiful too. Choose 2-3 varieties and grow a few plants to get a bountiful harvest of homegrown tomatoes. Learn about the best tomato varieties for the container in this post.
What flowers can you grow in salads?
You can use them in salads to garnish your meal or make sharbat. Flowers like marigold, calendula, viola, nasturtiums can be tried. The list is long, you can discover more names here. 7.
What are the best vegetables to grow in a container?
Here are the best vegetables for containers. 1. Grow Climbers and Vines. shutterstock. Support climbing vegetables and vines and direct them upward with the help of a trellis or a cage or by any other way. Such plants use vertical space and are abundant in production.
How to make a garden look like a garden?
Tip: Group plants according to their height to create a garden-like surrounding effect. To do this, place tall plants in the back and short and low growing plants like herbs and greens in front.
What plants use vertical space?
Such plants use vertical space and are abundant in production. Bitter melon (a unique tropical gourd known for its health benefits), gourds, cucumber, pole beans and other beans, Malabar spinach, vine tomatoes, squashes, peas, if you want to try– pumpkin and melons.
What is vertical garden?
A vertical garden uses a small space and creates a beautiful growing wall. Vegetable gardens in elevated wooden flower beds. It’s hard for your back when you bend constantly in your garden.
Is the garden utilitarian?
Indeed, the utilitarian view of the garden has taught us to its discreet appearance, which is not often thought of. We are accustomed to the monotonous rows of straight beds with a traditional, often very limited, set of vegetable crops grown exclusively for a good harvest. And the fact that the garden may play an important role in the decoration of the house, where beauty and originality will be a worthy opponent to such popular gardening elements as flower garden, rockeries, pond, lawn, etc., will seem surprising to the garden.
How much sun do vegetables need?
The key to success with your vegetable garden design is to make sure you have the right spot. Most vegetables do best with full sun—at least eight hours of direct light a day. No matter what kind of soil you have, your vegetables will thank you if you amend the ground with organic matter (such as compost) before planting.
How big is a vegetable garden?
You can grow edible plants in a vegetable garden design that rivals the beauty of any flower garden. In a relatively small space (roughly 20 x 20 feet), they grow mouthwatering fruits, vegetables, and herbs—as well as flowers.
What vegetables can I add to my vegetable garden?
Other attractive vegetables include eggplant, red cabbage, purple kohlrabi, and red-leaf lettuce.
What flowers are good for vegetable garden?
dianthus spiked punch flower. One trick to make your vegetable garden design look more attractive is to mix flowers in with your vegetables. Here, Gaillardia 'Oranges and Lemons' adds a bright splash of color. Flowers, especially those in the daisy family, attract beneficial insects.
What is a BHG107466?
BHG107466. If hungry deer, rabbits, or other critters visit your garden, protect your plants (as here, with a simple 3-foot-tall fence) so the pests don't harvest more than you do. Chicken wire attached around the fence's perimeter keeps small animals out of your vegetable garden design.
How to keep your garden from getting muddy?
Here's a hint: Spread mulch over your pathways so you won't get muddy feet when you're in the garden.
How to keep pepper plants from sprouting?
An inch or two of mulch helps your soil hold moisture during hot, dry weather. It also stops most weeds from sprouting.
