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Growing veggies a rewarding experience
BY AL BRANDENBURG, PINAL COUNTY MASTER GARDENER
I
’M ORIGINALLY FROM UPSTATE New York and I've been a Master Gardener in Maricopa for the last 15 years. Safe to say I have learned a lot about gardening in two very different climates. After gardening for more than four decades, my biggest takeaway is growing vegetables is a hugely rewarding experience — those homegrown crops taste so much better than any you get from stores. Growing offers many rewards on top of those tasty tomatoes, peppers and cukes. It can offer both the physical and mental health benefits that come from growing your own veggies as well as just having your hands in the soil. In my backyard, it’s my stress reliever. It can seem daunting to think of how to start a vegetable garden, so how do you go from visualizing that vegetable garden in your mind to making it a reality in your backyard? Pick a spot First, you want to choose a spot in your backyard in which your vegetables will thrive. That means finding a site for your vegetable garden that gets lots of sun — ideally six to eight hours a day. Try to avoid anywhere with overhanging trees or in the full shade of buildings. Vegetable garden sites should be level and sheltered from strong winds that could damage plants. The soil needs to drain well and not be waterlogged in the winter and spring. You want the site to have convenient access to a water source, so you do not have to carry watering cans or drag hoses too far. Finally, you want to have rich, fertile soil. You could use raised beds or large pots if the soil is not suitable for growing.
Start small The size of your vegetable garden is dictated by what yard space you have. Starting with a small vegetable garden allows you to learn and get that satisfaction without the risk of getting frustrated by a large vegetable garden that gets weedy and out of control quickly. By starting small, you can get a feel for how long things take to grow and nurture, and the time involved in weeding, watering, fertilizing and harvesting. It can take up more time than first expected, and no one wants to get disillusioned by turning a huge space in their backyard into a vegetable garden that they don't have the time in their busy lives to tend. Test your soil Your soil is the most important element when you start a vegetable garden. It will make or break the success of your plot. It is recommended to test your soil to see its type, pH and nutrient makeup before planting anything, so you know what you are working with and what you might need to change. A pH test will tell you how acidic or alkaline your soil is. Ideally, it will be neutral as that is best for most plants. For a vegetable garden, the soil should be loose and well-draining. Clay soils can be very heavy and sandier soils too light. The structure, fertility and soil health of any garden can be boosted by adding compost, well-rotted manure or organic matter.
Choose your crops One of the most exciting parts of starting a vegetable garden is planning what you are going to grow. There is a huge and varied range of vegetables that you can grow. Perusing seed catalogs could be daunting to a novice. The best way to go is to grow what you and your family like to eat. I would start off trying some of the easiest vegetables to grow — things like lettuce, radishes, peas, beans, carrots, tomatoes or beets. When you start sowing or planting, always follow the advice on seed packets to avoid making any common seed sowing mistakes. If you don’t want to plant from seed, you can purchase grown plants from the Maricopa Master Gardener group’s annual plant sale March 2 at the Maricopa Agricultural Center or buy potted plants from local stores. For inspiration, look at books and magazines and use social media websites like Instagram and YouTube to see other people’s vegetable gardens. There are tips, tricks and gardening advice to be found out there across social media, so use that as a tool when thinking about how to start a garden in your backyard. Good Luck and have fun!
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InMaricopa.com | February 2024
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