Planting Vegetable Gardens

Planting Vegetable Gardens

When can I start planting my vegetable garden?


I live in northern maryland

Well, a month ago, you could have put in potatoes, peas, broccoli, cabbage, brussels, sprouts, lettuce, spinach, kale, and other cool-season veggies.

But go ahead and do them now.

And in a few more weeks, you'll be able to put in just about anything you want.

A Guide to Building and Planting Vegetable Gardens

The structure of your vegetable garden does not have to be entirely functional but it should also look and feel good. Building some decorative arches and some tomato cages not only makes your garden look good but also helps it produce more crops. After all, there is more to planting vegetable gardens than just cultivating a spot of land.

Function Over Form

The most well known form garden structures are those that are built to sustain plants and give them the room to climb, hold up the weight of its fruits and other plants as well.

Building cages and poles lets you have a vertical garden which boosts your produce per square foot since you'll have more space to plant in the ground.

Vegetables like cucumbers, peas, peppers and eggplants need lots of garden support. Carrying these vegetables above ground not only will produce better crop it also protects it from insects found in the soil. Plus, the fruits will be less likely to rot if planted this way. Building other support structures like stakes and cages will help in making your plants grow stronger and taller.

Choose Your Structure

If you plan to shop for things for your garden online or in a garden store, you'll notice how many choices there are when it comes to garden structures. A great online garden resource is a company called Garden Supply Company. Not only do they have a mail-order catalogue, they make trellises for plants like cucumbers that serve as a shade to neighboring plants, tomato cages, spiral supports, bean towers, maypoles and others.

Garden structures may vary especially in terms of form and function because they not only are very supportive of plants it also makes your garden look good. The best kind of garden is not only beautiful, but also enhances the health of the vegetables planted there.

Form over Function

There are so many options when it comes to building your vegetable garden especially if you're purpose is purely aesthetic. You can build ornaments like arches, trellises or archways to beautify your garden. You can even build walls or doorways to surround your garden for a more visual appeal.

For gardens like these, you can decorate them with plants aside from vegetables. You can plant beautiful flowers to cover your trellis but choose flowers that are sun friendly and attract helpful insects.

An example is trumpet flowers, which are not only beautiful but they attract bees for your vegetable garden. Since you also want to attract helpful creatures, you can build a bird bath or a bird house in your garden. If you're particularly into organic gardening, the birds can certainly help eliminate pests

As long as you keep your garden attractive to birds and other helpful insects, they will spend a lot of time in your garden and repay you by eating away harmful pests.

Supporting Your Plants

Building plant supports are essential garden structures which is why it's necessary to use them in the proper way to maximize results. This does not mean building stakes or cages in the ground and leave the plant to grow on its own.

There are other materials like plant ties, jute cords or twines which you can use to tie up your plant to the cages or poles but don't tie them too tight.

Another great support when it comes to planting vegetables gardens are stakes. Make sure to drive them properly into the ground and space them a little further from your main plant to avoid hitting its roots.

Indoor Culinary Herb Garden Starter Kit- Start Growing Fresh Cooking Herbs & Spices- Great Gift Idea!- Seeds: Parsley, Thyme, Cilantro, Basil, Dill, Oregano, Sweet Marjoram, Chives, Savory, Garlic Chives, Mustard, Sage
Indoor Culinary Herb Garden Starter Kit- Start Growing Fresh Cooking Herbs & Spices- Great Gift Idea!- Seeds: Parsley, Thyme, Cilantro, Basil, Dill, Oregano, Sweet Marjoram, Chives, Savory, Garlic Chives, Mustard, Sage
List Price: $34.95
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Description

Cool indoor herb gardening kit. Grow your own fresh cooking herbs indoors year round. Add zest and flavor to your cooking, and enjoy the fun and benefits of indoor gardening. Nothing improves your cooking like fresh herbs. Herb Kits make fantastic gifts. Contents: Tray, Dome, 50 Peat Pellets, 12 packages Culinary Herbs: Parsley, Thyme, Cilantro, Lemon Basil, Dill, Oregano, Sweet Marjoram, Chives, Savory, Garlic Chives, Mustard, Sage, Instructions

Features

  • Assortment of 12 Culinary Herb Seeds Parsley, Thyme, Cilantro, Lemon Basil, Dill, Oregano, Marjoram, Chives, Savory, Garlic Chives, Mustard & Sage
  • Package of 50 Jiffy Peat Pellets & Greenhouse Dome and Tray, Laminated Comprehensive Instructions
  • Rated "Top Pick" by Weekend Journal Section of the Wall Street Journal - March 26, 2004
  • Winner of Editors Pick from Five Star Review Magazine - December 2004
  • Makes a great gift idea for any occassion
Womanswork 610vg Vegetable Garden Wheel
Womanswork 610vg Vegetable Garden Wheel
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Features

  • Interactive and fun to use
  • With colorful plant photos
  • Weatherproof plastic disks
  • 10-1/2-Inch diameter
  • More information on the back
Hydrofarm CK64050 Germination Station with Heat Mat
Hydrofarm CK64050 Germination Station with Heat Mat
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Description

Heated Germination Station seed starting system. Offers increased growing success by providing gentle warmth to the planting bed and by controlling the humidity under the dome, much like a greenhouse. Includes 17 watt, UL listed, waterproof heat mat and 11 inch x 22 inch watertight growing tray with a 72 cell seedling insert and instructions.

Features

  • Germination station with electric heat, humidity control and 72-cell seedling inserts
  • Provides gentle warmth to the planting bed; controls humidity under 2-inch dome
  • Humidity dome with dual vent points for optimal airflow
  • Includes seed starting booster, instructions with growing tips
  • Watertight base tray measures 11 by 22 inches
Earthway 1001-B Precision Garden Seeder with 6 Seed Plates
Earthway 1001-B Precision Garden Seeder with 6 Seed Plates
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Description

The Earthway Precision garden seeder provides a more efficient way to seed large vegetable gardens and flower beds The seeder comes with six standard seed plates for seeding sweet corn, bean, peas, carrots, beets, and radishes: install the appropriate plate, and it will automatically space seeds at the ideal length. It also opens, closes, and packs the soil, and even marks the next row ahead of time. The seeder is made from tough, weather-resistant materials for years of trouble-free operation. Assembly is required. Additional seed plates are available for purchase separately.

If you're looking for a more efficient way to seed a large vegetable garden or flower bed, consider the Precision Garden Seeder from Earthway Products. The seeder comes with six standard seed plates: install the appropriate plate, and it will automatically space seeds at the ideal length. It also opens, closes, and packs the soil, and even marks the next row ahead of time. Note: assembly is not for the faint of heart and requires at least 20 minutes with a few basic tools to complete.

Features

  • Garden seeder designed for easy, efficient, effective planting
  • Automatically spaces seeds at ideal intervals
  • Tough, weather-resistant construction; assembly required
  • Includes 6 seed plates
  • Available seed plates for separate purchase
EarthBox RB-EB-TRC-PBB Garden Kit, Terra Cotta
EarthBox RB-EB-TRC-PBB Garden Kit, Terra Cotta
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Description

The patented EarthBox was developed by commercial farmers and proven in the lab and on the farm. This maintenance-free, award-winning, high-tech growing system controls soil conditions, eliminates guesswork and more than doubles the yield of a conventional garden with less fertilizer, less water and virtually no effort! No digging, no weeding, no guesswork. Vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers grow bigger, tastier and faster in the EarthBox! The EarthBox Garden Kit measures 30" L x 13.5" W x 12" H and includes fertilizer, dolomite, two germination covers and castor wheels for easy movement. Almost any brand of potting mix for containers or hanging plants will work with EarthBox (not included), which has a large capacity of 2.5 cubic feet.

Features

  • Wheeled garden box growing kit with fertilizer, dolomite, 2 germination covers
  • Great for cultivating vegetables, herbs and flowers on windowsills, decks, balconies
  • Sets up in just minutes to grow anywhere, indoors or outdoors
  • Just add planting mix, seedlings and water; includes foolproof instructions
  • Measures 30 by 13-1/2 by 12 inches (l x w x h); 2-1/2-cubic-foot soil capacity
AeroGarden 2101-00B Classic Garden 7-Pod With Gourmet Herb Seed Kit - Black
AeroGarden 2101-00B Classic Garden 7-Pod With Gourmet Herb Seed Kit - Black
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Description

Enjoy the taste and fragrance of fresh herbs, vegetables and salad greens grown right in your kitchen. The AeroGarden grows them all with no dirt, mess or pesticides. Plants grow in water, nutrients and air, up to twice as fast as plants grown in soil. It’s easy, foolproof, and 100% guaranteed. It’s self-watering and self-feeding. The AeroGarden automatically controls the built-in grow bulbs and tells you when to add more water and nutrients. Grow fresh Italian Basil, Purple Basil, Chives, Dill, Mint, Parsley & Thyme with the included Gourmet Herb Seed Kit. Seed kits for cherry tomatoes, chili peppers, romaine lettuce, petunias and more also are available.

Features

  • The original indoor garden
  • Everything you need to grow now
  • Easy, foolproof and 100% guaranteed
  • No dirt, no mess, no green thumb required
  • Over 400,000 satisfied AeroGardeners
Mary Washington Asparagus Seeds - Asparagus Officinalis - 2 Grams - Approx 120 Gardening Seeds - Vegetable Garden Seed
Mary Washington Asparagus Seeds - Asparagus Officinalis - 2 Grams - Approx 120 Gardening Seeds - Vegetable Garden Seed
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Description

A typical asparagus with green color changing to purple at the tip. Asparagus is a long lasting perennial plant. Plant grows up to 12" tall.

Features

  • Asparagus officinalis
  • 2 Grams: Approx 120 Seeds
  • Germination Rate: 85% - Purity: 99% - Country of Origin: USA
  • Days Until Harvest: ~3 Years
  • Generic Seeds: The Same High Quality Seeds Made By Mother Nature Just in Cheaper Packaging
Keystone Resistant Giant Sweet Pepper Seeds - Capsicum Annuum - 1 Grams - Approx 143 Gardening Seeds - Vegetable Garden Seed
Keystone Resistant Giant Sweet Pepper Seeds - Capsicum Annuum - 1 Grams - Approx 143 Gardening Seeds - Vegetable Garden Seed
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Description

The Keystone Resistant Giant pepper is a large variety with thick walled fruits. The fruits grow up to 5" and have 4 distinct chambers.

Features

  • Capsicum annuum
  • 1 Grams: Approx 143 Seeds
  • Germination Rate: 73% - Purity: 99% - Country of Origin: USA
  • Days Until Harvest: 70
  • Generic Seeds: The Same High Quality Seeds Made By Mother Nature Just in Cheaper Packaging
Lacinato Heirloom Kale Seeds - Brassica Oleracea Var. Acephala - 0.5 Grams - Approx 200 Gardening Seeds - Vegetable Garden Seed
Lacinato Heirloom Kale Seeds - Brassica Oleracea Var. Acephala - 0.5 Grams - Approx 200 Gardening Seeds - Vegetable Garden Seed
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Description

Lacinto Kale is an Heirloom variety with 3" wide blue-green leaves. The leaves reach up to 18" long and are quite delicious. The Plant is very frost tolerant and the leaves even become more tender and appetizing after a hard frost. Tastes great when steamed or stir-fried.

Features

  • Brassica oleracea var. acephala
  • 0.5 Grams: Approx 200 Seeds
  • Germination Rate: 85% - Purity: 99% - Country of Origin: USA
  • Days Until Harvest: 60
  • Generic Seeds: The Same High Quality Seeds Made By Mother Nature Just in Cheaper Packaging
Yellow Doll Hybrid Watermelon Seeds - Citrullus Lanatus - 0.25 Grams - Approx 12 Gardening Seeds - Vegetable Garden Seed
Yellow Doll Hybrid Watermelon Seeds - Citrullus Lanatus - 0.25 Grams - Approx 12 Gardening Seeds - Vegetable Garden Seed
List Price: $9.19
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Description

The Yellow Doll Hybrid is a unique watermelon with bright yellow flesh. The green striped melons have small seeds and sweet taste. The vines are semi-compact and produce fruits early. The Yellow doll is a great departure from the usual watermelon.

Features

  • Citrullus lanatus
  • 0.25 Grams: Approx 12 Seeds
  • Germination Rate: 88% - Purity: 99% - Country of Origin: USA
  • Days Until Harvest: 70
  • Generic Seeds: The Same High Quality Seeds Made By Mother Nature Just in Cheaper Packaging
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