Planning Your Vegetable Garden.

If you want fresh, nutritious vegetables for your meals, plus wholesome recreation for the entire family, try vegetable gardening.Almost any gardener can have grow-it-yourself vegetables with the newer mulches that help maintain a nearly weed-free garden. LocationWhen electing-your garden site, consider (1) convenience to the home, (2) fertile, well-drained soil with slight slope for surface water drainage, (3) availability of water for supplemental irrigation, (4) adequate sunlight and (5) lack of competition from trees and shrubs.Many gardeners will have to compromise on some of these points because of limited land area.If part of the proposed garden is shaded by trees or buildings during part of the day, grow leafy vegetables (greens) that can stand more shade than the root vegetables.Root vegetables (beets, radi hes, turnips) can stand more shade than the vegetable fruit plants such as tomatoes and peppers.Plant vegetable fruit plants in optimum sunlight.If you must plant your garden near trees or shrubs, extra water and fertilizer or a raised bed will help eliminate serious competition from tree roots.