Whether your garden is large or small, vegetables need a site with full sun, good drainage, and water.
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 have GOOD DRAINAGE. Wet soil means rotting plants. If you need to, build a raised bed.
There must be a source of WATER close by. Make sure that you can get water to your garden daily, if needed. A drip or soaker hose is ideal because it keeps the foliage dry, which helps prevent disease.
Hey, I built a raised bed last year after hearing all the hype and everyone one of them got some sort of blight. I picked some tomatoes, let the plants die, planted again, and they died before I could even get one picked. The local garden folks told me it was in the soil, but I just built it that year and all the soil came from a bag. I think it was the heat, but everyone I’ve talked to said it was rust or wilt? I never had a problem with them before using the raised beds. Any suggestions?
If you have any problems this year, be sure to use our Ask an Expert service as soon as you see them start. This service connects you to Cooperative Extension experts who can help quickly. Be sure to include a photo for best advice.
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
I grew a raised garden last year for the first time, the soil i used was just a plain topsoil but had sand mixed in with it.
I had squash, cukes, zuchini, and carrots in one and brussel sprouts, greenbeans and lettuce in another and did porch tomatoes. The raised beds grew awesome, i hardley ever watered them, i think the sand held moisture. however my tomatoes didnt do good at all. This year i am doing a huge garden in my yard for the first time. any suggestions for me.
You should read the articles in the Soil Building section of our Gardening Library. You should also read the articles in Garden Planning and Gardening Basics.
Happy growing!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants