Growing your own Vegetables

When growing your own vegetables the first thing you are likely to think about is whether you have enough space. You would be surprised how much produce can be grown in a tiny plot. If the space is used properly you could have your own fresh vegetables all year round. If your space is limited you should seriously consider growing vegetables in raised beds, which can be easily made. The added bonus here is that there is no digging and very little weeding.

If your space is limited you will probably want to grow the vegetables you like best, so making a list of your favourites would be a good start. While some vegetables grow better in particular soils, most crops will grow in any soil and if you are a beginner at vegetable growing you might want to start off with the easy to grow crops, such as lettuce, beans and portatoes.

You should pay particular attention to crop rotation, as growing the same crop year after year in the same plot will cause a build-up of pests and diseases. Different crops take different nutrients and minerals out of the soil. Peas and beans like rich soil and grow best in freshly manured ground. By the time they have been harvested they will have discharged nitrogen into the soil. This will make the ideal conditions for brassicas to be planted in that bed the following year. In the third year you can plant root vegetables in the bed as they don't like freshly manured ground. Rotation is very important if you want to grow healthy vegetables.

If you don't have the space or time to grow your plants from seed, many seed companies now sell young plug plants that have been raised individually in modules in seed trays. These plants already have a good root system and are almost certain to grow well. Although they save you a lot of time they are quite expensive and many vegetable growers like the thrill of seeing their crops grown from seed.

You will need to make the decision whether you are going to use chemicals to combat pests or whethe r you will use the organic growing method. Organic gardening is not as difficult and time consuming as most people think. If you have chosen the organic method you should definitely 'companion-plant', growing plants together that help each other thrive. You could put your onions and chives next to your carrots, because the carrot flies don't like the smell of onions. Planting French Marigolds is an excellent way of keeping aphids away from your veg.

If you are a beginner at veg growing you should start with easy crops that will bring rich rewards, such as runner beans, courgettes, potatoes, salad crops and onions. More difficult things like cauliflower are best left until you are more experienced.

There are many benefits of growing your own vegetables and one of the most important is that you eat seasonal food thus avoiding many food miles. There is nothing quite like the taste of homegrown veg and you will be surprised that you can harvest some of the more hardy vegetables like kale, sprouts and leeks well into December. Last, but not least you will be surprised how much money you can save by growing your own vegetables.