Are you interested in starting a vegetable garden but don’t know where to begin? In this blog, we will be going over the basics of vegetable gardening for beginners in Jacksonville!
1. How Do I Start?
The first step to starting any garden is to decide what kind of garden you want to have. Do you want a small garden where you can grow vegetables for yourself or do you want a larger garden where you can sell your produce at local farmers markets? Once you know what type of garden you want to build, you need to decide how big you want it to be. You should also consider if you want to use raised beds or not. Raised beds allow you to easily move dirt around and make sure everything stays evenly moist. If you don’t plan on using raised beds, then you may want to think about building some sort of structure to hold your soil together.
2. What Tools Do I Need?
You will need a shovel, trowel, hand pruners, clippers, fertilizer, and seeds. Depending on what size garden you want to build and how much time you have to dedicate to gardening, you may want to purchase additional tools. A good rule of thumb is to buy the best quality tools you can afford.
3. Where Do I Get My Supplies?
There are many places to find supplies for your garden. Most hardware stores carry basic gardening supplies like shovels, rakes, and wheelbarrows. There are also online retailers that sell gardening supplies. You can also check out your local home improvement store.
4. How Do I Prepare The Area?
If you’re going to use raised beds, you’ll need to dig them out. Digging out the bed will help prevent weeds from taking over and will give you a flat surface to work on. If you’re planning on planting directly in the ground, you’ll need to prepare the area by adding compost, topsoil, and mulch. Mulch helps keep moisture in the soil and keeps weeds down. Topsoil is great for helping your plants take root and get started. Compost is a mixture of yard trimmings, grass clippings, and manure that adds nutrients back into the soil.
5. When Do I Plant?
Depending on the season, you can plant different types of crops at different times. In the spring, you can plant tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, and melons. In the summer, you can plant lettuce, spinach, broccoli, beans, and peas. In the fall, you can plant cabbage, cauliflower, kale, onions, carrots, and potatoes.
6. How Often Do I Water?
Watering is one of the most critical parts of gardening. Make sure you water your plants regularly. Watering once a day is enough for most plants. However, if you notice that your plants aren’t looking their best, they might need more frequent watering.
7. How Long Does It Take To Harvest?
It takes anywhere from four weeks to two months to harvest your crops depending on the variety of plants. Tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers are ready to pick after three weeks. Lettuce, spinach, and broccoli are ready to pick after five weeks. Cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and onions are ready to pick after eight weeks. Carrots, potatoes, and sweet potatoes are ready to pick after 10-12 weeks.
If you are looking to start a garden in Jacksonville, research is key! For help with keeping up a clean appearance and well-maintained landscape, look no further than the professionals at Skinner Lawns! Give us a call today at (904) 720-2515!