Gardeners interested in starting plants from seeds will notice the incredible variety of choices not found in transplants. Favorite warm-season crops good for small gardens include cherry and patio tomatoes, peppers, bush cucumbers and beans, and smaller eggplants. Since they take longer to mature, it makes sense to purchase them as small plants ready for the garden once all danger of frost has passed, usually by the end of May. Hot summer weather does not suit the cool crops, so be sure to balance your spring selections with some heat-loving vegetables. Cool-season crops can handle chilly spring or fall weather, and are often planted again later in the season and harvested as fall crops.
Radish seeds are a perfect choice for kids since they will sprout from a seed into your salad in about three weeks. Radish, lettuce, spinach, peas, and carrot seeds can be scattered lightly in prepared soil, or, once you really get going with vegetable gardening, can be started indoors in March. Seeds or Transplantsįor early spring gardens, seeds are economical and great fun for children.
Blending in several inches of these natural amendments, in spring and again in late fall, enriches and lightens your soil without resorting to chemical fertilizers, making the gardening process a truly sustainable one. Over time, garden soils can be organically lightened and fortified with a good mix of homemade compost, ground-up leaves (leaf mold), and/or composted manure. Digging in those conditions further compacts the soil and creates a solid mass where tiny roots simply cannot grow. Chicago-area soils often remain cold, wet, and heavy late into spring. When the weather is dry, and so is the soil, it's time to dig the garden. Most veggies can be planted in rows or bands, clearly marked at the end of the row with a seed packet to remind gardeners what's coming up. Allow room for either pavers or paths lined with hay, straw, or several inches of grass clippings to encourage daily visits, without risking compacting the soil from heavy foot traffic. To prevent the tallest plants from shading out the low-growing ones, site them at the back, on the sides, or down the middle of the garden, depending on the orientation of your space. This will prevent over-purchasing at the garden center. Draw it OutĪ simple drawing of the garden is visually helpful and shows exactly how much space you have for each plant. To maximize space in the garden, select smaller varieties of vegetables, e.g., cherry or patio tomatoes, minicarrots, and bush varieties rather than vining types of cucumbers, melons, and beans, which take up more room. Growing beautiful, colorful, and texturally intriguing vegetables is a wonderful way to encourage children to eat something new. Early cool-season spring crops that can tolerate a chilly (but not soaking wet) April planting include all lettuces and greens, spinach, chard, peas, beets, radishes, potatoes, carrots, cabbages, and onions. Choose the Cropsĭiscuss the vegetable and herb possibilities with the family so each person, including all kids, can choose a favorite. The garden should be close to a water source and easy to access, since food crops require hands-on tending, watering, and monitoring for problems-as well as daily checking on how big and colorful those veggies are getting! Start small you can always add later.
VEGETABLE GARDEN LAYOUT FULL
An area with a north-south orientation is ideal, in that it takes advantage of the east-west movement of the sun and gives veggies more exposure to full sun-a condition they require to produce bumper crops. Locate a small section of your yard that receives six to eight hours of sun a day. Select the Spaceīefore picking up a shovel or rushing out to buy seeds and plants, choose your garden space. Plant Information Service can assist with all questions.
If you're tempted to dig in this spring, keep it simple, small, and have fun! Gardening and the subsequent cooking activities transcend generations and cultures, and can include every member of the extended family. The cycle of selecting seeds or small plants, digging a garden for them, nurturing the plants, harvesting the bounty, and eating the delicious, nutritious final product is a priceless education in itself. Urban and suburban families alike can catch this veggie fever but funnel their energies into a productive small-space garden. From the farmhouse to the White House, vegetable gardening has captured the imagination and attention of seasoned as well as novice gardeners across the nation.
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