How to Start a Vegetable Garden in Your Yard

Have you always wanted to grow your own fresh vegetables but are not exactly sure how to get a garden going? Starting a vegetable garden will definitely take some effort, but once you've got your plot established, you will have a wonderful spot to grow vegetables year after year with much less effort.

If you've got a little extra room in your yard, consider adding a vegetable garden plot. Many have grown successful vegetable gardens in just a little amount of space, but the bigger the garden, the more you will be able to grow and enjoy.

Here are a few steps you can take to create a garden plot in your very own yard.

Select a Spot

When you choose a spot for your garden plot, make sure it's an area that will receive a lot of sun. Look for an area of the yard with a southern exposure. If your garden does not receive full sun exposure, you will not have success with your vegetables.

Test the Soil

Along with good sunlight, your vegetables will also need good soil. Your vegetables will grow using the nutrients in the soil, so it's important to have soil with the right amount of nutrients. A soil test will test for levels of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. All three of these nutrients are necessary for optimum plant growth.

You can purchase a simple soil test at your home store or send a soil sample into a soil testing lab. While a store bought soil testing kit will give you your results more quickly, a professional test will be more thorough and will be customized to the plants you are interested in growing, and even provide specific recommendations for amendments. It will cost around $20, can be done through your local extension office, and be returned to you in 10-14 days.

Map it out

Decide which vegetables you want to grow in your garden. The easiest way to do this is by identifying vegetables your family will eat. Even though radishes are easy to plant and grow quickly, don't plant them if no one will eat them.