A well tended garden can supply you and your family with a variety of nutritious, healthful vegetables to be enjoyed fresh or preserved for later use. When space is limited, a plentiful supply of such crops as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and okra can be grown on a few properly cared for plants.

Site
If possible, select a site that has full sun exposure and is conveniently located near the house and a water supply. The soil should have a good texture, and be fertile and well drained.

Make a Plan
Plan your vegetable gardens so that the available space can be used wisely. For small areas, select those crops that you like best and that will produce an adequate supply on a few plants. Also, plan to use the space continuously by planting another in-season crop soon after the last harvest is completed. Plant tall-growing plants together on the north or west side of the garden so they will not shade lower-growing plants. Make a map and keep it current so that the vegetables can be rotated within the garden from year to year

Seeds and Plants
Use known or recommended seeds for your main planting. Try a few new varieties on a small scale to determine their worth in your area. Varieties listed any seed chart represent a few of the proven ones.
Always buy good quality seed from a reputable company. Do not save your own seed from your previous vegetable gardens unless it is a unique, unavailable variety.

When buying plants, insist on fresh, stocky plants that are free of diseases and nematodes.

Lime and Fertilizer
Have a soil test run to determine lime and fertilizer needs. If the pH is low (acidic soil), apply the recommended amount of lime before preparing the soil so it can be mixed with the soil during land preparation. A pH of 6.0 to 6.5 is recommended for all vegetables except Irish potatoes, which require a pH of 5.5 to 5.8. Vegetables are classified as light, medium and heavy feeders, based on their fertilizer needs.

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Container vegetables

Many people who live in an apartment, condominium, or mobile home do not grow a vegetable gardens because space is not available for a vegetable garden plot. Lack of yard space is no excuse for not gardening, since many kinds of vegetables can be readily grown in containers. In addition to providing five hours or more of full sun, attention must be given to choosing the proper container, using a good soil mix, planting and spacing requirements, fertilizing, watering, and variety selection.

Containers are available in many different sizes, shapes, and materials. All containers, whether clay, wood, plastic, or ceramic, should have an adequate number of holes in the bottom for proper drainage. Additional holes should be drilled or punched in containers that do not drain quickly after each watering. Drainage is reduced when the vegetable gardens container is set on a solid surface such as a cement or patio floor. Raising the container one or two inches off the floor by setting it on blocks of wood will solve this drainage problem.

The size of the container will be determined by the vegetable grown. Generally, most vegetables grown in the soil can be grown in containers as long as ample space is provided for root development. Shallow rooted crops like lettuce, peppers, radishes, and herbs need a container at least 6 inches in diameter with an eight inch soil depth. Bushel baskets, half barrels, wooden tubs, or large pressed paper containers are ideal for growing tomatoes, squash, pole beans, and cucumbers.

The ideal vegetable gardens planting medium for containers should provide rapid drainage with sufficient water retention to keep the root zone uniformly moist. Most container gardeners have found that a "soilless" potting mix works best. In addition to draining quickly, "soilless" mixes are lightweight and free from soil-borne diseases and weed seeds. These mixes can be purchased from garden centers in various sizes under many different brand names.

The do-it-yourself individual can make a planting medium by mixing equal parts of sand, loamy vegetable gardens soil, and peat moss. The mix should be heated in an oven for 1 hour at 210o F to kill any bacteria, fungi, insects,or weed seeds.

Planting and spacing requirements for most vegetables can be found on the seed packet or plant tag. A container can sustain only a certain number of plants, therefore, it is important to limit the number of plants based on the container size and the eventual size of the plant at maturity. Always plant more seed than needed in each container, because there is seldom 100% germination and emergence. After the seeds have sprouted and foliage of seedlings is touching, thin plants to the desired number.

Regular fertilization applications using a complete analysis should be followed closely since soilless mixes contain little if any nutrients. There are many kinds of specially formulated fertilizers available. The most common N-P-K formulations are 5-10-10 and 10-10-10. Time-release fertilizer (Osmocote 14-14-14) that releases nutrients into the vegetable gardens over a period of time can also be used. Since many gardeners are heavy-handed when it comes to applying fertilizer, it might be to the plant's advantage to apply fertilizer at half the label's recommendation twice as often.

Watering is one of the most important jobs a container gardener will perform. Some vegetables need watering every day, depending on container size and weather conditions. The best way to water is with a watering can or sprayer attachment on a garden hose. Be sure the water is cool before applying it to the vegetables, particularily if the hose sits in the sun. Hot water does not stimulate root development.

Plant breeders have helped to make container vegetable gardens more practical by breeding plants with compact growth habits and relatively high crop yield. Almost any vegetable can be adapted to container culture. The following is a listing of some of the common container-grown vegetables, container sizes, and recommended varieties:

an article on growing vegetables in containers

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