If you want to grow your own vegetables, you need to get good at soil preparation and planting. In this article, we want to share with you a few simple tips for vegetable garden prepping that will help you get started.
Tip #1: Test the Soil
Sunlight plays a vital role in growing vegetables. Therefore, make sure you find an area that gets between 6 and 8 hours of direct sunlight on a daily basis. Then, remove any grass or sod and loosen the soil to a depth of 20–25 cm. To make the process quicker, you can use a cultivator or a motorized tiller.
Next, put on gardening gloves and squeeze the soil in numerous locations. This will help you identify if it crumbles easily which is important for plant growth. Last, but not least, use a soil test kit to check the soil pH and nutrients. To grow vegetables, you need soil that has a slightly acidic pH (between 5.8 and 6.3).
Tip #2: Amend the Soil
Once you have tested the soil, the next part of vegetable garden prepping is all about amending. You need to take care of this at least 3 weeks before planting because nutrient absorption takes time.
First, pull out as many rocks, sticks, and weeds as possible. Second, add minerals like gypsum so that the soil can loosen up. If the soil is sandy, use compost to fix it and improve drainage.
Next, ground limestone can help you raise the pH of the soil. In addition, it is useful to add nutrients like an NPK fertilizer when the soil needs more potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus.
Tip #3: Till the Garden Rows
If you follow the steps listed above, it should be easy for you to prepare the soil for a garden bed. Yet, before you plant your vegetables, make sure you plan properly.
You need to plant your vegetables in rows and leave at least 30 cm between each of them. Naturally enough, the distance will depend on the type of vegetables. So, make sure you research in advance any specific requirements.
The next step is all about bed preparation for planting. It is useful to rake your garden to form rows that are 20–25 cm tall. The base of each row should be at least 15 cm wide. Also, aim at making the top of the rows at least 15 cm wide because in this way the roots will grow and expand more easily.
Last, but not least, do not forget to mulch between the rows. This will help you make sure the soil retains water, as well as prevent weeds from growing. Nevertheless, avoid mulching on top of your garden rows. Otherwise, it will be hard for your vegetables to grow.
To sum up, vegetable garden prepping does not need to be complicated. You need to know what works and follow the steps listed above. We wish you good luck.
