The 2020 Home & Garden Guide is sponsored by Weather Tight. You can read the entire guide here.
Growing a garden of nutritious and colorful vegetables may seem like an intimidating prospect for inexperienced gardeners. But you don’t necessarily need a green thumb or master gardener status to plant and harvest a variety of tasty veggies.
Growing your own vegetables is not only a healthy pursuit, it’s a smart financial move. According to the Better Homes and Gardens website, www.bhg.com, spending as little as $3 on a tomato plant can yield up to 10 pounds of tomatoes in the long run.
“There are many vegetables for a novice gardener to grow and harvest,” said Joey Baird, who hosts the local radio show “The Wisconsin Vegetable Gardener” with his wife, Holly.
Although experts recommend beginner gardeners set aside a 10x10 space of earth for their first veggie garden, Baird noted that a large yard, or any yard, is not needed in order to grow many vegetables, such as beans, potatoes, beets and swiss chard, making them ideal gardening endeavors for city residents. “All of these can be grown in pots or containers if one doesn’t have space,” he added.
Select your gardening site carefully. Some vegetables, including kale, beets, and swiss chard, only need six hours of sun exposure per day (also known as partial shade). “Lettuce is super easy and can be grown in partial shade,” adds Karen Matt, owner of Plant Land (6204 S. Howell Ave.).
Other vegetables, such as zucchini and potatoes, require full sun, or eight hours of sunlight, to grow properly. Vegetables can take anywhere from 40 to 90 days to reach maturity, depending on the plant.
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For climbing plants like pole beans and cucumbers, a vine trellis is a necessity. Eco-and budget-conscious gardeners can visit www.pinterest.com for some inexpensive ideas for trellises made of wood, sticks and other environmentally-friendly materials.
Don’t fret if, due to time constraints or other reasons, you’re not ready to start gardening right away. “You can plant lettuce, spinach, radishes and carrots in late August for a fall harvest,” Baird says. He does recommend waiting until next year to plant certain vegetables such as tomatoes, winter squash and peppers. “Support your local farmers market for those instead,” Baird concludes.
The Wisconsin Vegetable Gardener is broadcast on radio stations Joy 1340 and 98.7. For a podcast replay, show archives, and more information about The Wisconsin Vegetable Gardener, visit www.thewisconsinvegetablegardener.com.
The 2020 Home & Garden Guide is sponsored by Weather Tight. You can read the entire guide here.
