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Organic Vegetable GardeningOrganic vegetable gardening is easier to learn if you start with some of the simpler vegetables to grow. Here are some tips.Invest some time in the fall preparing a raised bed and add plenty of compost, and you'll find it easy to grow most anything. However, some vegetables are simpler to grow than others, and if you're new to gardening, these particular varieties are low-maintenance and yet rewarding to raise. Organic Vegetable Gardening and PotatoesThese are some of the best and easiest vegetables you can grow. Your own freshly grown potatoes are both highly nutritional and delicious. To grow potatoes, you'll need seed potatoes, which you can either order online or purchase from a gardening center. If you do choose to purchase them locally, look for them to be available in the early spring.In most parts of the U.S., you'll be planting your potatoes either in March, usually around St. Patrick's day if you live in the south or on Good Friday if you live in the northern and cooler parts of the country. Cut your seed potatoes into sections that are about two inches thick. Each piece should have at least two eyes. Once the potatoes have been cut, keep them in cool, well-ventilated area for 1-2 days so they can "heal". Afterwards, treat your potatoes with agricultural sulfur to protect them from disease and bugs. You can find a great resource for beginning gardeners by clicking here. 
Plant potatoes one foot apart and three inches deep in your raised beds. When they are about one foot high, mulch them with either straw or compost. Provide an even richer compost using worm compost from your kitchen. When the plants begin to flower, dig gently in the dirt for new potatoes, taking care not to disturb the roots. Or leave them be, and let them grow to full size. In the fall, when the plants have turned yellow or black and look really awful, it's time to harvest your potatoes. Use a garden fork and dig gently around the base of the plant to find the tubers. Potatoes store well in a root cellar and will last a long time as long as you don't get them wet. Organic Vegetable Gardening and Tomatoes
Tomatoes are wonderful for organic vegetable gardening because they like a little neglect.
I've grown tomatoes from seed before, but I've found it much easier - and frankly, just as economical - to buy them from greenhouse or garden center.
Plant your tomatoes in checkerboard fashion, at least one foot apart, in your raised bed.
Put your tomato plants in deep - up to the first true leaves. That will encourage a better root system. Try to provide your tomato plants with even watering, and only give them about an inch of water a week. Try not to get the leaves wet. Instead, water around the base of the plant. Give your tomatoes too much water, and you'll get green, leafy plants but no fruit. On the other hand, if you water them unevenly - a little today, a lot tomorrow, the bottom of your tomatoes will rot before they can fully ripen. When your plants get to about two feet tall - or when they begin putting out tomatoes - put cages around them. This will give them support so the limbs don't break when the heavy fruit puts on. Occasionally patrol your plants for pests. Armor bugs particularly love tomatoes. Pick them off and squash them or feed them to your chickens. Organic Vegetable Gardening and SquashAnother one of the great vegetables to grow is squash. There are several varieties of squash, but three of the easiest are zucchini, yellow crookneck (also known as summer squash) and butternut squash. I've grown all three (or at least attempted to grow them) and have found it nearly impossible to grow squash successfully without planting them on a raised bed. Learn about high density gardening by clicking here.If you choose not to grow squash on a raised bed, then you will have build up mounds of dirt on which to plant your squash, or you won't have much luck with them. Don't plant your squash until the temperature outside is consistently eighty degrees or higher. If you want to plant them earlier, you'll need to invest in a floating row cover, a piece of fabric about five feet in width and up to twenty five feet in length. These covers are usually made of a light fabric similar to sew-on interfacing. It lets in light and rain, but also keeps in the warm temperature. Once your squash begins to flower remove the row covers and save them for next year. A good row cover should last you three to four growing seasons. Pick your squash vegetables when they are four to five inches long. Organic Vegetable Gardening and Green BeansGreen beans straight from the garden are a delicious vegetable and well worth the effort of growing them. Two different types of plants will produce green beans. Pole beans are a vine and must have a trellis or similar support, which I find to be a pain. Bush beans, on the other hand, do not need to be staked and are easier to grow. Learn more about organic gardening by clicking here.Pole beans will produce their pods over a much longer period (six to eight weeks), so if you wants lots of beans with fewer plants, try pole beans. Because I love simplicity (make that lazy, slothful, busy???) I grow bush beans and have always been happy with the results. Sow your beans two at a time, four inches apart in rows eight inches apart. When the seedlings have emerged and are about two inches high, thin to one plant every four inches. Add compost or fertilizer to your beans every two weeks, and pick your beans when they are about four to five inches long. Learn how to produce the richest fertilizer ever by clicking here. Organic Vegetable Gardening and OnionsAnother organic vegetable gardening favorite and one of the easy to grow vegetables, plant your onions in early spring along with the potatoes. If you do plant your onions in early spring, you'll likely be planting onion bulbs or "sets" rather than an actual onion plant. If you buy sets, make certain they are small, about the size of a dime. Plant your sets one inch deep and about four inches apart in rows that are about seven inches apart.Keep your onion bed well weeded as onions especially hate competition. Also provide them with consistent watering. Extra Gardening Tips Comprehensive Course on Gardening! Increase the value of your home by 30%. Learn more by clicking here. A garden kneeler and seat 
makes daily weeding chores much easier by easing the strain on your lower back and knees while protecting your clothing from stain and injuries.
To protect your back, use a lifting tool 
for heavy pots and other objects.
Long-term exposure to the elements will damage your tools and shorten their use. Store your tools and other gardening supplies in a portable storage bin  .
To make yard and garden cleaning easier, use a Kangaroo Gardening Container  .
Invest in a sharpening tool 
to keep your shovel and other gardening tools sharp and easier to work with.
 Grow a successful hydroponic gardening with this helpful resource. Protect your hands from insects and other injuries by wearing good quality gardening gloves. 
More Homestead Gardening LinksThinking about gardening the organic way? Follow these simple steps first.Want to save even more money when gardening? Purchase bulk seeds for cost savings and self reliant preparation. Get an early start on your gardening by starting your seeds indoors. Here are some tips. Ready to grow your own vegetables, but you're not sure where to begin? Learn which vegetables are the easiest to grow by clicking here.  The most comprehensive gardening instruction available on the internet! Learn more. Are you thinking about putting in a garden? Follow these tips. For healthy strong plants, put in raised beds. Or avoid the digging altogether and put in these easier raised beds. For truly rich, healthy soil, learn how to make your own compost. Protect your plants and keep down weeds by mulching. Here are some mulching tips. Build up your soil, and you'll keep pests down to a minimum, but what happens if pests do attack your garden? Here are some pest control tips  100's Of Wonderfully Frugal, Eco-Friendly and Highly Resourceful Gardening Techniques. click here to learn more. Gotten into poison ivy lately. Learn how to treat that awful itch. Here's how. Do you have limited space? Consider growing your organic garden in containers. Ready to have your own container garden? Here are some tips on finding the right garden container Gardening can be much more than a hobby; it can also be a way to raise most of your food. Here's how. An good resource for raising your own food is this ebook. If you want the richest humus for your gardening, consider composting with worms  Save Thousands of Dollars a Year With This Fully Illustrated Guide. Click here to learn more. Want to have fresh greens for your salad all winter? Then build this easy, effective cold frame. Get your garden off to the right start with strong growth and an early harvest. Learn how you can germinate seeds. So why should you pursue organic gardening? Learn the benefits by clicking here. True self sufficiency means being able to produce your own excellent-quality seeds. Here's how. To save seeds, you must start with quality plants. Learn why you should purchase the seeds of heirloom plants by clicking here. Have you thought about organic gardening but don't know where to begin? Try these tips.  Have a Bountiful Organic Garden using a tiny amount of space. Learn more. As homesteaders, we primarily think about gardening to raise food, but beauty is also important. Learn the importance of cottage gardening. When planning your garden, don't forget to grow herbs. Not only do they smell nice and add flavoring to food, many also have healing qualities. Learn more. Got a bumper crop of potatoes or other root vegetables this season? Learn an economical way to store them to keep them fresh all winter by clicking here. If you want to extend your growing season, a small greenhouse might be just the ticket. Learn more. If you are thinking about adding on a lean to greenhouse, there are a few things to keep in mind. Read more. The winter months are a perfect time for planning your spring garden. Learn more. Summer garden not all you hoped it to be? Consider putting in a fall garden, but be sure to protect your plants from frosty nights. Learn how. The ins and outs of storing produce from your garden can be found by clicking here. If you had an abundant harvest of root vegetables this year, don't let them go to waste; store them using this time-proven method instead. Read more. |
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