Growing a backyard vegetable garden from scratch is one of those quintessential DIY projects, like tackling that home renovation checklist with ready to assemble kitchen cabinets. Whether you’re an avid home cook or just love to garden in the great outdoors, growing your own vegetables has its perks. It’s a great way to save money, and if you want fresh, homegrown green beans, tomatoes, peppers, and squash, all you have to do is walk out the back door. But first, you need a little DIY know-how. Read on to get started.
Step 1: Build and prep your beds.
Just like a farmhouse kitchen with rustic kitchen cabinets, DIY raised planting beds give your backyard a dose of country charm. Before you can even think about plants and soil, you’ll need to find a place to house your garden in the yard. Raised planting beds are an attractive and tidy solution. By elevating your vegetable garden off the ground, you’ll allow for proper drainage and help to prevent weeds from taking hold. Not only do they neatly contain your vegetables, but raised planting beds will also help you to yield better crops.
First, find a sunny spot in your yard. Vegetables need at least six hours of direct sunlight daily to grow big and tasty. Next, determine the size of your vegetable garden and make sure it can be reached with a garden hose or sprinkler. Vegetables need frequent watering to thrive. Now that you have the ideal location, it’s time to get to work. If you’re less than confident in your DIY skills, never fear. Building raised planting beds is just as easy as installing ready to assemble, rustic kitchen cabinets. To learn how to make simple, inexpensive raised garden beds with basic materials and tools, check out this tutorial from Good Housekeeping.
Once your beds are built, it’s time to prep them for planting. For a successful vegetable garden, you’ll need to use the right soil. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, soft, loamy soil allows the roots to penetrate more easily. You can find pre-mixed soil at your local gardening center that is specifically made for vegetable gardens, or mix your own. Be sure to enrich your soil with compost or manure and fertilizer regularly to add nutrients that your plants need to grow. Whether you choose to start with seeds or plants, give your vegetables space to spread, and top your soil with mulch to help block weeds.
Step 2: Pick and plant your vegetables.
Here are the top ten vegetables for beginning gardeners.
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Green Beans
- Lettuce
- Peppers
- Radishes
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini Squash
- Eggplant
Step 3: Harvest and enjoy your bounty.
Growing your own vegetable garden from scratch can be a rewarding experience. When you give your vegetable garden time to grow, quality soil, and the right amount of water and sunshine, you will have fresh, homegrown produce all spring and summer long. Simply step outside to harvest your crops, wash them in the kitchen sink, and enjoy!
At The RTA Store, we help make your dream home a reality with RTA (ready to assemble) and pre-assembled cabinets and accessories. Whether it’s your kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, home office, home bar, or TV room, we offer the same (if not better) quality you would find at any retail store, but for a fraction of the price. Stop by our website or give us a call, and let us make your dreams come true with the help of our free room design service.
