How to Plant a Vegetable Garden

By picking the right tools and following easy steps, you can grow your own vegetables. Learn how to plant a great vegetable garden in your own backyard in this video by The Home Depot:

An in-ground garden is a fast, easy way to begin growing your own vegetables. Once you collect your tools – a shovel, hand trowel, cultivator, hoe and a good set of gloves, you’re ready to get started.

1. Pick a good spot for your garden – one that has at least six hours of full sun each day.

2. Prep the soil by digging up the sod with the shovel, then use the hoe to smooth out the underlying soil.

3. Add a 2-3 inch layer of organic matter, such as leftover leaves from last fall or kitchen scraps from your compost pile, to enrich the soil. You can also buy soil amendments from your local home improvement store.

4. Pick your plants. Think about what you like to eat and what type of vegetables you would like to share with your family, friends and neighbors. You will also need to decide whether you want to start from seed or from seedlings that have already begun to grow. Consider whether the growing season in your area is long enough for the plants to mature if you start from seed and whether the vegetables will transplant well. USDA Hardiness Zone Maps are really useful because they help you decide when to plant by showing average low temperatures indicating when you should or shouldn’t plant.

5. Plant your vegetables, using a hand trowel to make tiny holes for the seedlings. Seedlings should be spaced 10 to 12 inches apart down a row, with the rows 14 inches apart. While it is tempting to space them closer together, keep in mind the size they will achieve at maturity. If the plants are too close together, they will block out the sun and increase the chance of disease.

6. Keep the soil damp, but do not drown the roots. Check them every few days and pull weeds when you see them.