Garden Planning
Spacing in the Garden
Vegetable garden spacing isn’t an exact science. How do you know how far apart to place your plants? First, check the plant tags. The spacing requirements listed generally refer to traditional rows and to the distance from the center of … Continue reading
Rotating Vegetable Crops for Garden Success
To keep the vegetable garden healthy, avoid repeating the same planting plan in the same spot. This practice, called crop rotation, can feel a bit like juggling, but it’s important to prevent crop-specific pests and diseases from building up and … Continue reading
Select a Good Site
Plant a garden where you can provide these things. Provide FULL SUN for best growth and flavor. Six hours is minimum, but ten is better. Plants depend on sunshine to develop sugars for sweetness and other elements of flavor. The soil must … Continue reading
Rooftop Gardening
by Ellen Spector Platt When I gave up my 5-acre flower and herb farm in Pennsylvania and moved to Manhattan I was lucky to find a garden atop my condo building. I needed a garden. It needed a gardener. But … Continue reading
Ranking Vegetables for Efficiency
This list from the National Garden Bureau rates vegetables based on their total yield per square foot, average value per pound, and length of time in the garden. Crops are rated from 1 to 10 with 10 being the most … Continue reading
Make a Note
Taking a moment to make notes during growing season can be very important. Make a few notes concerning how each vegetable or herb is doing. Note the type of weather (dry summer or very wet?). Make a few sketches of … Continue reading
If You Can’t Beat It, Raise It
What is a raised bed? It’s a planting area on top of the ground. A raised bed offers one huge benefit: you can avoid bad soil. It also improves drainage. With perfect drainage and a deep, rich soil, you’ll have … Continue reading
How Much Do I Plant?
The perfect sized garden yields all the tomatoes and other vegetables that you need and some extra to share with friends. Please use this guide of how much you can expect to harvest from a 10 foot row to help … Continue reading



