Few things in life compare to the simple pleasure of biting into a freshly picked tomato while it is still warm from the summer sun. When you grow your own vegetable garden, you can experience this little piece of heaven all season long.

However, growing an abundant supply of fresh vegetables year after year takes some practice. For most people, becoming a consistently successful vegetable gardener comes after years of hands-on experience. However, you can lessen your own learning curve by adopting some tried-and-true vegetable gardening tips from the pros.

Here are three vegetable gardening tips you need to know:

1 – Amend Your Soil

Few gardeners are blessed with an abundant supply of beautiful, rich topsoil. Depending on where you live, you may find yourself struggling with heavy clay, rocky, sandy or other less-than-ideal soil conditions. Continue reading →

You wouldn’t try to carve a roast chicken with a spoon, would you?

Of course not!

This same philosophy applies to gardening, as well. Having the right equipment to do the job at hand will save you countless hours and tons of frustration in the long run. Any experienced gardener will tell you how much easier it is to grow your own fruits and vegetables if you have the right tools and accessories in your arsenal.

The gardening tools and accessories you need will depend on the type and scale of gardening you plan to do. If you have a large garden with lots of ground-level beds, you will need an assortment of shovels for digging, edging and moving piles of material. You’ll also need a good hoe to keep weeds at bay and maybe a pick ax to break up tough soil. A durable wheelbarrow to haul mulch and other materials in and around your garden area is also important. Over time, this limited collection of tools and accessories will undoubtedly grow to suit your individual gardening style. Continue reading →

Succession planting is a growing method designed to maximize the amount of fresh produce that can be harvested from a particular growing area. It is all about the efficient use of time and space to produce high level results. For this reason, succession planting is worth a look if you have limited space or if you just want to get as much reward as possible from your gardening efforts.

Single Crop vs. Multiple Crop Strategies

There are a couple of ways you can approach succession planting. One option is to focus on growing a single crop in a defined area. The other option is to inter-plant several complementary plant species within the same area. Regardless of which option you choose, it’s a good idea to start small with one or two beds until you get the hang of creating a planting schedule that works for you. In general, experimenting with a single type of plant or several that are closely related, such as different types of salad greens, is also recommended. Continue reading →