Smart Vegetable Garden

You may have been pondering how to plan a vegetable garden, if you want fresh vegetables this year. You do not have to restrict yourself to the customary straight orderly rows. There are other options available. You can unleash your creativity and construct a container or raised bed garden. You could even make a more formal flower type bed and fill it with plant life which produces vegetables as an alternative to flowers.

Sublime Simplicity

Tidy rows are the first step in the long-established conventional vegetable garden. A specific vegetable is dedicated to each row. A north to south orientation, when possible, is usually recommended. To easily reach the rows you should till the soil and make it level. This makes it easier to reach the weeds in the rows and tend to the plants other needs. For larger vegetable gardens you may wish to add walkways so that you do not step on plants tending to the garden. Remember to plant your rows across a slope to keep the seeds from being washed away. It also aids the root growth.

Spice it up

When you begin planning the layout of your garden, you may perhaps think about making use of a raised bed as a substitute to the tidy rows of conventional gardens. The raised bed system uses blocks for planting. In addition to the unique look this system takes up less space. Another benefit this type of garden is that it is off of the local dirt. Tending to the needs of your garden is much easier. Your knees and back will thank you also. All you need are some old bricks, a few cinder blocks, or maybe left over timbers to build up your raised bed vegetable garden.

Flair is Good

Kitchen gardens have a bit more eye appeal. If you are a gardener that likes a bit of flair you might consider this type of garden. Kitchen gardens usually mix vegetables and herbs into a smaller space as close as practical to the kitchen. Most kitchen gardens set the plants into geometric patterns between the stones or bricks that form the paths. This makes the kitchen gardens prettier than more traditional gardens. Some kitchen gardens even have well trimmed surrounding them. Picture some bright red hued lettuce mixed with curly parsley set against a backdrop of lattice covered with peas and beans. Add a few marigolds, which keep bugs at bay, and you have a wonderfully whimsical garden that retains its true function.

Still More Options

Be a little flexible and you will find an assortment of options available to layout your garden. The beauty is in the flexibility. Consider your lifestyle, the space you have, and the amount of time you will invest in your garden. A four square garden (one that is rectangular with a central focal point, like a statue) or an asymmetrical garden (one that has no defined rules) may be other options for you to consider.