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Planting a Vegetable Garden

Location

• Select a sunny spot that gets at least six to eight hours of sun each day.

Soil

• Soil is the foundation for a great garden. It should be rich and loamy, with good drainage.
• Amend as necessary: add pine bark to clay soil to improve drainage; and peat to sandy soil to improve water retention.
• The experts at English Gardens can help - just bring in a sample.

Plants

• Grow vegetables you enjoy eating and cooking with, or try a few new varieties and experiment.
• Tomatoes are the most popular vegetable for home gardeners. Remember to plant them deep and provide plenty of room to grow.

Water & Fertilizer

• Water needs vary for vegetable plants, but most require at least one inch of water every week, either from rain or supplemental watering. A rain gauge is a great tool to measure water amounts.
• Fertilize at the time of planting with a slow-release fertilizer, such as Osmocote,, and then regularly every 10 days to two weeks with a water soluble formula, such as English Gardens Super Blossom.

Weeding

• Keep the vegetable garden free of weeds, which compete with plants for water and nutrients.
• A layer of mulch two to four inches between the rows can help prevent weeds and conserve moisture.