Now that you have a sense of what you want to plant, it’s time to bring your garden to life. If you’ve followed the steps above, you’ll have a general sense of just how much garden space is required to give your chosen plants the best chance for success.
The first step in planning your vegetable garden layout is to select its location in your landscape design. The amount of light required can vary from vegetable to vegetable, but generally, you want a location for yours that receives the most full sun possible.
Next, you’ll need to choose which type of vegetable garden you’d like to plant to grow your own vegetables. Directly sowing the plants in ground is one option; however, we recommend raised garden beds for a variety of reasons, including:
- More efficient use of the garden space per square foot
- Warmer soil, which extends the early spring and fall growing seasons
- Better control over garden soil quality
- Improved drainage
- Simplified maintenance through reduced weed growth and better pest management
- An elevated design that improves accessibility
- With proper care and maintenance, your garden’s soil and quality will improve
As a self-sufficient gardener, you may be interested in going the DIY route for building your raised garden beds and overall garden space. While this can be an attractive option, we suggest that you explore working with a professional company experienced in garden design for your project, for a few reasons.
First, beginning any vegetable garden for the first time is an investment, both in time and money. By working with a pro, you’ll save both in the long run.
Planting a vegetable garden for the first time comes with a steep learning curve, so a ready source of professional expertise can be an invaluable resource that saves you countless hours. They also can help you choose the most cost-effective materials and avoid waste, which is a great cost-savings.
In addition, if your goal is to become self-sufficient as quickly as possible, an experienced professional can help you avoid new-gardener mistakes that may negatively impact your harvest — or worse, kill it altogether.
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