If you’re investing time and energy in growing your own food, you might as well get the most out of it. Use these six methods to get the most out of your efforts in the garden:
1.Raised beds
Loose soil that’s been improved with compost or similar organic matter and mounded four to six inches above grade allows vegetable roots to thrive better than in hard, packed ground. Plants also benefit from improved drainage that is able to seep through raised beds, than what they may experience being planted directly into the dense ground.
Most people build boxes to contain the soil. Stone, blocks, brick, recycled plastic timbers, and rot-resistant wood are all viable options. Or you can just rake soil into mounds without any edging.
2.Improve the Soil
Even if you don’t build raised beds, it is important to improve the quality and nutrition content of your existing soil before planting. Few people have ideal soil for heavy-feeding vegetables, but even good soil can be made better by working at least an inch or two of compost, rotted leaves, or similar organic matter into the loosened top 10 or 12 inches of your soil.
3.Smart plant selection
Some crops offer a better return for space and effort than others. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, the whole onion family (leeks, shallots, garlic, etc.), lettuce, squash, beans, broccoli, and peas are among the choices that give good yields while taking up relatively little space. Asparagus and rhubarb are also good options because they come back year after year.
Squash, corn, pumpkins, melons, and sweet potatoes, on the other hand, take up more space per yield and are better suited as field crops or in larger gardens. Either way, grow only what you like and will use – or plan to give away the surplus.
